As New Jersey Home Inspectors <\/b><\/a>we look for a multitude of different issues on the exterior of the homes that we are inspecting. You as a buyer can also look for some of these issues before you put an offer on the home. Often buyers spend little time walking around the property and examining the exterior of the home. I know that this is difficult especially in today\u2019s real estate environment because you are often rushed and not able to spend adequate time looking at the exterior of the home. However, there are certain things that you can look for that will help you make the right home buying decision and knowing these things up front can help you create an offer that reflects the existing conditions of the home that you are considering purchasing.<\/p>\n

The first thing is to walk around the outside of the house. As a buyer there are a several problem areas that you can look for. The first thing is that you want to make sure that the exterior grade or ground around the home has a positive grade away from the foundation walls. This is crucially important because the majority of basement water infiltration problems are caused by poor water controls around the exterior of the house. Look for areas of negative grade where water will be directed to the foundation and not away. This makes the home vulnerable to water seepage and possible water infiltration problems either in the basement or the crawlspace.<\/p>\n

Another question to answer on the outside is does the home sit high above the local terrain? Often the front of the home will be situated above the street and direct water properly. However, the back portion of the home will have a steep slope toward the house and direct water toward the structure. This is less than ideal, making the home vulnerable to water infiltration. As a buyer you must keep your eyes open for areas of negative grade and neutral grading. If the home has significant areas of negative or poorly graded soil, then you want to take a long hard look in the basement to determine if you see any water stains, notice any moldy odors or water infiltration problems.<\/p>\n

Next, it\u2019s important for you to look for saturated soil around the home. As you\u2019re walking around the home does it appear that the soil is free draining or is the soil retaining water? If you are walking around and it is wet and it has not rained recently. There may be a sprinkler system. If there is no sprinkler system, then you may have a problem with soil not percolating or draining properly. If soil doesn\u2019t drain and water is retained around the exterior of the property, the home is more vulnerable to water infiltration problems. Make sure to walk around the property and take note of any saturated soil areas. An even better way to understand the drainage of the home is to drive by or visit the home during heavy rain. If you visit the home during or right after heavy rain you will have a better understanding of how its water controls are performing. Is water draining from the soil and is water being directed efficiently away from the foundation walls? If the water is not being efficiently directed away it is possible that you will experience water seepage or water problems in the basement or crawlspace of this house. This is a very powerful and important aspect of due diligence, so I highly recommend visiting the home during heavy rain if possible.<\/p>\n

You should look at the gutters and downspouts. Are the gutters in good condition and are they sloped so water is directed to the downspout and then away from the exterior of the home? Look for downspout extensions that carry water away at least 5 feet away from the exterior of the house. These are crucially important elements and can help you avoid getting water infiltration in the basement or lower level.<\/p>\n

Look up at the roof of the home. What does the roof look like? \u00a0Is the roofing material worn, brittle, peeling, cupping, or cracking? You do not have to be a NJ home inspector<\/strong><\/a> or a roofing contractor to understand whether the roof is old or not. Generally, asphalt roofing that is installed on homes in New Jersey has a useful life span of about 20 to 25 years. There are some roofing materials that are guaranteed to last longer but you should use this 20-to-25-year life expectancy as a rule of thumb. As you\u2019re walking around the home make sure that you are viewing the roof covering and it is helpful to take some photos so you can enlarge them when you return home so you can get an idea of its condition. If the home, you\u2019re buying has an older roof it is important to understand that the insurance companies which are very conservative in New Jersey may have a problem with the roof age. Insurance companies will send out inspectors to document issues and take photos of the home. If you have an older roof, they may require you to replace the roof to continue homeowners\u2019 insurance coverage. It is wise to try to determine the age of the roof before you put an offer on the home.<\/p>\n

While walking around the house you can also get an idea of the condition of the sidewalks, walkways, patios, and exterior steps. You want to make sure that these masonry structures are in reasonable condition and especially that they do not create any tripping hazards which could be a liability issue for you after you take possession of the new house. If the front steps are damaged, broken or cracked or there is a raised portion of the front sidewalk you can rest assured that your homeowner\u2019s insurance company will flag the liability issues and more than likely will require you to make you repair or replace it. Before you place an offer on the home make sure you view all the exterior hardscapes to understand if there are any visible issues with them.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t forget to look at the retaining walls. If there are retaining walls around the home you should view them and make sure that they are not cracked, damaged, broken or leaning. Typically retaining wall problems are caused by a lack of drainage around the walls. Hydraulic pressure pushes on the walls and causes them to move over time. Retaining walls are expensive to replace, make sure you know the condition of the walls. If you have retaining walls that are damaged or leaning you should know this before you make an offer on the home. It is easy to view retaining walls that are leaning or in poor condition. Make sure that you take note of the condition of any retaining walls around the property that you are thinking about purchasing.<\/p>\n

What is the condition of the driveway? Most homes in New Jersey have a driveway and you should view its condition. Is the driveway damaged cracked or broken? More importantly, is the driveway sloped toward the garage where water will be directed to the garage and not away? Many homes have this problem where water is directed toward the garage where water can enter the garage under the door and cause wood rot and decay as well as mold growth and damage to stored items. Make sure that you view the driveway to understand its condition and make sure that the driveway is directing water away from all structures.<\/p>\n

Are the handrails sturdy? \u00a0Are the handrails solid and stable or are they loose and presenting a safety issue. Make sure that you grip the rails and push them. Rails should withstand a 200-pound point load across their top rail. If you push on the guardrails and they are loose and give way, then you have a safety issue that will need repair. It is always beneficial for you as a buyer to understand any safety issues before you put an offer on the home.<\/p>\n

What does the exterior siding look like? If it is a wood sided exterior is the paint in good condition or is it peeling or chipping? If the paint is peeling or chipping, then it is highly likely that you will have to repaint your house. Aluminum and vinyl siding should be well attached and in good condition. Make sure you walk around your prospective home and view the siding to determine if it is in good condition.<\/p>\n

NJ Home Inspectors<\/strong><\/a> will inspect the exterior foundation walls and you should too. You should look for any cracks in the foundation walls of the house you are buying. Thin and narrow cracks that run vertically are generally not an issue and typically caused by long-term settlement. However, some cracks that are wider and run horizontal can be more troublesome and can be indicative of more major structural issues in the house. If there are wide horizontal cracks this can be an indication of sheer in the foundation wall caused by soil pressure and can indicate major structural problems and possible large expenses to repair. If you find horizontal cracking in the foundation wall that is wider than the width of a credit card, you may want to have that evaluated by a structural engineer before you put an offer on the home.<\/p>\n

What does the garage or outbuildings look like? \u00a0An outbuilding is simply any detached building not the main home. If the outbuilding or garage is in poor condition that can create a problem with your homeowners insurance company. Make sure you view the exterior walls of the outbuilding or garage to determine if there has been any structural movement which is common especially in older structures. Look for uneven, bowed or cracked walls. Walk around the interior of these outbuildings. Look up and around do you see any water staining or evidence of water infiltration. Do they smell musty or moldy? These are the things that you, the buyer, can look for when you are thinking about buying a home.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t forget the chimney. Does the chimney appear to be in good condition? Are there any missing bricks, or is there any damage? Chimneys are very expensive structures. While it is true that you are limited in what you will be able to see on the interior of the chimney, you should look at the exterior of the chimney for any signs of problems. Taking a set of binoculars with you is a good idea to view the top of the chimney and make sure that there are no areas of damage. Often brick or masonry chimneys are neglected, and money is not usually spent on their maintenance.<\/p>\n

You should check to see if there are any trees overhanging the home or growing close to the house. Trees can cause problems with the structure and falling limbs can cause damage or injury. Tree branches or limbs should not be overhanging the structure. This is something that you can easily look for on your visit to the home before your home inspection and before you put an offer on the house.<\/p>\n

When you as a buyer are walking around and looking at various aspects of the exterior of the home and grounds you can get an idea of the overall maintenance that the home has received. Often if the grounds or exterior have been neglected or experienced deferred maintenance then it is likely that the inside of the home will also have experienced deferred maintenance. This should raise your antenna because homes that have not been properly maintained are generally more expensive down the road to maintain and service because of the lack of maintenance and attention through the years.<\/p>\n

As a buyer of the property there are things that you can look for when visiting a potential home. You can do this before the home inspection or before putting an offer on the house. It is advantageous to know or to get a brief understanding of the condition of the exterior of home before you put an offer on the house because you may be able to put an offer on the home that reflects the condition of some problems that you view while looking at the exterior of the home. This will not be the case all the time and even if it is not walking around the property and looking at these various systems and areas are helpful in knowing what you are buying. Don\u2019t be afraid to walk around the property and to take notes and to take. You\u2019re spending a lot of money to purchase a home and you deserve to understand fully the condition of that house. So do not neglect your walk around the exterior when you\u2019re thinking about buying a house. Often just spending a few minutes on the exterior will help you understand the home\u2019s condition so that you can make better decisions for you and your family.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As New Jersey Home Inspectors we look for a multitude of different issues on the exterior of the homes that we are inspecting. You as…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[20,326,327,323,322,329,321,328,325,324],"class_list":["post-825","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-home-inspection","tag-chimney-problems","tag-condition-of-driveway","tag-condition-of-walkway","tag-exterior-grading","tag-exterior-inspction","tag-foundation-wall-issues","tag-look-at-the-home-you-are-buying","tag-retaining-wall-issues","tag-roofing-issues","tag-saturated-soil-issus"],"yoast_head":"\n