Excessive Furnishings, Storage, Vegetation, And Debris

Excessive furnishings, storage, vegetation, and debris throughout the structure or exterior grounds at the time of the inspection present difficult and often dangerous working conditions for me. There is no area that is off limits when it comes to excessive furnishings and storage, being found inside (see Figure 1), in the garage (see Figure 2), and outside (see Figure 3).

Excessive storage and furnishings in any area can conceal damage, deterioration, water damage, deferred maintenance, mold, etc. in any of those areas; concealed defects are not within the scope of the home inspection. While I strive to prepare an accurate report of the condition of the property at the time of the inspection, it is virtually impossible to do so in such circumstances due to the time-limited nature and generalizations inherent with a property inspection, as well as areas of the property not being visible, not being accessible, or being considered dangerous and unsafe. So be careful while on the property until conditions are improved.

The information contained in your property inspection report should not be construed as an exhaustive, complete, or definitive list of defects and areas of concern under any circumstances since that is not the purpose of a property inspection. However, simply moving into a structure that had excessive furnishings and storage present at the time of the inspection means that renovation of any part of the property could expose defects which were not noted in your property inspection report because they were not visible at the time of the inspection. In other words, I’m just not going to find everything under these conditions.

If you have any concerns about things that might have been missed under the conditions present at the time of the inspection, you should schedule a re-inspection after all the furnishings and storage have been removed from the property, as well as thoroughly checking everything during your final walk-through. If you plan on doing any renovation, you should increase your budget to account for unexpected and unforeseen circumstances due to conditions at the time of the inspection. Additionally, before you close escrow, create a list of service professionals (plumber, electrician, etc.) to call in an emergency situation.

If you have any questions about anything, simply contact me.

Figure 1. Excessive furnishings and storage in a bedroom.

Figure 2. Excessive furnishings and storage in the garage.

Figure 3. Excessive furnishings and storage outside.

                      

               Thank you for using The Upscale Home Inspections Service.

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