What is a Home Inspection?
A home inspection is a professional consulting service that determines the current condition of a home’s major systems, based on a visual and sometimes functional inspection of accessible features.
It focuses on the overall performance of the home, rather than cosmetic, local building code or design issues.
Home Inspections are most often performed during a real estate transaction, but can be done anytime.
A Home Inspection Includes:
- An in-field evaluation and professional opinion of the performance of the readily accessible installed systems in a home at one point in time.
- Primarily a visual examination. They will climb in attics and under houses, but they do not remove anything to check behind it or check systems internally.
- Intended to identify components that are significantly deficient, unsafe or near the end of their life.
- Documented with a written report and typically includes photos of perceived trouble areas.
A Home Inspection Is Not:
- An insurance policy, guarantee or warranty on the home
- An invasive or destructive evaluation
- Intended to identify concealed defects
- A code or design review
- Intended to predict future performance or life expectancy of home systems
- An environmental review or residential energy audit
System and Components Included:
- Roof
- Structure
- Exterior
- Electrical system
- Heating and Air Conditioning system
- Plumbing system
- Insulation and Vapor Barriers
- Interior
- Mechanical and Natural Ventilation systems
Elements Not Included:
- Home Cosmetics
- Outbuildings (Detached Garages, Sheds, Pole Barns, Etc…)
- Swimming pools and spas
- Specialty systems including telephone, cable TV, alarm systems, lawn sprinklers and septics
Note: You may be able to find inspectors for these various system, but those will be in addition to the home inspection and will require an additional charge.