Our process
Purpose and Scope
The inspection is supplemental to the property disclosure. It is the responsibility of the
client to obtain any and all disclosure forms relative to this real estate transaction. This
document was prepared as a report of all visual defects noted at the time and date of
the inspection. It is not necessarily an all-inclusive summary, as additional testing or
inspection information/processes and analysis may be pending. It is subject to all terms
and conditions specified in the inspection agreement.
Transparency is key
Agreement, Terms and Conditions
Acceptance or use of this Inspection Report shall constitute acceptance of and
agreement to all of the provisions of the Agreement for Inspection Services and its
Terms and Conditions which are attached to and form a part of this Inspection Report.
The scope of the inspection is outlined in the Inspection Agreement, agreed to by the
Client.
Exclusions and Limitations
The client should understand that this is the assessment of an inspector, not a
professional engineer, and that, despite all efforts, there is no way we can provide any
guarantee that the foundation, structure, and the structural elements of the unit, are
sound. We suggest that if the client is at all uncomfortable with this condition or our
assessment, a professional engineer be consulted to independently evaluate the
condition, prior to making a final purchase decision.
This inspection is limited to the structure, exterior, landscape, roof, plumbing, electrical, heating, foundation, bathrooms, kitchen, bedrooms, hallway, and attic sections of the house as requested, where the sections are clearly accessible, and where the components are clearly visible. The inspection of these components is limited, and is also affected by the conditions apparent at the time of the inspection, and which may, and the sole opinion of the inspector, be hazardous to examine for reasons of personal safety or damage.
This inspection will exclude insulation, hazardous materials, retaining walls, hidden defects, buried tanks of any type, areas not accessible or viewable, and all items described in section 4 of the inspection agreement. As all buildings contain some level of mold, inspecting for the presence of mold on surfaces, head locations, and in the air is not the responsibility of the inspector. Should the client feel the need to perform testing and evaluation for the presence or absence of molds, inspector recommends contacting a certified industrial hygienist or qualified laboratory testing service for these activities.
The following items are also excluded from the scope of the inspection, and deviations to the NACHI and ASTM standards are here by noted: Inspecting for the presence of wood destroying insects (WDI), testing for the presence of radon gas, building code violations of any type, document reviews, survey, ADA or accessibility reviews of any type whatsoever, does estimates of any type, remaining useful life, estimated useful life, insulation, life/safety equipment and issues.
The NACHI standards of practice, or applicable to all residential properties. They are the bare minimum standard for a residential inspection, they are not technically exhaustive and do not identify concealed conditions or latent defects. Inspectors are not required to determine the condition of any system or component that is not readily accessible; the remaining service life of any system or component; determination of correct sizing of any system or component; the strength, adequacy; effectiveness or the efficiency of any system or component; causes of any condition or deficiency; methods and materials or costs of correction; future conditions including but not limited to failure of systems and components; the suitability of the property for any specialized use; compliance with regulatory codes; regulations, laws, or ordinances; the market value of the property or its market ability; the advisability of the purchase of the property; the presence of potentially hazardous plants or animals including but not limited to wood destroying organisms or diseases harmful to humans; mold; mildew; the presence of any environmental hazards including; but not limited to toxins, carcinogens, noise and contaminants in the soil, water or air; the effectiveness of any system installed or methods utilized to control or remove suspected hazardous substances; the operating cost of any systems or components and their acoustical properties of any systems or components.
The inspector is not required to operate any system or component that is shut down or otherwise in-operable, any system or component which does not respond to normal operating controls or any shut-off valves.
The inspector is not required to offer or perform any act or service contrary to the law, offer or perform engineering services or work in any trade or professional service.
We do not offer or provide warranties or guarantees of any kind for any purpose.
The inspector is not required to inspect, evaluate, or comment on any and all underground items including, but not limited to, septic or underground storage tanks or other underground indications of their presence, whether abandoned or active, the systems or components that are not installed, decorative items, systems or components that are in areas not entered in accordance with the NACHI standards of practice, detached structures other than carport or garage, common elements, or common areas in multi-unit housing, such as condominium properties or cooperative housing.
The inspector is not required to enter into or onto any area or surface, or perform any procedure or operation which will, in the sole opinion of the inspector, likely be dangerous to the inspector or others or damage the property, it’s systems or components, nor are they required to move suspended ceiling tiles, personal property, furniture, equipment, plants, soil, snow, ice or debris or dismantle any system or component, or venture into confined spaces.
The inspector is not required to enter crawlspaces or attics that are not readily accessible nor any area which will, in the sole opinion of the inspector, likely to be dangerous, inaccessible, or partially inaccessible to the inspector or other persons, or where the injury could possibly cause damage to the property or at systems or components.
The inspector is not a licensed professional engineer or architect, and does not engage in the unlicensed practice of either discipline. Opinions contained herein are just that.
This inspection is limited to the structure, exterior, landscape, roof, plumbing, electrical, heating, foundation, bathrooms, kitchen, bedrooms, hallway, and attic sections of the house as requested, where the sections are clearly accessible, and where the components are clearly visible. The inspection of these components is limited, and is also affected by the conditions apparent at the time of the inspection, and which may, and the sole opinion of the inspector, be hazardous to examine for reasons of personal safety or damage.
This inspection will exclude insulation, hazardous materials, retaining walls, hidden defects, buried tanks of any type, areas not accessible or viewable, and all items described in section 4 of the inspection agreement. As all buildings contain some level of mold, inspecting for the presence of mold on surfaces, head locations, and in the air is not the responsibility of the inspector. Should the client feel the need to perform testing and evaluation for the presence or absence of molds, inspector recommends contacting a certified industrial hygienist or qualified laboratory testing service for these activities.
The following items are also excluded from the scope of the inspection, and deviations to the NACHI and ASTM standards are here by noted: Inspecting for the presence of wood destroying insects (WDI), testing for the presence of radon gas, building code violations of any type, document reviews, survey, ADA or accessibility reviews of any type whatsoever, does estimates of any type, remaining useful life, estimated useful life, insulation, life/safety equipment and issues.
The NACHI standards of practice, or applicable to all residential properties. They are the bare minimum standard for a residential inspection, they are not technically exhaustive and do not identify concealed conditions or latent defects. Inspectors are not required to determine the condition of any system or component that is not readily accessible; the remaining service life of any system or component; determination of correct sizing of any system or component; the strength, adequacy; effectiveness or the efficiency of any system or component; causes of any condition or deficiency; methods and materials or costs of correction; future conditions including but not limited to failure of systems and components; the suitability of the property for any specialized use; compliance with regulatory codes; regulations, laws, or ordinances; the market value of the property or its market ability; the advisability of the purchase of the property; the presence of potentially hazardous plants or animals including but not limited to wood destroying organisms or diseases harmful to humans; mold; mildew; the presence of any environmental hazards including; but not limited to toxins, carcinogens, noise and contaminants in the soil, water or air; the effectiveness of any system installed or methods utilized to control or remove suspected hazardous substances; the operating cost of any systems or components and their acoustical properties of any systems or components.
The inspector is not required to operate any system or component that is shut down or otherwise in-operable, any system or component which does not respond to normal operating controls or any shut-off valves.
The inspector is not required to offer or perform any act or service contrary to the law, offer or perform engineering services or work in any trade or professional service.
We do not offer or provide warranties or guarantees of any kind for any purpose.
The inspector is not required to inspect, evaluate, or comment on any and all underground items including, but not limited to, septic or underground storage tanks or other underground indications of their presence, whether abandoned or active, the systems or components that are not installed, decorative items, systems or components that are in areas not entered in accordance with the NACHI standards of practice, detached structures other than carport or garage, common elements, or common areas in multi-unit housing, such as condominium properties or cooperative housing.
The inspector is not required to enter into or onto any area or surface, or perform any procedure or operation which will, in the sole opinion of the inspector, likely be dangerous to the inspector or others or damage the property, it’s systems or components, nor are they required to move suspended ceiling tiles, personal property, furniture, equipment, plants, soil, snow, ice or debris or dismantle any system or component, or venture into confined spaces.
The inspector is not required to enter crawlspaces or attics that are not readily accessible nor any area which will, in the sole opinion of the inspector, likely to be dangerous, inaccessible, or partially inaccessible to the inspector or other persons, or where the injury could possibly cause damage to the property or at systems or components.
The inspector is not a licensed professional engineer or architect, and does not engage in the unlicensed practice of either discipline. Opinions contained herein are just that.
A word about contractors and 20-20 hindsight
A common source of dissatisfaction with inspectors sometimes comes as a result of off-
the-cuff comments made by contractors (made after the fact), which often differ from ours. Don’t be surprised when someone says that something needed to be replaced when we said it needed to be repaired, replaced, upgraded or monitored. Having something replaced may make more money for the contractor than just doing a repair.
Contractors sometimes say, “I can’t believe you had this building inspected and they
didn’t find this problem. “ there may be several reasons for these apparent oversights:
Conditions during the inspection- It is difficult for clients to remember the circumstances in the subject property at the time of the inspection. Clients seldom remember that there was storage everywhere, making things inaccessible, or that the air conditioning cannot be turned on because it was less than 65° outside. Contractors do not know what the circumstances were when the inspection was performed.
The wisdom of hindsight-When a problem occurs, it is very easy to have 2020 hindsight. Anybody can say that the roof is leaking when it is raining outside and the roof is leaking. In the midst of a hot, dry, or windy condition, it is virtually impossible to determine if the roof will leak the next time it rains. Predicting problems is not an exact science and is not part of the inspection process. We are only documenting the condition of the property at the time of the inspection.
A destructive or invasive examination-The inspection process is non-destructive and is generally non-invasive. It is performed in this manner because, at the time we inspected the subject property, the client did not own, rent, or lease it. A client cannot authorize the disassembly or destruction of what does not belong to them. Now if we spent half an hour under a sink, Twisting valves and pulling on piping, or an hour disassembling a furnace, we may indeed find additional problems. Of course, we could possibly CAUSE some problems in the process. Therein lies the quandary. We want to set your expectations as to what an inspection is, and what it is not.
We are generalists-We are not acting as specialists in any specific trade. The heating and cooling contractor may indeed have more heating expertise than we do. This is because heating and cooling are all he’s expected to know. Inspectors are expected to know heating and cooling, plumbing, electricity, foundations, carpentry, roofing, appliances, etc. and that’s why we are generalists. We are looking at the forest not the individual trees.
Conditions during the inspection- It is difficult for clients to remember the circumstances in the subject property at the time of the inspection. Clients seldom remember that there was storage everywhere, making things inaccessible, or that the air conditioning cannot be turned on because it was less than 65° outside. Contractors do not know what the circumstances were when the inspection was performed.
The wisdom of hindsight-When a problem occurs, it is very easy to have 2020 hindsight. Anybody can say that the roof is leaking when it is raining outside and the roof is leaking. In the midst of a hot, dry, or windy condition, it is virtually impossible to determine if the roof will leak the next time it rains. Predicting problems is not an exact science and is not part of the inspection process. We are only documenting the condition of the property at the time of the inspection.
A destructive or invasive examination-The inspection process is non-destructive and is generally non-invasive. It is performed in this manner because, at the time we inspected the subject property, the client did not own, rent, or lease it. A client cannot authorize the disassembly or destruction of what does not belong to them. Now if we spent half an hour under a sink, Twisting valves and pulling on piping, or an hour disassembling a furnace, we may indeed find additional problems. Of course, we could possibly CAUSE some problems in the process. Therein lies the quandary. We want to set your expectations as to what an inspection is, and what it is not.
We are generalists-We are not acting as specialists in any specific trade. The heating and cooling contractor may indeed have more heating expertise than we do. This is because heating and cooling are all he’s expected to know. Inspectors are expected to know heating and cooling, plumbing, electricity, foundations, carpentry, roofing, appliances, etc. and that’s why we are generalists. We are looking at the forest not the individual trees.
Issues that need immediate attention
1. Major defects, such as structural failure.the categories 2 and 4).
2. Things that can lead to major defects, such as a leak due to defective roof flashing.
3. Things that may hinder your ability to finance, legally occupy, or ensure the home if not rectified immediately.
4. Safety hazards, such as live exposed electrical bars and conductors. the categories 2 and 4).
Anything in these categories should be addressed as soon as possible. Often, a serious problem can be corrected inexpensively to protect both life and property (especially in the categories 2 and 4).
Most sellers are honest and are often surprised to learn of defects uncovered during an inspection. It’s important to realize that the sellers are under no obligation to repair everything mentioned in our inspection report. No house is perfect. Keep things in perspective as you move into your new home.
2. Things that can lead to major defects, such as a leak due to defective roof flashing.
3. Things that may hinder your ability to finance, legally occupy, or ensure the home if not rectified immediately.
4. Safety hazards, such as live exposed electrical bars and conductors. the categories 2 and 4).
Anything in these categories should be addressed as soon as possible. Often, a serious problem can be corrected inexpensively to protect both life and property (especially in the categories 2 and 4).
Most sellers are honest and are often surprised to learn of defects uncovered during an inspection. It’s important to realize that the sellers are under no obligation to repair everything mentioned in our inspection report. No house is perfect. Keep things in perspective as you move into your new home.
Highly Recommended
Radon Testing
The US Surgeon General recommends radon testing in all homes. The inspector advises all clients that the subject property may be subject to contamination by radon, a
cancer-causing, colorless, odorless, radioactive gas.
Radon is listed by the US environmental protection agency as being the leading cause of lung cancer among non- smokers, the second leading cause of lung cancer in America, and claims about 20,000 lives annually, or about 58 radon-induced lung cancer deaths per day.
For smokers, the risk of lung cancer is significant due to the synergistic effects of radon and smoking. Radon decay products may modify, damage, or destroy cells or DNA in human lungs. For more information, visit epa.gov/radon.
Radon is listed by the US environmental protection agency as being the leading cause of lung cancer among non- smokers, the second leading cause of lung cancer in America, and claims about 20,000 lives annually, or about 58 radon-induced lung cancer deaths per day.
For smokers, the risk of lung cancer is significant due to the synergistic effects of radon and smoking. Radon decay products may modify, damage, or destroy cells or DNA in human lungs. For more information, visit epa.gov/radon.
