FAQ's

Experience, commitment to excellence, and a genuine desire to represent my clients to the best of my abilities. I have spent my entire professional career in real estate and property inspection, using the knowledge and experience from multiple disciplines to identify and solve the many issues that come up in a typical home inspection. I love what I do for a living, and the enjoyment and satisfaction I get from working with my clients keeps me focused on the end goal: providing a trusted service that allows people to go forward with their dreams.

This is a very important questions to ask. Although some home inspectors have been licensed for a number of years, they may not be experienced inspectors. A better representation of experience would be to ask the prospective inspector the number of inspections that have performed while licensed. A few hundred inspections may sound like a lot, but in reality, that amount of time spent in the field just scratches the surface in this profession. I have performed over 4200 inspections over the past 14 years, and I frequently come across new components, circumstances, and problems I have never encountered. It often takes extensive knowledge and experience to discern latent defects and potential problems that lay hidden in homes.

Technically, no. However, I encourage you to attend the inspection to some extent, if possible. Expect around 3-4 hours, more if the home is larger or very old. Accompany me throughout the inspection process if you desire, except for in potentially dangerous areas (roof, crawlspace, attics, etc.) Feel free to explore the house and measure rooms; just please respect the occupants’ home and belongings. I also ask that only I perform testing on the systems and components for your safety and to prevent damage. I will take extensive notes and numerous pictures throughout the inspection. At the end, we can go over the findings and answer any questions you may have. I will have the report ready for you and sent by the end of the day.

If you cannot attend the inspection, do not be concerned. We can schedule a phone conference and perform a full review of the findings found in the report.

This is one of the most common questions I receive. It is my intention to inspect most everything that I can see and safely access, from the foundation to the roof and those systems and components in between. I inspect the foundation, crawlspace, attic, roof, walls, ceilings, and floors for structural defects, damage, water intrusion and a host of other potential problems. Functional and visual evaluations of the HVAC, plumbing, and electrical systems are performed. However, there are some things that are not part of a general home inspection such as low voltage systems, smart electronic systems, underground drainage systems, etc. We also do not inspect for certain hazardous conditions like lead, mold, asbestos, and environmental issues unless otherwise stated. Please click this link for a detailed explanation of our Standards of Practice.

Please feel free to bring a few family members or friends to the inspection. I would advise to keep the number to a minimum out of respect for the homeowner. Understand that I am responsible for anything damaged or presumed stolen. Also, please do not allow children to run wild or play with the occupants’ belongings. As for contractors, please contact me first with the contractor information so I can clear it with the homeowner or their representative.

I do recommend a structural pest inspection on most homes. Even newer homes can have infestations or conditions conducive to wood destroying organisms. Some home loans require this additional inspection, so double check with your real estate agent or lender. A structural pest inspection is a secondary inspection with a separate report and an additional fee to the home inspection.

Please contact me as soon as you have signed the contract or purchase agreement. I am often booked out many days in advance. We will need time to get you scheduled during your option period and also with enough time for additional evaluations and repairs by other specialists, if necessary. Also, you need to check and make sure there is an inspection clause in the sales contract that allows for the final purchase to be contingent on the home inspection results.

A home inspection is not graded and cannot fail. A home inspection is a general inspection of the many systems and components of a house, and typically there are a number of defective items that will be discovered. I still have not found the perfect home. I also have inspected hundreds of structures that were in terrible condition. However, almost anything can be repaired or replaced, and there are many factors to be taken into account in the sales price and the negotiation process. For these reasons I never grade or fail a home, because a home in poor condition may be purchased at a great price or the seller may be willing to make necessary repairs. I strongly urge my clients not to get overwhelmed when problems are found because they can often be resolved. Rather than grade, I document issues, educate my clients on the issues, and then make appropriate recommendations.