Plumbing inspections are different than home inspections. Many prospective home buyers hire a home inspection company as part of the process. This is terrific, many problems are uncovered during the inspection. However, a home inspector is rarely a licensed plumber. The home inspector may find those problems that are apparent such as leaking faucets, running toilets, broken outdoor faucets, and corroded water heaters. A licensed plumber doing a plumbing inspection will dig deeper to see what is going on with the plumbing systems and hydronic heating systems.
If a leaking pipe is discovered, the buyer may think it is an easy fix. Maybe it is. Or, maybe it isn’t. What if it is a heating pipe? What if the original plumber did not install shut offs so a plumber can isolate the portion of the pipe that needs fixing- in that case, the whole house may need to be drained.
Many homeowners walk through the home and are already planning the kitchen and bath remodels. Perhaps they are even budgeting those figures into their formal “offer”. If the original plumbing was done incorrectly and does not meet the plumbing code in Massachusetts, this could add substantially to their budget. For the cost of the remodel they could have bought the nicer home they really wanted.
A licensed plumber will walk through the house and note any issues. He will draw up a formal report on letterhead with the findings. This report will help the buyer to make the final decision and can also be used as a bargaining tool. Perhaps the seller will opt to fix some of the items or take some money off the price.
Rizzo Plumbing & Heating has many years of experience and has the credentials to perform a plumbing inspection. If you are buying a home and would like to include a plumbing inspection as part of your process, please call us at 781-413-6253 or email us at judy@rizzoplumbingandheating.com
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