A home inspector has specialized training and experience to identify safety and functional problems in the home system. The home inspector observes and checks over 500 items in a home system that the average homeowner does not usually consider. See "what a home inspector inspects" to get a small sample of why a home inspector may be a good choice.
Home inspectors are required to inspect certain components and systems of the home if they follow the standards of practice under the ASHI or InterNACHI guidelines. Go to www.ashi.com or www.nachi.org to view these standards of practice. Most qualified home inspectors will go beyond the minimum requirements and we certainly do too. If there is a system in the home that you are particularly concerned about then we will thoroughly check what is important to you. It should be noted that home inspectors cannot see through walls, move furnishings in the home, see leaks that are not leaking so there are limitations of the service. See "What is inspected" tab
Typically a home inspection will take between 2 to 4 hours. The length of time depends on the size, age, components, and complexities of the home.
While it is not necessary or mandatory to have the home buyer or real estate agent present during the inspection it is a good idea. While at the inspection, the home buyer can have another look at the home and this will provide an opportunity for the home inspector to communicate more effectively some of the concerns, if there are any, about the home. We love to educate our clients on the components of their home.
Sure you can. You should probably inspect it several times before the purchase and you should inspect it with a home inspector. Buying a home is a subjective emotional experience and the inspector is there to be objective and find problems that you will want to negotiate in the final sell of the home. Many times the seller will either fix the problem, offer a lower price on the sale, give cash at settlement for you to spend on fixing it, or maybe do nothing. However, you will not be surprised when you unpack your belongings and find out that your water heater does not work. A home inspector knows what to look for - in fact, if added up there are several hundred items that an inspector will look at that the average homeowner will not inspect. We want you to pay attention to what color you want to paint the living room, while we pay attention to whether or not the toilet is leaking.
A home inspector not only inspects homes during real estate transactions, but a home should be inspected yearly or at least at the 11th month before the home warranty becomes void. Let us know if you would like us to inspect your home again at the 11th month for a deep discount rate.
We also offer a home inspection consultation service for sellers. This consultation will help the seller know what to fix and repair so that the real estate transaction will go more smoothly without surprises.
No. The home inspector is not a code inspector and will not enforce any changes to be made to the client. It is up to the client to make the recommended changes.
You will receive a verbal preliminary report upon completion of the home inspection. An emailed report will be delivered in less than 24 hours. While some inspectors print the report on-site or email the results before leaving the property, we prefer to take some time to review and make sure the report meets our high standards before providing the final report.
The home inspection report will provide prioritized items that need to be repaired, be monitored, or is a safety issue. See the "Report" link to see an example.
We offer several other services such as wood destroying organisms (termite) inspections, infrared scanning to identify thermal/moisture intrusion and home maintenance tips.
We also offer Home Binder and ReCall Chek services - See links to these services.
Just like any other small business, there are costs associated with providing excellent service and products. Education, specialized tools, marking materials, wages, taxes, general liability insurance, errors and omissions insurance, specialized training, experience, vehicle cost, computer software programs, and maintenance items add up. There is also the risk of working in unsafe conditions such as walking on the roof, being exposed to electrical and airborne hazards, and confined work areas like crawl spaces. After the inspection, we believe you will agree that the benefits will outweigh the cost for you.
We know that families are on a budget just like our family. We want to make it as affordable as possible and at the same time give you the best service. Our rates are highly competitive. Give us a chance to find out.
Every home is unique and therefore requires special attention. The size, age, components, and other factors play into the time it will take to perform the inspection. While this is very annoying for cost comparison shoppers (I am one of them), you will find in the end that we are very competitive, if not let us know. However, if you must know, the fee is usually between $250 - $600 with an average fee of $375. However, we also offer a 10% discount to military, veterans, teachers, first responders, and community volunteers.
You control the report. No one else will have it unless you give it to them. Most people will give it to their real estate agent to help look over the items and make recommendations. With your permission, we can provide a copy to your real estate agent if you would like.
We are glad you asked. We try to develop a clear report with pictures, illustrations, and explanations of major concerns, minor concerns, and safety issues. An example report is located under the "report example" tab.
American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) and the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI) are the professional organizations for home inspectors. Since home inspectors are not regulated in Kansas or Missouri and many other states, these professional organizations help regulate the industry. To become a member of these organizations the home inspector agrees to abide by certain ethical standards and to be adequately trained. If you do not choose us to be your preferred home inspectors, you owe it to yourself to at least find someone that is a member of one of these organizations. We happen to belong to both.
Your construction friend should look at your home and we hope that he or she does. However, most construction workers work in a trade where they specialize in a particular construction field and they do not generalize to other areas. A home inspector has training as a generalist in understanding all of the different components of the home and how they interact with each other. A checklist of inspection items and knowledge of minor and major problems are known by the home inspectors and may not be fully known by other specialists.
An FHA appraiser determines if a home is suitable to carry a loan and if it meets the basic requirements for habitable living. A home inspection is much more thorough and is required to review more components and systems of the home. This is why many FHA appraisers will also suggest that the client have their home inspected by a home inspector.
We offer discounts for Veterans, military personnel, teachers, community volunteers and much more. Tell us what you do for your community and we may offer a discount for your service.
Look at the customer benefits page! We think you will agree that very few home inspectors offer this wide range of benefits. If you find something that another home inspection business offers that we don't let us know. We want to be competitive and to give you what you want.
An inspection is just the start of keeping your home in good condition. With each inspection we offer a free book filled with home maintenance tips and other valuable information. Please