E & O Insured
When you are choosing an inspector, make sure you are not
choosing the price but the scope of the inspector. This is the single
most expensive investment you will ever make. Do you really want the
person that just pops his/ her head into the attic only because the
Inspection association they belong to says they do not have to? I carry
E and O insurance for that just in case situation, not so I don’t have to
work as hard.
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A home has many components that need to be checked during the
inspection. For a standard home, the inspection takes around 2 hours. During this time I will be in all accessible areas of the home. I do not carry a clipboard or go through a checklist. I believe that I am there to inspect the house not look at the inspection report. If the inspector's eyes are filling out a report, how is the inspector looking at the home?
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I have a proven system of inspections and do not use a cookie cutter inspection report that separates all rooms from the home; I feel that this is a mistake. The home is a single unit that works together as a system. The electrical, plumbing, structure and HVAC systems connect the home together. The inspection connects the home together, my report separates each system so it is easy to read and follow.
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My first pass is what I call a feeling test. I get an idea on how the home is lived in. Each family has a lifestyle and I try to identify with these lifestyles and what may be ignored or updated, professionally repaired or temporarily fixed. Single parents are extremely busy and home maintenance can be ignored and empty nest situations tend to have older products in the home such as single pane windows, galvanized piping and older furnaces.
Second pass is the testing of all items accessible and safe to test. I check all outlets, all windows, all doors and all framing members visible. Some Associations do not require inspectors to check all, but a select few that may be "red flag" areas. I go beyond the normal scope. Every window, outlet, faucet and door will be functioned. The attic is the space where I believe is a necessity to inspect. Again, going into the attic is beyond most inspectors' scope, but not mine. All clues to roof damage, present and past, are in the attic. The inspection of the roof begins in the attic. The crawlspace is next if applicable. Yes, I must get in this hole, unless there is standing water or an active nest of raccoons. The base structure of the home is visible here in most cases and allows me to see the plumbing, joists, foundation and the condition of the soil within the crawlspace.
With all of these items and the type of reporting system I use, mistakes are extremely rare, however they do happen. I carry the Error and Omission insurance for just this case. This insurance is to protect you from any possible immediate failure of systems that I say are in working order or have been constructed in a workman like manner. I hope this helps you in your search for the best inspector and shows you how much I care for your satisfaction and peace of mind. Call me today to schedule your home inspection.
