What is a Home Inspection?

A home inspection is defined as a visual inspection of the readily accessible systems and components of a home and includes the determining whether systems are still performing their intended functions. The inspection and report are an invaluable service that provides you with an unbiased professional opinion of a property and can bring peace of mind when purchasing a home. The inspection is methodical and meticulous; designed to cover specific items that include:

• Roofing
• Exterior
• Structure 
• Electrical
• Heating
• Cooling
• Plumbing
• Insulation
• Interior 

A home inspection is not technically exhaustive meaning the inspection is purely visual. It does not identify defects that cannot be seen, such as problems hidden behind walls, ceilings or floors. The inspection cannot be responsible for finding conditions that may only be visible when storage or furniture is moved. It is important for clients to understand the limitations and conditions of a home inspection. Most home inspectors will provide a written document/contract to the client before the inspection that outlines exactly what is involved with a home inspection and require it to be signed before performing the inspection. The home inspection is designed to give the client the big picture when it comes to evaluating a house. The inspector is a generalist, not a specialist and it’s best to compare a home inspector to a general medical practitioner, as they would find something wrong with a patient and then send him/her to a specialist. The specialist in our case would be an electrician, plumber, roofing contractor, HVAC contractor, engineer and so forth. You could always opt out of a traditional inspection and bring in all the expert trades to inspect your potential property, but this would be very costly and will end up costing well over a $1000. This is why the home inspection industry exists, for a much lower fee you bring in one person who has a general knowledge of all. 

You also must remember that buying a home is probably the most expensive purchase you will ever make. This is no time to shop for a cheap inspection. The cost of a home inspection is very small relative to the value of the home being inspected. The additional cost of hiring an inspector is almost insignificant by comparison.

During the inspection, the inspector will take you step by step throughout the home and gladly address any questions or concerns that you may have. By attending the inspection, you will get a better understanding of the home’s overall condition and receive many helpful maintenance tips/advice.

The actual inspection usually takes 3- 4 hours, but every house/inspection is different and can vary in time. The inspection process should never be rushed and we find that having two home inspectors during every inspection allows for a more efficient inspection without compromising quality. It also allows us to provide you with on-site reports for clients needing a quick transaction. When the inspection is done we do a property review with you and answer any outstanding questions you may have. Our inspections are unbiased neutral opinions that have no interest in whether the real estate transaction goes through.

If you would like more information, please contact us at House CSI