Home Inspection PT 3

So in this third installment on home inspections, I'll talk about the actual inspection process.

Each inspector is different in their approach, some use laptops, some paper forms, there is even software out there will do a report on an iphone.  Because of all the differences, I'll just talk about how I do it, with some added comments here and there.

After all the paper work is completed, email confirmations, additional inspections scheduled (Radon, pest, well, septic etc) I arrive an hour prior to the clients and realtors.  This gives me time to conduct the exterior inspection and then bring interested parties up to speed when they arrive.   A bit about interested parties- obviously the client is interested, but this varies with each one.  Some stick to me like glue, I even bring an extra flashlight for them if they'd like.  Others measure rooms and mentally place their furniture during the inspection, and there are even those who are traveling for work etc. that can't be present.  It's clearly best to have the client there, but sometimes it's just not possible.  When this is the case, I'm sure to include extra photos as well as making extra effort at having an uninterrupted phone conversation.  Most seem to fit into the drifting in and out of the inspection, which is fine.  I call them over from time to time to show something I think they need to see visually.

Realtors are another issue.  In my opinion, at minimum, a good realtor will be present at the inspection wrap up.  I'd say 99% of my clients ask "is it worth the money?"  This isn't my area of expertise, and the realtor should jump in at this point and contribute to the discussion.  The problem is, with cheap houses, and the increasing time necessary to complete home inspections, it's difficult for realtors to be present.  There are pros and cons to this, and it varies by realtor.  Some butt in and contradict my opinion "oh, that's not a problem" etc.  The good ones simply want to sort the information for their client in a useful way "we'll ask the sellers about that" or "that's something we didn't know and it's significant, so we'll have to discuss how to handle that".

Some just give me a combo code to get in the house and inspect.  Some companies don't want their realtors around us during the inspection, which isn't a bad thing because we are on a tight time schedule.
Either way, just be aware of the differences and perhaps you can ask your realtor their approach to home inspections prior to selecting them for a good match to how you'd.

So, back to the exterior.  I begin the inspection by looking a google maps.  Is there a dump through the woods?  I've had this happen.  Once I found a mulching facility past the treeline.  All day trucks came and went, which we clearly heard inside the house, along with a giant stump grinding machine that ran about 12 hours a day.  Sometimes the inspection isn't just about what sets within the property lines.  Driving through the neighborhood can also provide clues.  In a neighborhood where every house has a Radon mitigation pipe sticking up, I might make one more attempt to get the client to test for Radon (in the event that they declined at the initial booking of the inspection).  Other times, I might notice that all the chimneys are heavily deteriorated, which will lead me to look very closely at the clients new home.  This won't work everywhere, as sometimes the houses were built over a wide range of years, but it's good to be aware of these things.

Out front, I stand well back from the house and walk all the way around it, just looking at the overall structure.  I'm looking for roof sag, and to get a general idea about the structure, ie. dormers, where rooms are, plumbing vent stacks etc.  Then I start with a full roof inspection.  Whenever possible, I walk the roof.  Sometimes the pitch is too steep for it, and I use binoculars.  The chimney, flashings and gutters/downspouts are all part of this inspection.  I like to look down the chimney if possible.  A general home inspection can never see the entire lining, only a camera can do that, but you can tell a lot, and sometimes a camera is recommended.

Well, again, I'm writing a book where I set out to do a chapter, so I'll be back in another post to further discuss the process, and I'd also like to talk about the effect the television show Holmes on Homes has had- in my humble opinion.