Typical Home or Building Inspection

The professional home inspector is a member of both ASHI and InterNachi and has completed over 25,000 inspections. The inspector is trained and educated to inspect all aspects of the home. A home or building inspection will encompass all the following items that are readily accessible.

• Exterior walls, roofs, driveways, patios, porches, decks, and fences
• Foundation, sub-flooring, attics, and crawl spaces
• Interior walls, ceilings, floors, doors, and windows
• Kitchens, baths, and appliances
• Plumbing and electrical fixtures, lines, switches, and receptacles
• Heating and air conditioning systems, insulation, vents, and ductwork
• Water heaters, fireplaces, and chimneys
• Gutters and drainage
  

Every inspection should include a written evaluation of all the foregoing. The report will not include a recommendation as to whether you should buy the house, nor will it evaluate the purchase price. If major flaws are uncovered, it should give you some idea of what it will cost to repair or replace the problem. A reputable home inspector will never offer to perform needed repairs and should not refer you to a contractor to perform such repairs.

The report may serve the following purposes:

• To identify problems before you purchase a home to prevent unpleasant surprises later.
• To enable you to get out of a contract (and get your deposit refunded) if serious problems are found.
• To help you negotiate an adjustment in the purchase price if you want to buy the house in spite of uncovered problems.
• To get the seller to agree to pay for needed repairs, either before the sale or after the sale using escrowed funds.
• To make you feel confident about moving forward with the purchase of the property.