Professional Home Inspection Services

• Structural System: Foundation, wall structure, floor structure, ceiling structure, and roof structure.
• Exterior:  Wall covering, flashing and  trim, exterior doors, attached decks, balconies, steps, porches and  their associated railings. Eaves, soffits and fascias. Grading, surface  drainage, vegetation and retaining walls on the property if any of these  may adversely affect the building.
• Roof System:  Roof covering, roof drainage system, flashing, skylights, chimneys and roof penetrations
• Plumbing System: Interior water supply  and distribution system, including all fixtures and faucets. Drain,  waste, and vent systems. Water heater. Vent systems. Flues and chimneys.  Drainage sumps, sump pumps, and related piping. The functional flow of  all fixtures and drainage of all fixtures.
• Electrical Systems: The service drop,  entrance conductors, cables and raceways. Service equipment and main  disconnects. Service grounding. Interior components of the service  panels and subpanels. Overcurrent protection devices and a  representative number of installed lighting fixtures, switches, and  receptacles. Amperage and voltage rating of service. Location of main  disconnect and subpanels. Wiring methods. Absence of smoke detectors.
  Fireplaces and Solid Fuel Burning Appliances: Vent systems, flues and chimneys.
• Heating System:  Installed heating equipment, vent systems.flues, and chimneys. Heating distribution, energy source and heating methods.
• Air Conditioning:  Describe energy sources and cooling methods. Including means of distribution.
• Interior:  Walls, ceilings, floors.  Steps and railings. A representative number of windows and interior  doors. Garage doors and garage door operations. Counter tops and a  representative number of cabinets.
• Insulation and ventilation:   Insulation and vapor retarders in unfinished spaces. Ventilation of  attics and foundation areas. Mechanical ventilation systems.

Why do I need a Home Inspection?

Buying a home could be the largest single investment you will ever make. To minimize unpleasant surprises and unexpected difficulties, you’ll want to learn as much as you can about the newly constructed or existing house before you buy it. A home inspection may identify the need for major repairs or builder oversights, as well as the need for maintenance to keep it in good shape. After the inspection, you will know more about the house, which will allow you to make decisions with confidence. 

The Home Inspection Contingency

Home inspections are used to provide an opportunity for a buyer to identify any major issues with a home prior to closing. Your first clue that a home inspection is important is that it can be used as a contingency in your contract with the seller. This contingency provides that if significant defects are revealed by a home inspection, you can back out of your purchase offer, free of penalty, within a certain time frame. The potential problems a home can have must be pretty serious if they could allow you to walk away from such a significant contract.

Unseen problems

You can fall in love with a home for various reasons. You might love the size of the home, the open floor plan, the home’s exterior or the layout of the kitchen. While the home may look to be in excellent shape, the home’s aesthetics can hide real problems.

You need an inspector to climb into the attic and inch around in the crawl space. The inspector can discover real and expensive problems that are not always apparent when you view the home with a real estate agent.