Home Renovations Projects That May Require A Home Inspection
Posted on: 18 April 2016
Before getting started with your next home remodeling project, it is important that you know some of the work that requires inspection and what needs to be done. For example, if you are renovating your kitchen to make it open or larger, this may require making changes to the structure of your home that need to be certified and inspected. You may also want to update wiring, which can also require inspection if you expose outdated wiring. Here are some tips to help you with your home renovations and inspecting the work that needs to be done:
1. Making Structural Changes And Ensuring They Pass Home Inspections
Remodeling kitchens and other living space in your home may require that holes be cut in walls or even to be completely removed and replaced with beams. This can give your home a more open design and space. Making these structural changes can also be challenging because loads have to be carried to the foundation. This is why it is important to have these changes approved by an engineer and have your home inspected to make sure that the changes are up to standards with modern building codes.
2. Grandfather Clause With Electrical Wiring And What Happens When Exposing It
Making structural changes can also mean that you expose wires hidden in the walls. The wires may even need to be relocated to allow for the changes. It is important to know that in most areas, when you expose the electrical wiring, it will need to be brought up to modern building codes.
Grandfather clauses often apply to old wiring that you do not expose or change. This means that areas where you do not do renovations are fine as long as you leave the wiring alone. In some cases, you may want to still change the wiring, such as with poorly insulated wiring that can be a fire hazard. You can have a home inspector inspect the changes you make, as well as old wiring to recommend where changes may be needed to keep your home safe.
3. Old Outdated Plumbing That Does Not Meet Code
Older homes can have outdated plumbing that can lead to a lot of problems. This can be due to things like clay pipes for sewer lines, that are at risk of failing, or poorly insulated water lines that can burst during winter freezes. In addition, older homes may not have modern back-flow prevention devices that are required by most building authorities. A home inspector can help you find potential problems and recommend changes to bring your plumbing up to date with modern building codes.
Doing renovations to your home can be beneficial, but you want to make sure that you are not making any errors. A home inspection service can help you with your project and tell you want needs to be done to make sure your home meets modern building standards. For more information, contact a website like http://www.homeinspectionassoc-ma.com.
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