Residential Home Inspection Services
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Homes - Residential - Condos - Duplexes - Multi Family
Commercial - Foreclosures - Historic Preservation - Consulting
Roof and Basement specialty inspections
Computerized Radon Measurement
PDF Forms - Click to view/download
Click here for the inspection contract/agreement
Click here for the Standards of Practice for a home inspection
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Frequently-Asked Questions
Information about Home Inspections
Some common questions and answers regarding home inspections:
What is a home inspector?
A home inspector is a professional who is trained and qualified to complete a thorough and accurate home inspection. Home inspectors educate their clients during the home inspection, so whether you are a buyer, seller, or a current homeowner, you will receive an unbiased analysis regarding the condition of the property.
Licensed home inspectors have completed some of the industry’s most comprehensive training programs. In addition to a state license, they take pride in the fact that they have achieved the certification designations that set them apart from many of their competitors. Home inspectors provide buyers and sellers with information that helps minimize risk and provide peace of mind.
What does a home inspector do?
A home inspector provides a visual inspection of the structural elements and major systems of a house which are accessible. Additionally, a home inspector will also evaluate how these systems are working together so that areas needing to be watched, repaired or replaced will be properly identified. A Consulting/Home Inspection service is a visual inspection of the structural elements and systems which are accessible. The inspector will view the property with you, explaining everything in detail so that you understand it along with any visual limitations that may exist. Training and experience give our inspectors the insight about houses similar to yours, so they really know what to look for and can readily compare your house and its systems with other houses of similar age and condition. All homes have strong and weak points, neither of which are always what they seem.
Basically, a home consultant will give you the "Big Picture" analysis of the house.
If the building consultant identifies the need for a more costly, detailed analysis of any of the home's systems or structural components, an appropriate professional will be recommended which may include an experienced engineer, a licensed, qualified contractor or a specialty tradesman with expertise to analyze the particular system or structural component. The need for this kind of expensive, detailed analysis is rare.
The systems that a home inspector employs will allow buyers and sellers to gain the perspective and sound information necessary to make better decisions.
Should I have a new home inspected?
Yes, there are good reasons to have a professional inspection performed on the brand new home that you are buying. Buying a new house is likely one of the largest financial decisions you'll ever make. The whole process can often be fraught with emotion, anxiety and stress. A professional home inspection will substantially reduce the risk of your large investment in a new home. It just makes sense to learn as much as you can about the quality of your new home, before signing off on everything.
Building a new home is a tremendously complex endeavor. It involves many people, usually split up into sub-contractor groups, each working on different parts and systems of the house. Even for the best builders, it’s nearly impossible to complete this process without missing something. Maybe it’s a plumbing fixture that didn’t get tested for leaks, an electrical box that isn’t working or any one of a dozen other minor problems that can be easily overlooked. We will find such problems while it is still early enough for you to bring them up with the builder and have them corrected before you sign-off and start moving in.
For the comparitively small cost, a professional inspection of your new dream home can pay big dividends in peace of mind and getting any problems identified and corrected before they become an unpleasant surprise.
What about new construction / phase inspections?
Having a house built is probably the one of the most stressful projects that you can encounter in your life. However, the finished result is usually very rewarding and worth the trouble. Few people will go through the planning, construction and finishing phases without any problems. That’s why Towne & Country develops a consultation and inspection schedule specifically intended for you. A professional home inspector will substantially reduce the risk of your large investment in a new home. It just makes sense to use every resource available at your disposal for the preparations, site work, construction phases and all the little things that occur during construction, learning as much as you can about the quality of your new home before you sign off on everything.
Our services will provide you with the valuable information you need so that you can enjoy the experience and gain the peace of mind to which you're entitled.
There is a wide range of Phase Inspections that we can provide for you. As our customer, we realize that you have your own person level of comfort with regard to our services. Some want us there daily at the beginning, while others prefer our standard Five-Step New Home Construction Phase Inspections. Whatever your wishes may be, we can customize a plan to suit your needs.
For the relatively minor expense, a professional inspection during the construction of your new home can pay for itself in your peace of mind by getting any identifying any problems and having them corrected before they become an unpleasant surprise. We'll provide you with an inspection report for each phase of the inspection. This is a great tool available to you. Remember, the local Code Enforcement Officer may not necessarily be trained to conduct home inspections, so why would you not want to protect your investment?
What is an "11th Month Inspection?"
Towne & Country offers an 11th Month Inspection service for homeowners who are already living in a newly-constructed home. While many items are now concealed, it’s not too late for defects to be caught by the trained eye of our inspectors. Our experience tells us that most major construction flaws go unnoticed for 3-5 years. By this time, correcting these flaws could that could cost many thousands of dollars to remedy is no longer the responsibility of the builder. It is unfortunate that most of these flaws go unnoticed until it is too late and extensive damage has occurred.
At the 11th month of home ownership, the builder is still responsible for most defects. Did the builder call to remind you that your home warranty was about to expire? Most do not provide this courtesy.
Assisting in the preventing of this risk and the possibility of future costly repairs is the goal of our "New Home Construction Warranty Inspection." Our inspection covers all major systems, to include testing of the mechanical systems and components. All visible defects will be noted in a written report and ready for presentation to your builder. This "last chance" inspection is essential in providing you with the peace of mind and financial assurance that you deserve.
This service works so well that most new homeowners are amazed with our findings and will refer us to their friends and neighbors!
What is an annual Maintenance Review?
An annual maintenance review is a yearly look at your home, allowing you to save money by proactively addressing maintenance issues in a timely manner.
Why a review?
Scope
Who needs a warranty inspection? Anyone who purchased a new home with a builder’s warranty could benefit from an inspection before the warranty expires.
Scope
Valuation considerations for professionals (Realtors, Brokers, Lenders), HUD/FHA
Foreclosure
What are the key categories for a home inspection?
Included in your inspection are the following key categories:
What Really Matters?
Buying a home … The process can be stressful. A home inspection is supposed to give you peace of mind, but often has the opposite effect. You will be asked to absorb a lot of information in a short period of time. The necessary tasks often include a written report, checklists, photographs, environmental reports and what the inspector himself says during the inspection. All of these things combined with the seller's disclosure and what you notice yourself can make the experience even more overwhelming. What should you do?
Relax. You are about to hire the best home consulting and inspection company in the area! We are professionally-trained, state licensed and nationally certified to complete the inspection task at hand. You will be presented with a comprehensive, state-of-the-art, computerized inspection report with color digital photos, printed on site and sent via email to you. You will also receive many other materials that will assist you with in the home-buying process and future maintenance of the property.
Most of your inspection will be maintenance recommendations and life expectancies along with a list of minor imperfections. The issues that really matter, however, will fall into the following four categories:
Anything in these categories should be immediately addressed. A serious problem can often be corrected inexpensively to protect both life and property, especially as it pertains to categories 2 and 4 above.
Most sellers are honest and are often surprised to learn of defects uncovered during an inspection. Realize that sellers are under no obligation to repair everything mentioned in the report. No home is perfect. Keep things in perspective. Don't kill your deal over things that don't matter. It is inappropriate to demand that a seller address deferred maintenance, conditions already listed on the seller's disclosure, or other issues such as cleanliness.
What does a home inspection report look like?
Coming soon!
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