Although regular renovation is crucial for maintaining the safety, comfort, and functionality of your home, renovation projects often end up costing a pretty penny. In fact, most professionals recommend budgeting at least 20% more than you think is necessary to arrive at the actual cost of the project.
And that is assuming that everything goes as close to normal as possible.
Unfortunately, many routine renovations open a Pandora’s box that turns the project into a never-ending money pit. Therefore, it is a great idea to hire a professional home inspector during the planning phase of your next renovation. In this article, we will explore how having a trained eye assess the quality of your home can save you a lot of money by avoiding unexpected surprises.
Identifies Underlying Issues
Every homeowner’s worst nightmare is starting a renovation project only to uncover a hidden mess. It can wreck a budget and stall the project mid-completion.
However, as most underlying issues are difficult–if not impossible–for the untrained eye to recognize, identifying hidden problems can be quite the challenge.
Therefore, it is a great idea to partner with a licensed home inspector prior to starting a project. They will be able to expertly spot potential problems and let you know if it is safe and affordable for you to move forward with the project. It could be something as simple as sealing cracks in the foundation or checking building regulations, but it will give your renovation the best chance for ongoing success and prevent any costly rework scenarios.
Gives You a Plan of Attack During Renovation
Proper planning and organization is critical for the success of any renovation. It helps guarantee that the project stays on time and on budget.
However, it can be extremely difficult to have a coordinated plan of attack when you don’t know what you are getting into.
For example, re-texturing and repainting drywall is a fairly common renovation for many homeowners. However, certain types of drywall corner bead, such as metal, are easily dented and become wavy and distorted when painted over. By having the drywall inspected for these types of issues, the homeowner can meticulously plan out any prep work that needs to be performed prior to starting the main renovation.
Ensures the Home Is Up To Code
One major area in which professional inspectors are particularly invaluable is in their detailed knowledge of local building codes. For example, while a deck addition is a fairly common exterior renovation, some locations will not allow decks of a certain height to be built without adequate decking railing. There are also some types of projects that may create a fire, flood, or other type of public hazard. If you attempt these projects without the proper approvals, you could be looking at a hefty fine, not to mention having to scrap everything you had already invested in the project.
Finally, even though the country is in a DIY craze, you are not given free license to just start working on your property. Any type of project that will alter the footprint of your property, such as plumbing, electrical, foundational, etc., will require a permit. A licensed home inspector will help you identify which types of permits are required to begin these types of renovations.
Helps Identify Energy Efficiency Issues
A home that is “good enough” is not “good enough” in 2023. Evolving governmental regulations and higher public standards for energy efficiency are putting homes under greater scrutiny than ever before.
By working with a home inspector, you can more easily identify substandard insulation, breaches in the building envelope, and other issues that may be zapping the energy efficiency of your property. This can put you in a better position to renovate for emergent energy efficiency standards. And in the short-term, it will help the renovation save you money on utility bills.
Possible Insurance Savings
A licensed home inspector can also help you identify issues that may be impacting your homeowner’s insurance premiums. While the formula for arriving at your premium is complex and involves a lot of moving parts, one of the factors that insurance companies look at is how at-risk your building materials are toward natural disaster. Therefore, if a home inspector recommends replacing splintered wood shake roofing for impact resistant shingles or inorganic fiber cement siding in place of old wood planks, he or she could help you reduce the risk of your property that results in some savings in insurance premiums.
Schedule an Inspection Prior To Your Next Renovation
Basic home renovations have a way of breaking budgets via unexpected surprises. Fortunately, working with a home inspector can help remove this costly guesswork. If you are planning a renovation project in the near future, contact Gold Key Inspection Services for a consultation today!
Brian Jeffries is a freelance writer that loves sharing his knowledge and expertise on construction projects and materials. He lives in Winter Park, Florida where he enjoys spending time with his wife and working on projects in his spare time. Brian’s work as a freelance writer can be found on Building Product Advisor, a construction industry resource site.