Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Your Home Inspection
A Home Inspection is a limited, non invasive, visual observation of the home in its current condition. The home inspection report is designed to inform the client of obvious major structural deficiencies, inoperative conditions and the presence of noticeable, detrimental moisture issues. Additionally, the inspection report will advise regarding notable safety concerns and appropriate upgrades recommended by the inspector for the home.
Home buyers should get a home inspection when they are buying a home as part of their negotiations for purchasing a home.
Home owners should get a home inspection when it has been more than ten years since the home was last inspected to learn the current condition of the home.
Home sellers should get a home inspection when they are selling a home that they have lived in for more than ten years or if they are selling a home that was not inspected when it was purchased. Having an inspection done as a seller will typically save a home seller money by speeding up the sell of the home and allowing the seller to determine how repairs should be completed rather the the buyer determining how repairs are to be completed.
Buyers need a Home Inspection to get a better understanding of the condition of the home they are about to purchase. Sellers that are unsure about the condition of the property being sold benefit from a Home Inspection so they know whether to ask top dollar for a well maintained home or sell it at a bargain knowing the buyer will have to do many repairs or upgrades.
If you are considering buying a home you should determine your first and second choice for a home inspector at that time. Do not wait until you are under contract to begin researching which inspector is best for your needs. There is a link on the home page of this website to verify Tennessee State licensing for Home Inspectors.
Schedule your Home Inspection the same day your contract is accepted. Wait to schedule your Home Inspection and you may get stuck with an inexperienced inspector. Allow yourself 10-14 calendar days to schedule your inspection and review the prepared written report. HomePro Inspection recommends that you interview prospective Home Inspectors before you make your offer to purchase a home. This way you already know your first and second choice for a Home Inspector when your purchase contract gets accepted.
In addition to being State Licensed, Roger Williamson is also Certified by the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI). ASHI is North America’s oldest and most respected professional society of home inspectors. An ASHI Certified Home Inspector has a duty to check, describe and report on specific aspects and areas of the home. Performing this specific function on a daily basis for thousands of homes makes an ASHI Certified Home Inspector the most effective tool you have to educate you about the home you are about to purchase.
Roger Williamson, ACI will be the home inspector that will personally perform your Home Inspection.
HomePro Inspection Inc understands there are occasions when an appointment time must be moved or canceled. Because your Home Inspector has committed one half business day to perform and complete your Home Inspection we ask the courtesy of reasonable notice by contacting your inspector at least 24 hours in advance should you need to reschedule or cancel your inspection appointment time. We are happy to do this free of charge with a minimum 24 hour notice. A $100 fee applies if less than 24 hour notice is given when moving or canceling an appointment time. A phone call is preferred when canceling or rescheduling an appointment close to the 24 hour deadline.
The inspector will be at the home approximately four hours gathering information about the home you are purchasing. A link to the completed inspection report will be emailed to you late that evening. When confirming your inspection appointment with your Realtor, please be sure they are aware of the time needed to properly complete the Home Inspection as some of our competitors spend less than two hours at the home during an inspection.
You are welcome to attend the inspection appointment if you are interested in doing so, but it is certainly not mandatory. You may be present for the entire inspection appointment time or any part of the appointment that works for you and your schedule.
Should you choose to attend the inspection, there are three scenarios that work well for your attendance.
1) You arrive at the beginning of the inspection, stay with the inspector during the appointment, walk the readily accessible areas with the inspector and discuss some of the issues as they are observed.
2) You arrive anytime during the inspection, perhaps you have things to do during the appointment time such as measure the rooms or plan furniture placement. The inspector uses the last 20 minutes of the appointment time to recap a couple of items with you that you will be reading about in your prepared report.
3) You arrive for the last part of the inspection. The inspector uses the last 20 minutes of the appointment time to recap a couple of items with you that you will be reading about in your prepared report.
Regardless of your attendance, you will need to read the entire inspection report to better understand the inspected property.
The Client pays for the Home Inspection. This will be the person whose name is on the report.
Fees for Home Inspections are based on the size and age of the home. See the Pricing Page at this website for the fee schedule for most homes.
Fees are due on the day the inspection is performed.
HomePro Inspection accepts Cash, Check, Master Card, Visa, Discover and American Express.
Inspection Reports are delivered by email and accessed through a link in the email.
You will receive an email with a link to the Home Inspection Report in the evening, on the same day the inspection is performed.
Yes, for a fee to cover printing and postage HomePro Inspection can print and send you a copy of the Home Inspection Report through the US Mail.
No. Restoring utilities or shut down equipment is not part of a Home Inspection. Property damage often occurs when someone unfamiliar with the home turns on the utilities. The Home Inspector is capable of inspecting the home in whatever condition it is in at the start of the inspection. Additionally, the Home Inspector does not turn on electrical breakers, open water valves that are not part of a faucet or operate gas valves. The Home Inspector operates equipment using the normal controls only and records any equipment that is inoperative during the inspection. While HomePro Inspection prefers the utilities to be on for the Home Inspection, the inspection can certainly be completed if they are off during the inspection. It is important to understand the home inspection is to report the condition found not to repair or correct inoperative systems during the inspection.
Absolutely. While HomePro Inspection prefers the utilities to be on for the Home Inspection, it is not necessary to have the utilities on to complete a Home Inspection. Roger Williamson of HomePro Inspection can complete a Home Inspection regardless of the condition of the home.You will get more information if the utilities are on but it is not absolutely necessary. It is important to understand that the Home Inspector is there to report inoperative conditions, not to correct inoperative conditions.
Any person who engages in the business of performing home inspections and writing home inspection reports in Tennessee is required to be appropriately licensed to do so. Having a friend or relative perform this invaluable service for you may prove disastrous. Misunderstandings often arise due to the lack of a proven written reporting process and methodology. Your bank requires a qualified Appraiser to judge the value of your home. It makes good financial sense that you should also require a qualified Home Inspector to evaluate the condition of the home you are about to purchase. The ASHI certified Home Inspector at HomePro Inspection Inc is that qualified individual you need for your inspection needs.
As an added assurance, HomePro Inspection, Inc. also carries Errors and Omissions (E&O) Insurance. This insurance protects our client against any damages from a misreported or omitted item in the inspection report that is addressed in the Standards of Practice. Please understand that the Home Inspection Report is designed to be a General Overview and will not discover every defect in the home. The Home Inspection process does not include inspecting every item in the home. For many areas only a representative sampling of items are checked such as windows, doors, electrical receptacles and lighting to list a few.
Do you have a moisture problem and need mold testing or a mold inspection? For most homes mold inspection may not be necessary. If the home is dry then normal mold growth should be well controlled already. For homes that are damp, wet or have had recent moisture issues such as any type of flooding either from heavy rains or broken plumbing pipes then mold inspection or mold testing should be considered.
Yes, all homes should be tested for elevated Radon levels to determine if correction is needed for the home. Inexpensive disposable test kits can be purchased from a variety of outlets such as big box retailers or hardware stores. Closely read and follow the instruction pamphlet so that your results will be accurate. HomePro Inspection Inc can also perform radon testing for you using a continuous radon monitor. Unlike the disposable test kits, continuous radon monitoring will give you 48 separate readings plotted on a graph along with the temperature and relative humidity for the area tested.