When you hire a home inspector to inspect a home you are buying one of the things he will be inspecting is the homes foundation. Here is an overview of what the inspector will be looking for.
The first thing the inspector will have to do is determine the type of foundation the home has. There are three types of foundations: the basement, crawl space, and concrete slab.
If the home has a basement, there may be some limitations to the inspection based on if it has been finished. The inspector is trying to determine if the basement presently has or has had a moisture problem in the past. For an unfinished basement is there any water staining on the concrete? For a finished basement, is the carpet stained, is there a mildew smell, or is the hardwood flooring separating, curling or cupping at the seams?
While in the basement, the inspector will also look at the walls and trim for signs of moisture intrusion from the basement walls. The inspector will also examine any exposed framing, electrical switches, outlets, or panels, plumbing pipes, and any mechanical devices such as water heaters and HVAC systems. The inspector will also report on the existence and condition of a sump pump.
If the home has a crawl space, the inspector is not required to inspect it if the head space is less than 18 inches in height. If the inspector can not evaluate the crawl space due to height restrictions they are required to report it within the report.
Inside the crawl space the inspector will be examining the condition of the piers, foundation wall, the visible wood framing, and if there is any evidence of insect damage. In addition they should be reporting on any moisture present in the crawl space, type of ventilation, determine if a vapor barrier is installed, the condition of any visible plumbing, HVAC ductwork, and if there is insulation under the home.
When the home has a concrete slab, it can only be inspected from the exterior, unless the interior has not been floored yet. On the exterior the home inspector will be looking to see if there are cracks present in the concrete slab and if the ground around the slab is sloped away from the home.
In Closing
Many times the foundation installed is dependent on the grade of the land and soil type. It is not uncommon for a home to have two foundation types on a sloped lot. If the slope is steep enough the home may have all three foundations installed on a home.
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