Will a failed electrical inspection cause a home sale to fall through? Will a remodeling job no longer be possible? Is a home safe to live in now? These questions will be answered throughout the article, but the short answer to all of these: No.
Electrical inspections are crucial for the homeowners safety and the house's safety. Without an electrical inspection, it could cause serious damage to a resident or the home itself, but by finding the issues in the electrical work, your home will be safe. No need to worry though, a previous article was written about how to pass an inspection (if you're confused, it's a simple list to help guide you). Now, lets talk about homeowners concerns when an electrical inspection is required.
Home Sales
While a home inspection will not cause the house to be taken off the market if it's failed, it could make future buyers uneasy. It's better to be safe than sorry when it comes to electrical work as it could save you tons of money, even if you have to shell out money for an electrician or a few materials, it beats having an electrical fire start and destroy more of the property. It's also nice to talk to any potential buyers and give them a detailed report of the electrical inspection results, so they know what they're going into. The stress of not knowing whether or not you're house will sell due to safety hazards you noticed during your stay could scare away buyers, which could cause sales to fall through.
Remodeling Jobs
Remodeling jobs are required to have inspections, due to new electrical being added and the existing electrical. If you're unsure of what will be looked at during a rough-in inspection, it's best to ask your inspector so you can get a detailed list and check things off as to not fail. It's also great to get an inspection before you start the remodel because you can factor in the cost of any repairs into your remodel budget. If you happen to fail an inspection the first time, no worries, just fix what the inspector said and schedule another appointment after the problems are resolved.
Home Safety
If your home happens to fail an inspection, don't panic! Most of the time, if you didn't notice a problem then it's most likely not life threatening, so the inspector probably just pointed out small issues that could lead to issues in the future or just broke codes. It's safer to fix the issues the inspector pointed out though, as it could lead to potential damages or prevent your home from selling in the future if buyers see there's electrical issues. If you plan on staying in your current home for a long time, then just fix the areas that need to be fixed so you can live safely and comfortably.
Bottom line, home inspections are a great way to ensure you'll get the most buck for your bang or live a safe life. Even if it seems not worthwhile to hire an inspector and dish out money to fix issues if they arise, some problems can be fixed by yourself! Although a professional will thoroughly complete the job, that may not fit into someone's budget. So even if you just want to hire an inspector to look over your home for peace of mind, then all the power to you!