Homebuyers: Don't Skip the Electrical Inspection

Buying a house is a huge commitment. There are a lot of important factors to consider before signing the dotted line. Of course there’s price, location, and size, but we want to direct the attention of any potential homeowners to a smaller detail. It’s one that’s often overlooked but extremely crucial: your home’s electrical wiring.

A couple from Kentwood recently asked Butler Electric to help with a basic electrical problem. Once we opened up a wall to get to work, we found a much large issue. It turned out the previous owner took it upon himself to wire the home despite being an amateur. We need to fix everything and transform the wiring completely in order to make the house safe. You can avoid this upfront by following the steps below!

1. Get a good home inspector. It’s imperative that you get an expert’s assistance if you’re not familiar with electrical wiring. And in Michigan’s hot housing market, you may be tempted to forego the home inspection entirely in order to speed up the deal. We highly advise against a rushed or incomplete home inspection. Don’t settle for a house that’s “maybe” perfect – make sure you’re investing the time and energy to confirm it’s right for you.

2. Identify the issues. You won’t be able to find the problem if you don’t know what you’re looking for! That’s where a home inspector comes in. They’ll conduct a thorough walk-through of the property and note any concerns. Once they have identified any issues, your Realtor will most likely recommend their favorite contractor. For the Butler Electric team, we often receive inquiries asking for cost estimates for repairs from homebuyers. A newer home in Grand Rapids, less than a couple decades old, will most likely have a few problems that shouldn’t run more than $500 to fix. An older home, on the other hand, could cost up to $10k to rewire completely if some of the wiring is knob and tube or underground.

3. Take them seriously. Electrical wiring is a huge factor to making the home safe. It’s a detail that simply must be taken into consideration when purchasing a home. Sure, an outdated electrical system may not be immediately dangerous, but it could soon turn lethal. The home’s wiring could have been worked on by amateurs, gotten wet or overused, or been tampered with to make it unsafe.

As potential homeowners continue to look for the perfect home, we hope you can find a pristine electrical wiring system to match, or at least, be willing to invest in a better system. Just remember to get a good home inspector, identify the issues, and to take them seriously.

Are you looking to buy a home in West Michigan? Do you need an expert opinion? Give us a call for assistance.