Inspections | homewellnessinspect

Types of Inspections

You Don't Know Until you LOOK

Folks frequently say, "There is nothing wrong with this house." But that has not been the case yet!

It seems that every house can be better. Each era has its expected strengths and weaknesses. New construction carries the likelihood of "missed" items. Pre-1980's can add the challenge of unhealthy finishes such as lead paint and asbestos texture. Plumbing, electrical and heating/cooling are all vital systems that severely disrupt life if something breaks. The point is, an inspection is a specific process that documents each detail of a house. The report highlights all of the details with both words and photos. Read the report on computer to zoom in on photos.

New to You

Most inspections are performed on existing homes. The inspector must have historical background knowledge of different eras in residential construction and the defining characteristics of those periods, as well as the ability to search through every detail and find deficiencies.

I approach every home anticipating a multitude of possible scenarios. For example, 60-70's often have galvanized plumbing, late 90's CPVC plumbing and older manufactured homes, polybutylene. All those types of plumbing commonly have defects and need accurate reporting. Crawlspaces can be horrific, even in a 10-year-old house. I once entered a filthy crawlspace with torn-up insulation and debris all over. As I got to the perimeter to probe framing, I put my hand down and a dried-out flat cat carcass flew up at my face! It's those moments that make me truly appreciate my full-face respirator. People giggle when I have all that gear on, but fearlessness is vital to getting the job done well.

Brand New

Why would anyone pay to inspect a brand new house that has never been lived in? It has to pass municipal inspections such as plumbing, electrical, foundation, etc. Well, the truth is, people make mistakes and there is room for error when building to minimum standard.

New homes are unique in that no one has lived there, so if a pipe is not hooked up in the crawlspace or a heat duct is missing, no one will know. If there is one leaky pipe and you, the owner, do not ever look in the crawlspace, real damage can occur by the time it's found. I once entered a 15-year-old crawlspace with CPVC plumbing. I seek out plumbing as a rule—luckily! Because that time, a pipe had been leaking for years right where it passed through a beam. Eventually the beam would have failed, causing structural instability. Not to mention the fungal growth on that beam. It was hard to find too, because I inspected that house for someone else months later and the leak/rotten beam was still there! The contractor had to call me to find it.

Check-up

How great is it when you live somewhere for many years and think, I love it here! This is exactly where I want to spend the next 20 years, but the house needs some work. Maybe the roof is due, the siding is worn, or the windows are old single pane.

Where to start??? In this scenario, a comprehensive inspection and report is worth its weight in gold. You may get a quote on a new roof, but did everyone take into consideration the condition of the attic? Function of insulation and ventilation? Other conditions that may be more important because really, the roof can wait two more years? Get the whole story before starting major maintenance or remodeling. It cuts way down on surprises and can prevent the tragedy of a gorgeous, expensive new kitchen leaving no money to replace the leaky roof or outdated electrical service panel.

The best part is figuring out how to balance your efforts with contractors to get the most bang for your buck. A small inspection fee pays for itself over and over. Schedule your custom home maintenance guide today!