Q. Who needs a home inspection?
A. Buyers and Sellers. Whether you are purchasing a new home or pre-owned home, an inspection tells you the condition of the property. This way, you will have no surprises after you close on the home.
If you purchased a new home and it still has a warranty from the builder, it’s a good idea to have a 1 year warranty inspection before it expires. It’s a rare case that even a new home doesn’t have some problems that were overlooked by the builder. These repairs can easily exceed the cost of an inspection. If you catch them prior to warranty expiration, then your builder should take care of them.
Sellers benefit by knowing the condition of their home before they place it on the market. Repairs on deficient items can be made in a timely manner and by the sellers choice of contractors. This type of inspection can save money, time , and stress for the seller.
Q. How much does a home inspection cost?
A. Home inspection prices will vary but start at $225.00 for a high rise condo, and increase from there. I will need to know what year the home was built? I will need to know the square footage and whether it is built on a basement, crawlspace, or slab. If your home was built on a basement then I will need to know if it is finished or unfinished. Once I have all of this information I can give you a quote in just a few minutes, so please give me a call.
Q. How long will the inspection take?
A. Anywhere from two to four hours depending on the condition of the property, the number of services you’ve requested and the size of the home. It takes time to perform a thorough inspection of the entire property and I pay attention to the details.
Q. When will I receive my inspection report?
A. You’ll receive your report within 24 hours via e-mail as a .pdf file which you can read on your computer. The file can also be saved to your hard drive on your PC for future reference. I provide digital photos of any areas that need extra clarification and I include them in the report. Every item I inspect on the property is addressed in the inspection report.
Q. Should my realtor receive a copy of the report?
A. Yes. Your realtor can assist you in determining if any items in the report are significant enough to warrant re-negotiation with the seller. Having your realtor review the report also insures that you both are “on the same page” at the closing.
Q. Should I be present at the time of inspection?
A. Yes, I encourage you to plan to attend the entire inspection. There are always items in the inspection that can best be explained on-site. I will include them in the report of course, but your presence at the property always makes it easier for you to understand important information about the property.
Q. Do I need a inspection for a newly constructed home?
A. Absolutely. A professional inspection of a new home is important. I can spot potential problems early, while they are still easy to correct. It’s especially valuable to arrange an inspection before the interior walls are finished. I may find problem areas where the builder has taken shortcuts or not done quality work.
Q. Why can’t I do the inspection myself?
A. Chances are that even if you are very familiar with home construction, you still don’t have the knowledge, training, and experience of a Certified Home Inspector. I’m not only familiar with all the systems of a home and how they work and need to be maintained, but I also know what to look for to determine if they’re about to fail. Also consider that when you are involved in buying or selling a house, it’s impossible for you to remain completely unemotional about the house, and this may cloud your judgment. I will provide an objective, unbiased view of the property.
Q. Can you fix the problems that you find?
A. No. The code of ethics of The International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI) prohibits its members from soliciting repair work on properties they inspect. This assures that there will never be any conflict of interest on the part of the inspector.