Engineer a more complete home inspection for yourself
Conducting a basic home inspection is something most real estate agents recommend to homebuyers, as the report should identify issues with the home that the buyer may have to pay to rectify after closing. While this report is helpful, the inspector isn’t qualified to assess the structural integrity of your home. For that, you need to hire a structural engineer for your home inspection. Having both a structural engineer and a general home inspector present for your inspection gives you the best chance of identifying potentially expensive issues with the property.
Structural engineers have a thorough understanding of safe construction, and they use that to design structures, including residential homes, commercial properties, and other structures, like bridges and tunnels. They take environmental factors into consideration when determining what constitutes safe construction, as well as the “live loads” (the weight of people and furniture) and “dead loads” (the weight of building materials) the structure needs to support.
During your inspection, your structural engineer will move throughout the home, looking for signs of structural damage or instability. They pay particular attention to the foundation of the home, looking for cracks, unevenness, and other signs of damage. They’ll also look for signs of foundation issues throughout the rest of the property, like sagging or squeaky floors and bowing foundation walls.
A structural engineer will usually require access to the basement or crawl space, if there is one, to inspect the foundation and examine the rafters and trusses in the attic. They’ll also examine the interior and exterior of the home for signs of instability or future risks.
Having a home inspection done is always a good idea before closing on a property, and there are a few reasons you should schedule one for any home you’re considering purchasing.
Your lender requires one: Some mortgage lenders require a home inspection to ensure the collateral for the loan is in good condition.
You want to negotiate the sale price: You can sometimes use the results of a home inspection to negotiate with the seller and pay a bit less to account for any repairs you’ll need to carry out after closing.
Your homeowner’s insurance provider requires one: Some homeowner’s insurance companies may require a complete home inspection for coverage, and others may offer lower premiums if you have a home inspection and structural inspection done.
There are a few benefits to having a structural engineer’s report included in your home inspection before closing.
The last thing you want after closing on a home is to pay tens of thousands of dollars to repair foundation damage or another structural issue. Having an inspection done before closing can help you avoid properties that will need extreme renovations shortly after closing.
In many cases, you can use your structural engineer’s report to negotiate the sale price. Sellers may offer to carry out repairs on their dime or even offer concessions on the price to account for you having to lay out money post-closing.
A structural engineer’s report may affect a home's appraisal, which means issues found during the inspection could lower the sale price.
Of course, knowing that a home doesn’t have pending structural damage gives you peace of mind that you won’t be on the hook for thousands in repairs right after buying a home.
A structural engineer focuses on the structural components and safety of a home, while a home inspector focuses mostly on the mechanicals and the overall condition of the property.
Structural engineers will look at your foundation, roof trusses, floor joists, exposed studs, and sill plates, and they’ll look for signs of structural damage. A home inspector will check to make sure your electrical, plumbing, and HVAC equipment is in good working order, and they’ll also comment on termite damage, leaks, evidence of mold, building code violations, and more.
A structural engineer costs an average of $550 if you’re hiring them for a home inspection. Prices can range from $350 to $800, though, depending on the size of the home, your location, and some other factors. While the report can be pricey, it’s almost always worth hiring a structural engineer near you for an inspection before closing on a property.
A structural engineer’s report is almost always worth it, as it can help you avoid buying or overpaying for a home with structural issues. The most important thing the report does for you is provide peace of mind that you won’t have to pay thousands of dollars for structural repairs right after closing on a property.
A structural engineer’s report includes a professional assessment of a property’s foundation condition, structural elements like roof trusses and floor joists, and the skeleton of the home, including studs, beams, and rafters. It will also usually include an assessment of drainage on the property and any potential issues that could arise from environmental conditions, like extreme weather in the area and even tree placement.
Most lenders and homeowner’s insurance companies don’t mandate a structural engineer’s inspection, so in most cases, it’s not required. However, it’s a good idea to have one done anyway to ensure you know what you’re buying. You can use the report to carry out repairs after closing or even to negotiate the sale price before closing.
