What happens during a home inspection?
For your convenience we have outlined the
general steps that take place during your inspection below. Please note
this is only a broad overview.
First, we climb on the roof (safety
conditions permitting, over 95% of roofs are climbed on) and check the
roof, gutter, chimney, plumbing vents, flashing, roof trim and
ventilation. 
When we climb down off the roof, we start
at the front door and generally proceed left to right around the home -
checking windows, doors, siding, porches, overhead wires, grading or
drainage away from the home, foundations and sidewalks.
Next we go into the house and proceed to
the attic to check for roof leaks, condensation, ventilation, type and
approximate thickness of insulation, also wiring and any mechanical systems
that may be located there.
Next we go room to room and check doors,
floors, walls and all windows that are not blocked with belonging (i.e.
Furniture or plants). We plug our tester into all electric outlets that
are not blocked with furniture or belongings.
Bathrooms: hot and cold water is run for
several minutes at each faucet. Access panels behind plumbing are
removed as long as thy are not painted or nailed shut, to look for leaks
on supply drain pipes.
Kitchen: we run all appliances that are
being left with the home.
We remove the access panel on the heater
and run heating and air conditioner (as long as outside temperatures are
satisfactory to prevent damage to units).
Main circuit panel cover is removed to
evaluate inside wiring.
Basements and crawl spaces are evaluated
by navigating through them (as long as crawl space is approximately 18
inches high).
Upon completing your inspection we will
issue a Building Analysis Report.
What should you do with the report?
Read the report carefully as soon as you get
home. All most important or more major deficiencies will be circled in
report. Call us with any questions you have. The report is not intended
to be a negotiating tool. However there may be items that you feel the
seller should repair or replace if they are deficient. If you have a
realtor, generally you will give your realtor a written list of your
concerns. In turn your realtor will address these concerns to the seller
in the form of a written letter.
It's important to realize that it all
depends on which side of the fence (deal) you are on how you may review
someone else's request for repairs. Sellers may do all your requests or
none -- depending on how fair they think you are being. We always
suggest that you attempt to be fair with yourself and the seller -- so
it is a win/win situation.
Should you attend the inspection?
We would like you to! We say -- reading the
report without attending the inspection, is like reading the book - versus living the experience. If you
attend -- we will show you where the location of the following items
are, main water shut off, main circuit panel, heater emergency switch
and heater filter.
We suggest you bring along a pad of paper
and pen to jot down items that won't be in the report -- such as
cosmetic repairs and homeowner maintenance that you may ask about, or
want to refer to in the future.
