Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is a home inspection?
A home inspection is an in-depth visual examination of the physical structure and systems of a home. It is not an appraisal that tells you what the home is worth or a code compliance audit: an inspection will basically tell you what is wrong with the property as well as all the good things! If you are thinking of buying a home, condo, townhouse, or duplex, you should have it properly inspected before final purchase by an experienced and impartial inspector.

2. Why do I need a home inspection?
Purchasing a home will probably be the single largest investment you will ever make. You should know exactly what to expect, inside and out, in terms of repairs and maintenance and their possible costs. A fresh coat of paint could be hiding serious structural problems. Water marks on the ceiling, roof decking, or floor joists may indicate a chronic leakage problem or simply the result of a single incident. The home inspector interprets these and other clues, then presents a professional and impartial opinion as to the condition of the property before you buy, so you can avoid any unpleasant surprises after the sale. Of course, a good home inspection will also point out any positive aspects of a home, such as: a new roof, new siding, and professionally installed pool or spa, to name but a few. Some buyer programs consider home inspections to be so important that they allow for additional financing to help cover costs of an inspection.

3. How do I select a good home inspector?
There are already a few players in your home buying or selling transaction - realtors, mortgage lender, family, and of course the buyer/seller. Now you are going to add another - a home inspector. You need to be able to interview your potential inspector and find the one that can best educate you on the major purchase about to transpire.

As the real estate market grows, more inspectors are joining in the competition for your business. There are some very good inspection companies and also some with very little in the way of proper training, experience, and knowledge. Until recently, it wasn't easy to find a professional who could make a valid assessment of the dozens of systems and components that make up a house. A carpenter moonlighting as a home inspector might check all the structural elements but walk right past a deficient heat pump or electrical service.

Before you schedule a home inspection, interview a few inspectors using a comparison Checklist. Try asking your Realtor, Plus, get a feel for their personality...are they a good communicator? Do you feel comfortable talking to them? Are they willing to explain the home inspection process to you? You can be assured that we will listen to your concerns and present a report to answer your specific questions.

4. What does a home inspection cost?
The cost for a home inspection varies from company to company. It will also depend upon the type of inspection you request and the characteristics of the property. Generally, you should expect rates for a qualified company/inspector to range from about $250-$400 depending on the size of the home.

Not a bad price to pay considering you are about to make the single largest investment of your life. We feel that this would not be a prudent time to save a few dollars by going with a “discount champion”. The $20.00 you might have saved won’t sound so great if a $1000 defect were to be overlooked. We feel that you would be wise to choose a reputable inspection company, and avoid the “Discount champions”. Furthermore, our inspection fees average less than 1/10th of 1% the selling price of the home, this is a small investment for such a large “peace” of mind. Retaining the services of a Licensed Professional Home Inspector can also translate into big savings at the closing table. Find out the cost of your complete home inspection.

5. Should I attend the inspection?
Many clients often attend the last half hour of the inspection, and some attend the entire inspection to ask questions, and receive their onsite report package, but you may prefer to leave the inspection to us and take advantage of our easy online report retrieval. It’s totally up to you. A thorough home inspection should take 2 to 3 hours, depending on the size, condition, and characteristics of the home. Larger homes will require more time, as will older homes. We sometimes have more than one inspector evaluating your home, in an effort to lessen the time you are dealing with the inspection process, but most homes are inspected by an individual inspector.

6. Can I do a home inspection myself or have my friend help me?
Even the most knowledgeable home buyer or homeowner lacks the expertise of a professional home inspector who has inspected hundreds or even thousands of homes in their career. An inspector is equally familiar with all the elements of home construction and the proper installation, maintenance, and interrelationship of these elements. Plus, most buyers find it hard to stay completely objective and unemotional about the home they are considering, possibly leading to a poor assessment. Even trained craftsmen, know that professionally inspecting a home is no simple task. Many wouldn’t consider doing an inspection for themselves, or even having one of their own employees do it for them, why should you?

7. Can a house 'fail' an inspection?
No. A professional home inspection is simply an examination into the current condition of the prospective home. It is not an appraisal or a municipal code inspection. A home inspector will not pass or fail a house but rather, we describe its condition at that time and indicate which items will be in need of repair or replacement.

8. If the report is favorable, did I really need an inspection?
Definitely! Now you can have peace of mind in completing your home purchase, knowing the condition of the property and all its equipment and systems. You may have also learned a few things from the inspection and will want that for future reference.

9. After the home inspection, which items should I ask the seller to repair?
It is appropriate to ask the seller to fix any immediate safety issues, such as a gas leak. If you would like to ask for other defects to be corrected we suggest you seek the advice of your professional real estate agent since only your agent would know the total you will spend versus how much the property is worth.

In most cases the Seller will make concessions, either they will fix certain items or perhaps adjust the purchase price of the home. However, cosmetic sand some minor issues will not be taken care of by the Seller. These issues are often not expensive to correct especially if you can do them yourself. If you need a little help look at our Seller info on repairs and maintenance even though you are a buyer, you might find some helpful ideas and tips! If you are not able to perform the repairs yourself please visit our repair cost and life expectancy guide page to determine how much it will cost you to pay someone to correct them for you.

Please contact us for more information or request an inspection online!