FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Home Inspection?
A Home Inspection is a tool for the Real Estate Transaction. For a buyer, it is a third-party visual inspection of a purchased property. For a seller, it is an opportunity to have a generalist deliver a list of defects, or issues, so that there are no surprises that could impact the sale of the home.
Why would I hire a Home Inspector?
A Home Inspector is a generalist, well-versed on the home and its many systems. A Home Inspector provides a report of all of their findings, as observed on that given day. A Home Inspector is affiliated with multiple Home Inspection and local REALTOR associations, is licensed and insured, and can arrange access to the home.
A home-buyer could arrange to hire a Roofer, an HVAC Mechanic, a Plumber, and Electrician, as well as other professional experts. Each professional would need to be scheduled, and some would charge for the service or provide a "free estimate". All of these professionals would need to to coordinate access to the home, evaluate a given system, then provide a professional report, and all of this would need to occur within the time constraints of the Real Estate contract.
How long does a home inspection take?
It really depends. On average, the inspection takes 2-3 hours at the property. The square footage, age, and findings will all factor in to more or less time spent on-site. We typically finalize the inspection at the end of the work day and have the report ready that evening.
Do I need to be present for the home inspection?
While we always prefer to have the client present, we certainly understand that may not always be possible. Our inspections include a "slide-show" of photographic findings, which is typically the final portion of the inspection. From these photos, we can zoom in, or where applicable re-visit the area of concern with the client.
We have had great success hosting Web meetings that allow for out-of-state clients to go through the slide-show with our inspector (scheduled at a later time).