Q. Who needs a home inspection?

A. Buyers and sellers.  If you're buying a home, pre-owned or new, an inspection tells you the condition of the property.  That way, there are no surprises after you already own 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 home 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.  Those repairs or corrections can easily exceed the cost of an inspection.  If you catch them prior to warranty expiration, your warranty should cover them.

Sellers benefit by knowing the condition of their home before they place it on the market. Then, any needed repairs can be made prior to listing.  A sellers inspection can also be used as a comparison to what the buyer's inspector finds.

Q. How long does an 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.

Q. What type of report do I receive?

A. We provide a thorough report and can e-mail digital photos to you later the same day.  Our reports are very detailed and include a summary page for quick reference.  Check the "Your Custom Report" page on this site for details.

Q. Should my realtor receive a copy of your 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 for the home inspection?

A. Yes, we encourage you to plan to attend the entire inspection.  There are always items in the inspection that can best be explained on-site.  We 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.  Are you available to answer questions about the property or report after I close and move into the home?

A.  Yes, we will be happy to assist you any way we can in clarifying the information we present in the report even after you've moved in and settled down to enjoy your new home.  We're also available to answer any other questions you may have about the property for as long as you own the property.  We're a valuable resource for unbiased consultations regarding repairs or changes to your property.

Q.  Does a newly constructed home need an Inspection?

A.  Absolutely. A professional inspection of a new home is important. We 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.  We may find problem areas where the builder has taken shortcuts or has not done quality work.

Q.  Should I have a warranty inspection after being in my house for 11 months?

A.  Yes.  A warranty inspection will identify future problems while they are still under the builder's warranty.  Problems can be discovered before your warranty expires and you'll avoid having to pay for the repairs.

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 professional Home Inspector. We're not only familiar with all the systems of a home and how they work and need to be maintained but we also know what to look for to determine if they're about to fail. Consider this, 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. Your professional inspector will provide an objective, unbiased view of the property.

Q.  Will you fix the problems you find during the inspection?

A.  No. The code of ethics of The American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) 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. Our purpose is to provide an unbiased, objective report on the condition of the home.