Home inspections often don't delve into landscaping issues- but should.
Mature trees towering over a yard may draw house hunters, but failing to inspect the health and location of those trees could prove a costly mistake. The same goes for inspecting a home's irrigation system, soil and grading, and decks and patios.
Prudent home shoppers are looking beyond the aesthetics of a home's exterior and doing careful preinspections of the landscape in order to stave off buyers' remorse and better understand maintenance needs.
Relying solely on a home inspector's advice may not suffice for an outdoor issue. "A lot of home inspectors don't focus on the landscape, yet it can have a big adverse impact on a home," says Jeremy Johnson, president of CRI Home Inspections in Riverside, Calif. "Landscape are a huge issue both financially for a home owner and structurally for the house." Johnson began offering a landscape inspection as part of his standard home inspection after seeing a need for a more inclusive look at the home's exterior. He's discovered a number of problems that can lurk: over saturation of soil; tree branches hanging over a home that can damage roofs and allow pests access; broken or misaligned sprinklers that can lead to dry rot or termites; inefficient rain gutters that cause drainage problems; and lawn slopes that drain toward the house rather than away, setting the scene for flooding issues.
Buyers should ask the home inspector what components of the landscape are included in the inspection and try to find a home inspector who is knowledgeable and who routinely includes an outdoor review in an inspection package. That may be the best approach for obtaining an unbiased overview of conditions outside the house. But in some cases, landscape specialists are needed for a more thorough investigation, such as irrigation companies to evaluate the sprinkler system; geological inspectors for slope, drainage and soil concerns; and arborists for issues with trees and plants. The costs vary, but typical ranges are $75 to $120 for a termite or pest report; $150 to $350 for an arborist review; and $350 to $450 for a septic system inspection, according to Costhelper.com. Some specialists may offer a free analysis, hoping that buyers will step up to pay for recommended services. Consumers generally should be wary of "free" assessments. On the other hand, buyers may benefit from learning upfront that the removal of a single large tree could run upwards of $1,500.
"Smart buyers will have a landscape inspection done before they buy," says arborist Jim Houston, vice president of Midwest operations at Davey Tree Expert Co., a national tree service and landscape care company. "A true professional should give you a fair, unbiased assessment, even if it means you don't need any extra services."
By Melissa Dittman Tracey for Realtor Magazine