Buying a home is probably the largest investment you will ever make, so it’s important to understand the
condition of your investment. A home inspection is a non-invasive examination of the home’s structure,
systems and components. While a home inspection is not a prediction of future conditions and cannot reveal every concern that exists (or ever could exist), it will significantly reduce your anxiety by arming you with the knowledge you need to make an informed home-buying decision.
SERVICES
After your inspection, we will prepare and deliver a comprehensive, PDF inspection report that documents the existing condition (with photos) of the subject property's structural elements, mechanical systems, roof surfaces and other related building components.
INSPECTION REPORT SAMPLE
Click HERE for an excerpt from one of our Inspection Reports*
*requires Adobe Reader software - available for free from this link.
What's included in the inspection?
• Grading & Drainage • Leaders & Gutters
• Roof & Flashing • Windows & Doors
• Foundation • Basements
• Chimney & Fireplace • Attic
• Ventilation • Insulation
• Electrical Panel • Cooling System
• Interior Plumbing Fixtures • Heating System
• Hot Water Heater • Walls & Ceilings
• Floors • Siding & Trim
• Deck & Steps • Porch & Railing
• Garage Door Openers • Safety Sensors & Openers
Seller Inspections
While many metro areas require pre-sale inspections, it is not required in this region. However, more and more smart home sellers are choosing to have their homes inspected by a private inspector before putting them up for sale. These are typically called Pre-Listing Inspections or Seller Inspections.
A seller’s inspection is the equivalent of a buyers inspection, but of course the client is the person selling the home, not the person buying it. Sellers may choose to make the inspection report available for potential buyers to see, or they may keep it private. In either case, this is a fantastic way for sellers to learn exactly what will be found at their home when their buyers have an inspection performed, and will give them a chance to repair any problems.
If the seller chooses to make the inspection report a public document, this can make the home a more attractive property for potential buyers by giving them better peace of mind about a property before even writing an offer on it. Besides added peace of mind for buyers, having a sellers inspection may make the negotiation process much easier for all parties involved.
Buyer's Inspections
We encourage our clients to attend the entire home inspection, from beginning to end. A typical home inspection will take 2-4 hours to conduct, depending on the size and condition of the home, and how many questions our clients have (we love questions). For first time home buyers, our home inspections provide an excellent education on home ownership and home maintenance. For the more experienced buyer, we’ll focus more on major issues and general building science. We take digital photos throughout the inspection and include them in our inspection report, along with several helpful diagrams and illustrations. Following the inspection, our reports are e-mailed to you for your review in Adobe Acrobat format.
Home Maintenance Inspections
A home maintenance inspection is essentially the same as a standard home inspection, but the inspection is done for the current owner. Most of these homeowners have been in their homes for over five years, and they may or may not have had their home inspected at the time they purchased it.
One small difference between a buyers inspection and a home maintenance inspection is that we don’t test the appliances during a maintenance inspection. Homeowners already know about every little funky issue with their appliances; they don’t need us to test out the burners on their stove for them. We do inspect the installation of the appliances though.
Another difference between a buyers inspection and a homeowner maintenance inspection is that we sometimes go a little ‘Mike Holmes‘ on the house by cutting into stuff or taking stuff apart that we wouldn’t normally do for a traditional home inspection. While a traditional buyers inspection is subject to a purchase agreement with standard language saying it’s a non-invasive inspection, we don’t have those kinds of limitations with a maintenance inspection. Usually, the homeowner is right there with us for the maintenance inspection.
If we’re concerned about water intrusion below that basement cabinet in the corner, we’ll ask the owner if we can drill a hole in the back of the cabinet and stick a borescope in there to check it out. Home inspectors enjoy getting to the bottom of stuff like this, and homeowners appreciate the extra work involved to get to the bottom of questions. Win-win. Everyone’s happy and the inspector sleeps better at night.