FAQs
Who needs a home
inspection?
Does a newly constructed
home need an inspection?
Are you licensed?
How much does it cost?
How Do I Get Ready For The Inspection?
How long does an inspection take?
What's Included In The Inspection?
What type of report do I receive?
Should my Realtor receive a copy of your
report?
What If The Report Reveals Problems?
Are you available to answer questions about
the property or report after I close and
move into the home?
Will you fix the problems you find during the
inspection?
Do You Offer A Guarantee?
Who needs a home inspection?
Buyers AND sellers. If you're buying a new or pre-owned home, an
inspection tells you the condition of the property. That way,
there are no surprises after you close on
the home. If you purchased a new home and
it still has a warranty from the builder, it's a good idea to have a
home inspection before it expires. It's a
rare case that even a new home doesn't
have some problems that were overlooked by the builder. Those
repairs or corrections easily exceed the
cost of an inspection. If you catch them
prior to warranty expiration, your warranty should cover them.
Today, more and more sellers are having a home inspection before
putting their properties on the market. That way, a seller
knows exactly what condition his or her
home is in, and can make needed repairs prior
to listing. This makes a better first impression and avoids
later delays in the transactions when a
potential buyer wants to make an offer. Also, a
sellers inspection can be used as a comparison to what the
buyer's inspector finds.
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Does a newly constructed home need an inspection?
Absolutely. .
A professional inspection of a new home is important.
We can spot potential problems early,
while they are still easy to correct. It’s
especially valuable to arrange an inspection before the interior
walls are finished. I may find problem
areas where the builder has taken shortcuts
or not done quality work.
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Are You Licensed?
Yes, All Inspectors in the State of Texas should be.
We're required to
keep our license current and take
continuing education classes each year.
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How Much Does It Cost?
The cost of a home inspection is usually a small fraction of the cost of
the problems discovered! The fee varies with the size of the house and
other factors. If you'd like a quote please call me and
describe the house. Remember that every
quote is an estimate, and the cost may be
insignificant compared to the savings! See our
Inspection fees page to get an idea of costs.
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How Do I Get Ready For The Inspection?
It's the seller's responsibility to get the house ready for the inspection.
All utilities need to be turned on and all gas appliances need
to be ready to run (pilot lights must
be on). Access needs to be cleared to areas like
attics, crawl spaces, electric panels, furnaces etc.
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How long does an inspection take?
Anywhere from two to four hours depending on the size of the home,
the condition of the property, and the number of services
you've requested.
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What's Included In
The Inspection?
A home inspection is a visual evaluation of the major systems in
the house including structure, roof,
exterior, heating/cooling, plumbing,
electrical and the interior. As long as it's safe and
accessible I'll walk on roofs, enter
attics and crawl spaces, remove access panels and operate
equipment. Using the "Standards of Practice" set up by
the State of
Texas Real Estate Commission I'll inspect each room like I was
buying the house.
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What type of report do I receive?
You can receive your report in a variety of ways. If you need the report
immediately, I will complete and print it on site. I can send
your report via e-mail, or put a copy of your report on CD-ROM.
The report provides easy-to-understand details on:
- the condition of components from the roof to the basement
- what works and what does not work
- major and minor deficiencies
- what needs repair / maintenance
- suggestions for further evaluations
We provide digital photos of any areas that need extra
clarification and we include them in the report. Every item we inspect on the
property is addressed in the report.
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Should my Realtor receive a copy of your report?
Yes. Your Realtor can assist you in determining if any
items in the report are significant
enough to warrant re-negotiation with the seller. Having your
Realtor review the report also insures that you both are "on
the same page" at the closing.
Note: I will not provide a copy of your report to anyone
without your consent.
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What If The Report Reveals Problems?
No house is perfect. I may find things that weren't
expected. The report is not a seller's
"Must-Fix" list, it's just an impartial reporting of condition
giving you clear direction for what should be done about
each problem. Each situation is
different, and it's up to your and your real estate agent to
decide how to proceed after an inspection.
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Are you available to answer questions about the property or report
after I close and move into the home?
Your understanding of your home is our
highest priority. You can ask
questions for as long as you own your home. There's no charge as
long as we
can answer by phone or e-mail without coming back out to the
house. Contact Us
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Will you fix the problems you find during the inspection?
No. Both the Standards of Practice of the
Texas
Real Estate Commission and the
Code of Ethics of The National Association of
Certified Home Inspectors (NACHI)
prohibits its members from soliciting
repair work on properties they inspect. This assures that there
will never be any conflict of interest
on the part of the inspector. Our purpose is to
provide an unbiased, objective report on the condition of
the home.
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Do You Offer A Guarantee?
Yes. All of my inspections are guaranteed through
Brinks Home
Warranty until your closing. After that you may
extend them for yourself directly with
Brinks.
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