Why get a home inspection, and what rural property adds to it

The baseline

What a general inspection covers

A Florida home inspection is a visual, non-invasive review of the readily accessible parts of the house. Nothing gets opened up, dug up or taken apart. What you are buying is a trained person's written record of what could be seen on one day, with photographs.

That covers the roof surface and structure, attic, insulation and ventilation, foundation and visible structure, exterior, drainage and grading, windows and doors, the electrical panel and accessible wiring, plumbing supply and drains, water heater, HVAC and ductwork, built-in appliances and the garage.

It is not code enforcement, not an appraisal and not a warranty. And on a rural property it is only about half of the due diligence you actually need.

The half that gets skipped

Well, septic and everything else outside the walls

This is the part we care about most, because it is where the expensive surprises live and because none of it appears in a standard report unless you ask and pay separately.

• Well. Pump and pressure tank condition and age, well depth and casing, and a flow-rate test. A well that keeps up in February can struggle in May. Ask when the pump was last replaced.
• Water quality. Bacteria, nitrates, and — in this part of Florida — iron and sulphur, which are a nuisance rather than a hazard but which change what you will spend on treatment. FHA, VA and USDA files commonly require a water panel.
• Septic. Have the tank pumped and inspected, and have the drain field evaluated. A failed drain field is a five-figure repair and there is no way to see it from the yard. Ask the county health department what permit records exist for the system.
• Flood, wetlands and soils. Much of Putnam County sits near water. Check the flood zone, check for wetlands on the parcel, and on undeveloped land ask about soil suitability for a septic system before you buy it.
• Access. Whether the road is county-maintained, private, or an easement across someone else's land. This is a title and survey question and it is a real one out here.
• Outbuildings. Barns, pole buildings, workshops and detached garages are usually excluded from a standard inspection. If one is a reason you are buying, get it looked at specifically.
• Manufactured homes. Foundation and tie-down condition, HUD certification, and any addition or carport that may have been built without a permit.

There is a fuller version of all of this on our well, septic and land guide.

The Florida reports

Wind mitigation and the 4-point

Two additional reports that have nothing to do with whether you like the house and everything to do with whether you can insure it at a price that works.

Money

What it costs out here

On a rural purchase the add-ons frequently cost more than the inspection itself. That is the correct allocation of money, not a sign something has gone wrong.

After the report

What to do with sixty pages of findings

1. Insurability and safety first. Roof, panel, active leaks, structural movement. If it cannot be insured, nothing else matters.
2. Systems with a date on them next. HVAC, water heater, well pump, drain field. These are bills, not defects.
3. Land and access issues next. Drainage, easements, culverts, driveway.
4. Cosmetic last, and mostly leave it alone.

Then decide: repairs before closing, a credit at closing, a price adjustment, or nothing. We generally prefer money over repairs, because a seller who is already moving hires whoever is cheapest and quickest, and a credit lets you choose the contractor and stand there while they work.

Choosing

Picking an inspector for a rural property

• Verify the Florida licence at DBPR yourself.
• Ask whether they will travel to the parcel and what the trip charge is. Some Jacksonville companies will not come this far south.
• Ask what is excluded — outbuildings, crawl spaces, wells, septic, docks.
• Ask for a sample report on a comparable rural property, not a subdivision house.
• Walk it with them. On acreage that walk is where you learn about drainage.

A list of licensed companies that publish service in Putnam County and inland St. Johns is on our inspector directory. It is a directory, not a recommendation.