What is a Home Inspection?

The home buying process can be confusing and stressful. Not only do you need to consider things such as price and location, you also have to worry about whether the house itself has any problems that could become costly surprises down the road.

The Home Inspection is an unbiased, professional assessment of the condition of the house. It provides you an expert opinion and professional report on the condition of the physical structure and various systems within a house giving you peace of mind on what is likely the largest purchase you’ll ever make.

In order to prepare the report, an inspector must conduct a through visual inspection of the house. The time this takes may vary, according to the size and condition of the home. We strongly encourage you to accompany the inspector during the inspection, if possible. This will give you a chance to ask questions and become familiar with the systems of the home.

Items that will typically be included in an inspection are:

  • Framing (structure) Crawlspace/Basement-Floor
  • Roof and attic
  • Foundation
  • Walls
  • Electrical system
  • Plumbing system
  • Heating and air conditioning systems
  • Kitchen
  • Bathrooms
  • Built-in appliances

Additional items and systems unique to a particular home can also be inspected.

When the inspection is complete, we will verbally tell you of any problems that were discovered and discuss them with you if you are present. We will also tell you about any routine maintenance that should be performed, as well as answer any questions you may have. You will also receive a full written report of the inspection (normally 25 Plus pages). The written report is typically done the same day if possible and sent out at the latest by the next day. We can get this to you and/or your realtor via mail, email or fax. Our report is very thorough. Not only do we describe any problems that we observe but we describe the systems and components of the home.

Our goal is to discover and inform you of anything we find that might affect your purchase decision. We will tell you about any problems we find, and make repair recommendations. We will also inform you of what maintenance tasks are required to keep the home and its systems in top condition.

New Home Inspection

There are good reasons to have a professional inspection performed on the brand new home you are buying.

Buying a new house is likely one of, if not the largest purchase decision you’ll ever make. The whole process is fraught with emotion and stress. A professional home inspection will substantially reduce the risk for your large investment in a new home. It just makes sense to learn as much as you can about the quality of your new home, before signing off on everything.

Building a new home is a tremendously complex Endeavor. It involves many people, usually split up into sub-contractor groups, each working on different parts and systems of the house. Even for the best builders, its nearly impossible to complete this process without missing something. Maybe its a plumbing fixture that did not get tested for leaks, maybe its an electrical box that isn't working, or any one of dozens of minor or sometimes major problems that can easily be overlooked in such a major undertaking. We will find such problems while it is still early enough for you to bring them up with the builder and have them corrected before you close on your deal.

For the relatively small cost, a professional inspection of your new dream home can pay big dividends in peace of mind and getting any problems identified and corrected before they can become an unpleasant surprise.

How to Hire a Home Inspector

For most people, the purchase of a home is the largest investment they’ll ever make. Getting an independent, expert opinion on the operability of the structure and its systems is a no-brainer. But not all home inspectors have the same level of experience, training, or certifications. Home inspectors are governed only by whatever laws are in place in the state in which the inspection is performed, and these laws vary greatly. So how do you make sure you’ve hired the right person for the job?

When shopping for a home inspector, it's vital that you do your homework and interview each inspector based on the checklist below.

  • 1. Do not select a home inspector by the cheapest price.

    When hiring a home inspector, you're basically hiring an advocate with your interests in mind to give you their expert opinion on the home condition.  With that in mind, making sure that you’re hiring an inspector with plenty of knowledge and training means not shopping for one by price alone. Experience, training, certifications, and continuing education don’t come cheap to the inspectors and therefore, their expertise isn’t going to be cheap either.  When it comes to home inspections � as with most things � you get what you pay for. If you save $50.00 by hiring a cheap home inspector and he misses a $3,000.00 problem due to lack of experience what have you saved? (The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten).

  • 2. Research their credentials.

    Since there are no national standards for home inspectors, one of the best things you can do to find out about an inspectors qualifications is to ask what associations they belong to. In North Carolina any inspection that is performed for a fee is to be performed by a state licensed home inspector.  We are also required to have a minimum of 12 hours continuing education training per year. Some associations require minimum training, experience, continuing education and also require the inspector pass certain exams.  However, not all associations are created equal.  Also ask what certifications the inspector holds and then research them as well.

  • 3. Make your own decision.

    Some states allow real estate agents and other professionals to make decisions on what home inspector to hire.  Besides the obvious conflict of interest issues, a realtor or banker selecting who inspects your home does not necessarily guarantee that the inspector is the best choice.  Make your own decision based on your research.  Note: We are recommended by many quality real estate agents and bankers as they know we do a professional job for their clients.

  • Ask to see one of their inspection reports.

    At the conclusion of any inspection, you should receive a report on the inspectors findings.  Again, inspectors are going to vary widely � report styles can range from the minimal checklist to the jargon-filled narrative.  Inspection reports can be difficult to understand, so it’s important that you check out a sample report.  Items marked as �fair�, �poor�, or �inadequate� without any further explanation will not help you understand what the problem is or what exactly to repair.  Make sure that the inspector always specifies the exact problem and recommended repairs.

Inspector vs Engineer

You need a home inspector. When you hire a home inspector, you are hiring an experienced professional who has training and experience in the building industry. It is the job of the home inspector to not only evaluate the condition of the house's major systems and structural integrity, but also to evaluate how these systems are working together and identify areas that need to be watched, repaired or replaced.

Your home inspector gives you the Big Picture analysis of the house you are purchasing.

Hiring a Professional Engineer on your own can be a disappointing experience. The term Professional Engineer does not mean that the individual has training or experience conducting home inspections. Additionally, a home inspection does not involve engineering analysis. Therefore, hiring a Professional Engineer to complete a home inspection undoubtedly costs more and it may not give you the results you desire and deserve.