Full Home vs. 4 Point Inspection – Should You Get Both?
A home inspection is crucial whether you are buying or selling a house. It is made to ensure that the place you are looking to buy or sell is in the right shape for selling and safe to live in. Additionally, many people get home inspections regularly, even if they are not planning to sell their house. They do this to know the state of their home and what needs fixing. This helps avoid any more severe damage to the house, like flooding or fire.
However, there are different kinds of home inspections, and this can get confusing for those unacquainted. There is a full home inspection but also a 4 point home inspection. What is the difference? Which one should you get? We will compare full home vs. 4 point inspection types to help you determine which one you should get, if not both.
4 Point Inspection
As the name suggests, there are four elements that this kind of inspection covers. They include the most crucial aspects that can cause a lot of damage to your house if they are faulty. The 4 point inspection involves Electricity, Plumbing, Roof, and HVAC System (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning).
This home inspection is generally done when you want to insure your home. They are quick and not very detailed, focusing only on the most critical aspects of your home. A home inspector will check your home and write a short report to confirm that your home doesn’t have anything that could increase the risk of damage over time. Passing this inspection will let you get your house insured.
Electricity
One of the most important things to pay special attention to during the inspection is the state of your home’s electrical system. The wires in your home are mostly hidden behind the walls and are very easy to forget. However, their state deteriorates, and their insulation can wear off. This turns the wires into a potential fire hazard. The condition of the sockets is also checked, as well as the grounding of the wires.
Plumbing
Another thing you should have checked during a 4 point inspection is the plumbing, especially the one most exposed to weather conditions. The pipes around your house directly exposed to the weather conditions suffer the most damage. They can corrode much faster, increasing the risk of breaking. Worn-out pipes can cause leaks and many other problems in your home. This is why pipe insulation is crucial.
Pipes need to be properly insulated for two key reasons. First, the insulation keeps the lines safer from weather conditions and reduces the chance of them rusting or cracking over time. Second, the insulation prevents the water flowing through them from freezing in winter. Water freezing in a pipe can put so much pressure on it that it can crack and leak. This is why plumbing is one of the four elements checked during a 4 point inspection.
Roof
The importance of a roof inspection is obvious, and it is not surprising that it is one of the things checked during a 4 point inspection. Your roof suffers a lot from weather exposure throughout the year. The health of your roof is one of the most important things to maintain in your home. It helps keep your home warm and safe from rain, snow, and other weather conditions.
One of the main things checked during a roof inspection is the state of your tiles or shingles. They might have been displaced, cracked, or even gone from harsh weather. This will allow water from the roof to flow into those openings and start a row of other issues in your home. The age of your roof components is also checked, as insurance companies require them not to be older than a set number of years.
HVAC
Finally, the HVAC system is checked to see the state of your heating and air conditioning. It is essential to keep this system clean because you will save on electricity and have cleaner air. The inspection will help you find out whether something needs repairing on time. No one wants to be freezing in their home because their heating broke in the middle of December. This is why it is good to do a home inspection during warm and dry seasons.
Full Home Inspection
The main difference between a full home vs. 4 point inspection is that this type is much more thorough. Although many elements checked are the same as in the 4 point inspection, the full inspection goes into much more detail. Some things checked in a full inspection are the walls, the attic, the basement, the foundation, the structural integrity, the ceiling, etc. The list is extensive, and many of the things checked are unnecessary if you only wish to insure your home.
Buying a home, however, is one of the most significant investments in life, and you will want to know what you’re getting. This is why full home inspections are generally done when people are interested in buying a house.
Which inspection should you get?
It may look like there is no point in getting a 4point inspection when a full inspection already covers most of what it involves. Each insurance serves its purpose. As mentioned before, a 4 point inspection is enough if you wish to insure your home. A full check gives you detailed information about the state of a house. This makes it an excellent choice for home buyers.
In the end, it all depends on what you need the inspection for when it comes to a full home vs. 4 point inspection. Consider what each inspection covers, and don’t be afraid to ask your home inspector for additional information during the inspection. Getting both inspections is never excessive, as you will cover everything about your home and be ready to insure it.
Bio: Mark Hobbs has worked as an advisor for house insurance and maintenance for over six years. He cooperates with Big Man’s Moving Company by advising new homeowners before relocating to their new homes.
