What is inspected home inspection

MAJOR COMPONENTS INSPECTED DURING A GREENWORKS HOME INSPECTION

Attic Structure
Balconies
Branch Circuits
Carports
Ceilings
Chimneys
Cooling Equipment
Decks
Dishwasher
Disposal
Doors
Drainage
Drains
Dryer Vent
Ducts
Electric Panel
Exhaust Fans
Exterior Walls
Fireplace
Floors
Foundation
Garage Door Operator
Gas Lines
Grading
Heating Equipment
Interior Walls
Lawn Sprinklers
Microwave
Oven
Plumbing System
Porches
Roof Covering
Range Hood
Range
Service Entrance
Stairways
Tile
Vents
Wastes
Water Heating Equipment
Windows
And much more

Why an inspection?

There are two reasons why a pre-purchase inspection is essential. It enables the prospective buyer to:

obtain the most comprehensive and objective report possible on the general condition of the building; and
learn about any defects likely to adversely affect the liveability of the house as well as its value.
Specifying the condition on the promise to purchase
A promise to purchase that is conditional on a home inspection should include:

a deadline, ideally between 7 and 10 days, for conducting the inspection and reading the inspector’s report; and
a clause stating that the buyer must be satisfied with the findings of the inspection report.
After reading the report, the buyer may be released from the obligation to purchase if he or she is not satisfied with the findings, and may be provided with latitude to renegotiate the purchase price.

Choosing the right building inspector
Surprising as it may seem, there is no regulation that governs training for the profession of building inspector. This means that in practice, anyone can claim to be qualified to do the job. So whom should you entrust the inspection to? The surest way to know you are dealing with someone who has the required skills is to choose an inspector who:

holds valid liability insurance covering errors and omissions; and
is a member in good standing of a relevant professional order.
Many architects, technologists and building engineers offer their services as home inspectors. They are members of professional orders, which are mandated, among other things, to protect the public by controlling the practice of professions.

You can check whether an inspector is a member of a professional order by contacting the order in question, and verify insurance coverage by contacting the insurer.

In addition, you should never hesitate to ask for references. Normally, no seasoned inspector will object to that request.

Good to know: you should expect to pay about $500 for the services of an inspector. The cost may vary, however, depending the type of building (size, age, etc.).

What is the scope of the inspector’s mandate?
A building inspection entails the careful examination of all its systems as well as its visible and accessible components. It is a strictly visual inspection.

Professional orders of architects, technologists and chartered appraisers have jointly developed standards of practice¹ for residential building inspections. They define the content and scope of inspections conducted by their members. Everything requiring examination, both inside and outside the house, is specified: the structure of the property, the land, the building’s cladding, doors and windows, roofing, plumbing, electricity, heating, flooring, ventilation and air conditioning, etc.

If it proves impossible to inspect a particular component or system, the standards require that the inspector explain why in the report. For example, a component may be out of sight in a ceiling or wall cavity, buried underground, or hidden under snow.

The results of the inspection: a detailed report
After completing the inspection, the inspector provides the prospective buyer with a report: a comprehensive, detailed written account of the findings, supplemented by photographs.

The report must also include clarifying comments for the buyer about any defects observed—especially those that require urgent or major repair work, or a more in-depth expert opinion.

A “Seller’s Declaration” form may also accompany the inspection report. It allows the current owner to disclose information on the condition of the main components of the property, including renovations and repairs that have been done, any existing issues, and so on.

At the end of the day, a pre-purchase inspection conducted by a professional (who has the required skills and whose practice is regulated) will provide you, the prospective buyer, with an objective opinion on the quality of the building you are interested in.

You need to have the property inspected

Whenever you are buying a home, you need to have the property thoroughly inspected before you close the deal. If you neglect this important task, you could end up discovering that the home has many problems that you were unaware of. These problems could be quite expensive to repair. Schedule your Buyer Inspection Today!

By hiring an experienced inspection company to inspect the home, you can make sure that you identify any existing problems before you take ownership of the property. By doing so, you and the seller can negotiate over who will pay for these repairs and when they will be performed.

The inspector will examine the entire property, both inside and out, looking for any signs of damage or safety hazards. For example, he will look at the roof to make sure that there are no missing shingles or weak points. He will check the wiring, and inspect the plumbing.

After he has completed the inspection, the home inspector will compile his findings and email you the home inspection report. If he has found any significant issues, he will describe them in detail. In some cases, he may recommend that an expert be hired to make a closer examination of some aspect of the property. Schedule your Buyer Home Inspection Today!

It is important to hire an independent inspector for this process. The inspector needs to be as unbiased as possible to avoid any conflicts of interest. If the seller recommends a particular inspector, you should instead consider hiring someone else, since you want to make sure that the inspector is looking out for the interests of all parties involved in the deal.

One of the major benefits of having a thorough home inspection performed is that you can make sure that your new home is in good shape when you move in. While every home has issues, keeping these to a minimum is important. Not only will this save you a lot of time and money, but it will make moving into your new home a more enjoyable experience.

It is best to make sure that you are on the premises when the home inspection is being performed. This way, the inspector can explain any issues that he may discover to you in person. Also, if you have questions or concerns, you can ask them directly to the inspector, rather than having to write them down and ask them later.

However, this does not mean that you should crowd the inspector or follow him around the whole time. He needs to have enough room to focus on the job. A proper home inspection requires great attention to detail, so you should avoid distracting the inspector and potentially causing him to overlook a serious issue.

As a home buyer, it is important that you have a home properly inspected before you agree to purchase it. This home inspection process can save you quite a lot of time and money, so do not neglect this important task. Schedule your Buyer Inspection Today!

General Home inspection

On the surface, a home may appear to be in good shape, but our experience inspecting new and older homes in and around Southern Colorado tells us that structural issues, roofing problems, electrical defects, and plumbing issues are common, and that minor deficiencies generally affect all properties.

An Affordable Home Inspection provides a general evaluation of most visible and accessible components of the property. The intent is to provide you with all the information we can concerning the real condition of the home so that you can take care of any findings on your own, determine whether to proceed with the purchase of the home is prudent, or perhaps use the information from the inspection to negotiate the terms of your purchase.

Home inspection checklist

You should start preparing for a professional home inspection when you initially tour the home, before making an offer. This will give you an idea if there are any areas you want the inspector to pay special attention to. A good inspector will address these issues in the report you pay for. Use this checklist to help figure out what to look for ahead of time and in the final report. If any of these items aren't covered in the inspection report, ask why not.

Foundation: Look at the base of the walls and the ceilings in each room. Are there obvious cracks or apparent shifts in the foundation? Do the same around the outside. Are there any trees encroaching on the foundation?
Lot: Does the drainage appear to be away from the house? Are there any obvious soggy areas?
Roof: What is the overall condition? When was it last replaced?
Exterior: Does the house look like it will need repairs or painting soon? Are gutters and downspouts firmly attached? Are there loose boards or dangling wires? Is there asbestos in the exterior material, which would require added costs if it needed to be repaired or replaced?
Attic: How does the interior of the roof structure look? Are there any signs of leaks?
Interior evidence of leaks: Check ceilings and around windows in each room.
Basement: Is there dampness? Adequate insulation? (If there's a crawlspace instead of a basement, you might want to leave this for the professional home inspection.)
Electrical: Do the switches work? Are there any obvious malfunctions? Have the outlets been grounded? Is the panel updated and expandable for additional appliances or a potential remodel?
Plumbing: Any unusual noises or malfunctions? Has the sewer line been scoped to check for potential cracks?
Appliances: If these are included, what is the age and condition of the stove, dishwasher or refrigerator?
Heating/cooling system: Does it seem to do the job? How old is the furnace? If the system has been converted, are the old systems or tanks still in place?
Odor: Does the home smell? Can you detect what it might be and whether it could be fixed? Beware of musty odors which could signal a wet basement.

Home Radon Inspection

Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer 2nd only to smoking. It’s estimated that 73% of homes in Colorado have higher than EPA recommended safe levels of radon. At Radon Detectives we take you and your family’s safety seriously.

We offer 48 hour continuous radon test by NRPP Certified Home Inspector with the latest technology in digital radon testing and provide you with the info you need to make an informed decision about whether or not you need Radon mitigation. We do not offer mitigation to preserve the integrity of our testing.
More info on radon can be found at https://www.epa.gov/radon

Our Process and what to expect

Upon meeting at the home at the scheduled time. We do brief introductions and explain a quick outline of our process. This process remains the same for every inspection big or small. We start on the exterior, both of us moving in opposite directions inspecting different components as we move along. Once we have completed the outside which includes walking the roof (unless it is tile or snow and ice covered), the garage and any Main Electrical distribution panels, soffits, fascia, cladding, decks, walkways and driveways, we move inside. We take overview pictures of the entire home, both exterior and interior before really getting into the nuts and bolts of the inspection. On the inside we check every window and door, receptacles (plugins) and switches, appliances, sinks, toilets, tubs, any miscellaneous electrical or plumbing fixtures, Attics, Crawlspaces, Water Heater, Furnace or Boiler. Upon completion of the 400+ point inspection of the home, we gather the customer and realtor together and verbally go over our findings. At this point we take as much time as necessary to answer any questions and discuss any of our findings that may need further explanation. We have found that sometimes it helps to be able to see the issue and ask questions at the time of the inspection to gain the necessary perspective needed to proceed with the transaction. At this point we collect payment and ensure we have signed agreements. We guarantee that the report will be delivered electronically before the end of the next business day and most of the time this occurs much sooner.