If you are considering a home inspection you generally need to schedule it for within ten days of signing your contract, this can vary with individual contracts. Everything in the house should be in working order. Your inspection report will identify items which are considered structural as opposed to cosmetic. This list of structural items should be given to the owner with the understanding that they will make these items good. This generally requires review/repairs by a licensed contractor. The contractor can be hired by the buyer or the seller. It is sometimes better to pay for more significant items yourself to ensure proper repairs. It is always best to have the licensed contractor doing the repairs include a detailed description of his work for settlement. Our inspections take approximately 1 hour per thousand square feet of home. Add to this figure for additional parts of the home such as being over thirty years old, pool, sea wall, boat lifts and crawl spaces. All of these nuances require time. We do not over schedule. We will take our time and carefully inspect all aspects of the home regardless of the time element. Be sure to let all parties are informed. You can expect our home inspector to arrive early. This allows time for the 'set-up' of the job which involves inputting identifying data into our computer, familiarizing ourselves with the house and unloading necessary tools. The inspector will introduce himself to all parties and explain the Service Contract to the buyer. We will take pictures of the home and any significant problems. The homeowner should be aware that the inspector will need access to all areas of the house. We do not move furniture. Garages should provide access to floor, walls, panel box, attic access and water heater. Swimming pools should not be shocked before inspection as this clouds the pool and prevents visual inspection. Any items which are inaccessible to the inspector will not be inspected and this will be included in the report. It is to everyone's advantage to have complete access to the home. The home inspection is already a time consuming, detailed report. Obstacles further complicate the inspection. In preparation for the inspection, the seller can help facilitate the inspection by doing the following things prior to the inspector's arrival:
In general the inspector will show the buyer all of the major items in the inspections for the sake of clarity. The buyer should make himself available to the inspector to this end. Our report will be available by email by the following business day unless time restraints should require modifications. We encourage buyers to contact us with questions regarding the report. We also encourage buyer to inform us of any problems they are concerned about in the house. |
