Denver Colorado Real Estate Inspections

To Inspect or Not to Inspect?

Sometime folks feel a new house has been inspected to death, with all the county inspections that are required and to a certain extent they do go through a rigorous schedule of assurances for health and safety of the future occupant.

However all inspectors are human and schedules and pressures are natural things we respond to and therefore they sometimes miss things, and frankly, we do not always believe the things that might be missed. An example: and entire attic area in a town house in the Centennial area had no insulation and this was discovered 4 years after the home was sold new.

We always make the recommendation that you have a home inspected before you close. With a new home this allows you to generate a 3rd party checklist or “punch list” for the builder to address before you move in. When you are buying a resale home, this lets you know everything (hopefully as we are all human) there is to know before you buy and to make a decision about if you want the home.

A new home builder will almost always suggest the inspection schedule has been rigorous yet they know it is “your money” and you certainly are free to inspect it before closing. And even if you do not have the inspection done before closing, a good home inspector will be able to come through the home BEFORE your 12 month anniversary and create a thrid party punch list for any warranty work you might need done by the builder.What a valuable tool when you are asking for repairs.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM A HOME INSPECTION

During a home inspection, the home inspector will concentrate on the condition and structure of the home and point out observed safety concerns. The home inspection is a visual inspection of the house -- home inspectors do not do any destructive testing, nor can they inspect what they cannot see.

A professional home inspector should, at a minimum, inspect the following items:
-- Exterior Home Site
-- Building Foundation
-- Exterior Home Walls
-- Roof Coverings, Flashings and Gutters
-- Roof Support Structure
-- Attic
-- Basement
-- Insulation quality
-- Garage
-- Electrical
-- Visible interior and exterior plumbing
-- Central air and heating system
-- Interior condition of the home.

Home inspectors are hired by the home purchaser, or in increasing numbers by the home seller, to be a disinterested third party in the real estate transaction. A home inspector should never offer to make the needed repairs to a home nor should they provide you with specific referrals for home repairs or renovations. For any necessary repairs, consumers should hire professionals with no connection to the inspector or the other party in the transaction.

Home inspectors are generalists -- they need to know the home's many systems and components and how they work, both independently and together. In addition, they need to understand why and how the system(s) fail. Consumers should expect a written report to describe the actual condition of the home at the time of the inspection and to provide an indication of the need for major repairs.

WHAT NOT TO EXPECT FROM A HOME INSPECTION

Home inspectors do not do any destructive testing, nor do they have x-ray vision. Consumers should not expect their reports to include the condition of every nail,wire or pipe in the home. The home inspector is primarily concerned with pointing out adverse conditions and/or safety-related concerns, rather than small or cosmetic items, which are considered readily apparent to the buyers.

In addition, the home buyer should not expect the inspector's report to serve as a guarantee that the home's components will not ever fail or need repair at some point in the future. No house is perfect -- they all need regular maintenance and repair.

HOW TO FIND A QUALIFIED HOME INSPECTOR

Look in the yellow pages and you will see page after page of home inspectors in some areas. So how do you find a qualified home inspector?

At the present time, only a few states require that home inspectors be licensed. It is because of this lack of licensure that it is so important for the client to choose a home inspector who adheres to the NAHI Standards of Practice/Code of Ethics. The NAHI Standards provide a minimum guideline for conducting a home inspection and all NAHI members agree to conduct their home inspections in accordance with the NAHI Standards of Practice/Code of Ethics. While the Standards provide a minimum guideline for conducting a home inspection, the NAHI Code of Ethics sets a standard of professional behavior for members.

Be aware that recently several groups and associations have formed which are capitalizing on the marketing opportunities of this rapidly-growing profession. Because of this, it can be extremely difficult to choose a qualified home inspector.

Before a home inspector is hired, we recommend that the consumer, "check him or her out." Check to see if the inspector is licensed in your state (most states have no licensing requirements), see if the home inspector carries a membership with a national non-profit trade association, such as theAmerican Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) or the National Association of Home Inspectors, Inc. (NAHI) and, if so, call to verify that the individual is a member in good standing. Call the Better Business Bureau, Department of Consumer Affairs, and your local municipalities to see if the inspector and/or inspection company have had any complaints registered against them. It may take a few minutes to check out the individual, but by doing so you are making a better decision in choosing an inspector.

We recommend that the client interview the home inspector. Talk to the home inspector and find out what their background is. Can they give you references? Do they carry Errors & Omissions (E&O) insurance? Are they members of a national non-profit trade association for home inspectors? Membership in a non-profit association is a sign that the inspector is serious about his or her job. In addition, a home inspector must abide by the Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics of the Association.

Find out what type of report the inspector uses. Avoid the home inspector who wants to charge you extra for a written report. A written home inspection report is the standard in the industry.

Preparing A House For A Home Inspection

Have you ever had a client ask you what a home inspector will be looking at and how they can prepare for a home inspection? The listing below may be helpful in preparing for a home inspection. Many of these items can be done with little or no cost and many are regular maintenance items for a home.
1. Remove grade or mulch from contact with siding. Six (6) or more inches of clearance is preferred.
2. Clean out dirty gutters or debris from the roof.
3. Divert all water away from the house; i.e. downspouts, sump pump, condensation drains, and the like. Grade should slope away from the structure. Clean out basement entry drains.
4. Trim trees, roots and bushes back from the foundation, roof, siding and chimney.
5. Paint all weathered exterior wood and caulk around the trim, chimney, windows and doors.
6. Seal asphalt driveways, if cracking.
7. Seal or point up masonry chimney caps. Install metal flue cap.
8. Clean or replace HVAC filter. Clean dirty air returns and plenum.
9. Point up any failing mortar joints in brick or block.
10. Test all smoke detectors to ensure they are in safe working condition.
11. Update attic ventilation if none is present.
12. Have the chimney, fireplace or wood stove cleaned and provide the buyer with a copy of the cleaning record.
13. Seal masonry walls in the basement.
14. Don't do quick cheap repairs. You may raise questions that will unfairly cause great concern to buyers and inspectors.
15. Ensure that all doors and windows are in proper operating condition, including repairing or replacing any cracked windowpanes.
16. Ensure that all plumbing fixtures (toilet, tub, shower, and sinks) are in proper working conditions. Check for and fix any leaks. Caulk around fixtures if necessary.
17. Install GFCI receptacles near all water sources. Test all present GFCI receptacles for proper operation.
18. Check sump pump for proper operation.
19. Replace any burned out light bulbs.
20. Remove rotting wood and/or firewood from contact with the house.
21. Ensure that proper grading is followed under a deck.
22. Install proper vapor barrier in crawl spaces.
23. Caulk all exterior wall penetrations.
24. Check to ensure that the crawl space is dry and install a proper vapor barrier if necessary. Remove any visible moisture from a crawl space. Moisture levels in wood should be below 18% to deter rot and mildew.
25. Check that bath vents are properly vented and in working condition.
26. Remove paints, solvents, gas, and similar materials from crawl space, basement, attic, porch, and so forth.
27. If windows are at or below grade, install window wells and covers.
28. Have clear access to attic, crawl space, heating system, garage and other areas that will need to be inspected.
29. If the house is vacant, make sure that all utilities are turned on, including water, electric, water heater, furnace, air conditioning and breaks in the main panel.

Inspectors we and our clients have used

Steve Blair

BB Property Inspections, LLC

www.binspects.com

11849 Huckleberry Drive

Franktown, CO 80116

303-840-7345 Fax: 303-840-7305

Jim Skalecke

1st Step Home Inspections, LLC

303-646-0679

www.1ststephomeinspections.com

Dean Bowring

Benchmark Property Inspection

www.inspectordean.com

7119 W. Fairview Dr.

Littleton, CO 80128

303-933-0363 Fax: 303-933-9031

Steve Zavilla

Advantage Home Inspection Service, Inc.

PMB 177

9249 S. Broadway, #200

Highlands Ranch, CO 80126

303-843-9770 Fax: 303-683-6234

Legacy Home Inspections Inc.

www.inspectedbylegacy.com

P.O. Box 261484

Littleton, CO 80163

303-995-1884 Fax: 303-471-4784