The
one inspection which applies to almost every home sale
and purchase is the "Termite" or "Pest" Inspection and
Report. These are both misnomers but they're the two
most common titles used for the "wood destroying pest
and organisms inspection report" on the condition of
the property as of the date it was inspected. During
the inspection, the inspector looks for:
1.
Actual structural damage caused by moisture, or an infestation
of fungus, termites, beetles or other wood destroying
pests, and
2.
Conditions such as excessive moisture, inadequate ventilation,
faulty grade levels or water leaks, which if left uncorrected,
may eventually lead to infestation or structural damage.
3.
Certain specific areas, unless excluded from the inspection
or not accessible to the inspector, are inspected and
outlined in the report:
4. Substructure (the crawl space), Stall showers, Foundations,
Porches and steps, Ventilation, Attic Spaces, Garages,
Decks and Patios, Other-Interior and Other-Exterior.
A
termite report IS NOT a complete physical and geological
inspection of the property. There are many other professionals
that may be consulted to do other inspections in order
to ascertain a more complete picture of the property's
condition. Do not look for the termite report to tell
you about:
5.
Code compliance/violations (including building, zoning,
fire, health and safety codes) unless it involves as pest
control issue.
6.
Plumbing, sewer, septic soundness -- except for noticeable
leaks.
10.
Structural integrity beyond pest control concerns.
11.
Environmental hazards.
12.
Cosmetic repairs.
13.
Window or glass conditions.
The
Inspector's Recommendations
Each
finding listed in the report is followed by a recommendation
from the inspector. The report will title each recommendation
with one of 5 titles: Section I, Section II, Further Inspection,
Information or Consult Other Trade.
1.
Section I means "Damage has occurred, corrective action
is needed" -- there is evidence of active infestation
or infection damage that has resulted in or from infestation
or infection. Typically sellers are responsible for
correcting these items.
2.
Section II means "Damage can be expected in the future,
but with corrective action it can be prevented" -- there
is a condition that is likely to lead to infestation or
infection but no visible evidence was found as of the
time of the report. Typically, buyers agree to assume
responsibility for Section II repairs, although there
is no requirement that these be completed within any particular
time frame.
3.
Further Inspection means "there may be damage but it is
not readily visible" -- To verify whether or not there
is damage will require opening a wall, lifting a floor,
moving the current occupant's personal belonging, etc.
You can request that the further inspection be done, for
an additional fee, and a supplemental report will be issued.
Who pays for the further inspection is typically handled
as follows: If no Section I damage is found, the buyer
pays. If Section I damage is found, the seller pays for
the inspection and for the repairs.
4.
Information -- the item is noted for your information
only. These are typically reminders as to future preventative
maintenance which you should take.
5.
Consult Other Trade or Another Craft -- this means that
there was a problem noted, but it is beyond the scope
of the inspector and so should be looked at by a specialized
craftsperson.
Why
is the pest report so important? Most lenders require
you to show that the property has no Section I damage
before they will agree to make a loan on the property.
This is called "the clearance." If the inspector finds
no Section I damage the report will include the statement
that "this property is clear of . . ." If the inspector
does find Section I damage, the repairs are made, the
inspector comes out again to verify the repairs and
then issues a report which says there is no damage.
This report is called the "clearance."
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