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The purchase of a home
represents the largest single investment most Americans make in
their lifetime. Yet surprisingly, the majority of people still buy
"on impulse," basing their selection on the aesthetic appeal of the
house, rather than a knowledge of its actual physical condition.
Our home inspection system is designed to provide you
with an objective analysis of the strength and weaknesses of your
prospective home. The more informed you become the more likely you
will make a more educated purchasing decision and the more prepared
you will be to finance improvements should they be necessary. In
this regard, it is easy to see the value of a home inspection.
 Our
inspectors go through properties with you explaining everything in
detail, answering your questions, and making sure you understand
things, including the visual limitations. Training and experience
give our inspectors insight about houses similar to yours, so they
really know what to look for and can readily compare your house and
its systems with other houses of similar age and construction.
This inspector is checking the roof and gutter
system over the house and porch for proper
installation and functionality.
Define Scope of Inspection
Knowing what areas of a house will and will not be inspected is
important in choosing a quality home inspector. Below is a good
list, though not exhaustive, of areas a quality home inspector will
check.
 Structural
The structure of the home is
identified in terms of materials used, type of construction, and the
degree to which various areas are accessible to the inspector.
Significant subcomponents, such as foundation type, framing
materials, etc. are listed, as well as their idiosyncrasies. Our
inspector also checks for major or minor problems in the various
structural systems of the building, including
the
foundation, floor, wall, and roof framing. This image of
block columns reveals a dangerous structural flaw.
Will this hold for a year?" Your guess is as
good as ours! The column has a mix of materials-brick on top, 8X16"
single block with little cement on two 8X16". Blocks without
cement rest on an inverted metal patio table that is directly on
ground without a cement footer.
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 Electrical
The existing electrical system
is checked for sufficient capacity and safety. Our inspector
evaluates the system in terms of its current condition, and
considers its suitability for future intended use. The type of
wiring used and it's potential for becoming a fire hazard are
evaluated.
Upgrades and repairs are
recommended where appropriate. While there should only be one
wire per terminal, this pictures shows too many wires of
different sizes connected to a terminal thus creating a
potential fire hazard.
 Heating
& Air Conditioning Our
inspector assesses the capacity of the existing equipment to produce
comfortable conditions. By considering the age of the existing
equipment and the intended capacity, our inspector can approximate
the life expectancy and recommend appropriate repairs or upgrades
within a budget. The heating unit featured on the right
indicates a faulty gas heater with rust. It shows black marks from
when flame rolled out of burner area. Left in this condition, this
unit and house is waiting to be burnt down
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Plumbing
The piping and fixtures
throughout the house are
checked for functional flow and life expectancies. The
system is screened for unsanitary conditions and potential
repairs, such as freeze vulnerability or spillage/overflow. The
laundry equipment, tile work, and domestic water heating
equipment are surveyed as well. Useful upgrades are itemized
and upcoming replacements budgeted. The picture on the right
shows a home owner patch job which used more duct tape than
metal pipes.
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 Basement/Crawlspace/Slab
Water seepage probabilities and structural problems are evaluated
and remediation advice is given. This picture illustrates the
results of a bad shower pan leak under shower ruining structure
inside crawl space.
Our inspector also looks for possible problem areas that could cause
structural problems, such as poor soil, surface drainage, close
proximity tree roots, rotating stoops, etc. (Return
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 Kitchen
The appliances are operated and
deficiencies noted. Our inspector recommends appropriate
upgrades and approximates the life expectancy of each piece of
equipment. Depending on age and usefulness, our inspector may
suggest a budget for repairs from complete renovation to typical
minor problems such as appliance malfunctions, damage to floor
seams, or inoperative door springs. We test for proper
electrical functionality. This is a kitchen outlet that is
being tested for proper electrical connections and proper
functionality of the safety receptacle -GFCI (Ground Fault
Circuit Interrupter).
 Interior
Our inspector scans the wall,
floor, and ceiling surfaces for problematic conditions, such as
visible evidence of water penetration, potentially dangerous or
toxic materials, fire hazards, or security breaches. The
ventilation and energy conservation aspects are checked and
appropriate upgrades are itemized. The good intentions of the
insulation company which capped vent to prevent blowing insulation
from getting into vent pipe were reversed when they forgot to take
cover off and reconnect the vent.
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 Exterior
Our inspector walks on the roof
(where safe and appropriate) and notes preservation
deficiencies. Roof runoff controls and landscape drainage are
checked and improvements are recommended where necessary.
Stoops, steps, walks, and drives are checked for voids, surface
problems, and safety hazards. This picture shows shoddy
insulation of a new AC Compressor on uneven pad.
Additional Services
Additional items such as pools,
spas, barns and other outer structures, well flow, wood destroying
insects, lawn sprinkler systems, fences & gates and EIFS (Exterior
Insulation & Finish Systems) are also provided for an additional
fee.
Environmental Assessment testing
services provided include:
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- Environmental Assessment /Indoor
Air Quality (mold, mildew, fungi)
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