4 Reasons to Order a Home Inspection Before Renovating

Planning a home renovation project is exciting but requires a lot of planning and budgeting. Once the work is underway, things could come up that increase the costs or slow down the work. Getting a home inspection before renovating is a smart idea to give you a better understanding of the house’s condition and any potential pitfalls you may encounter.

An Estimate is Just a Guess

When a contractor provides an estimate for a home renovation project, the price is not set in stone. Remodeling contractors don’t perform a thorough inspection when providing an estimate for the project. Order a home inspection to get a better idea of the scope of the work involved. You can then share the inspection report with the contractor so they can provide a more accurate estimate for the project based on any issues or needed repairs detailed in the report.

Order a Home Inspection Before Renovating to Find Out Any Underlying Problems

Your contractor will provide an estimate that assumes the renovation project will go smoothly and won’t run into problems along the way, keeping it at the lowest possible cost. Hire a home inspector to evaluate the condition of the area you want to renovate.

The home inspector will inspect and test systems like electrical and plumbing to verify that they are in good condition before remodeling around them. He or she will look for signs like sloping floors that may suggest that structural improvements are needed before taking on a renovation.

Learn About Additional Costs

With a thorough inspection completed, you’ll have a better idea of the scope of the renovation project, and therefore the costs involved. If everything is already in great condition and the work is straightforward, the cost will be lower and the project can be completed quickly. However, if underlying repairs or structural or other upgrades are required before proceeding with a renovation, you are looking at a much bigger bill.

Pinpoint Your Priorities with a Home Inspection Before Renovating

A complete home inspection won’t only review the area you want to renovate, it will cover the entire home. You’ll gain valuable information from the report like the condition of the roof, the estimated remaining lifespan of appliances, and the existence of pest or mold infestations.

If you have problems that require urgent repair to maintain the functionality and safety of your home, you might decide to put a bathroom or kitchen remodel on the backburner and use your funds to address these instead.