The HomePro system was
designed to provide prospective home owners a detailed written report on
the structural soundness of the house being inspected. Our inspectors work
through a very long checklist of potential concerns to identify the major
and minor deficiencies in a prospective home. The resulting report clearly
describes the problems and often illustrates them along with the what-to
and how-to of repairs. This
information is backed up with authoritative
references.
Inspections are done to a
generalist’s non-intrusive visual standard relying on accessible symptoms,
clues, and telltales.
Additional services and more intensive, or
specialized inspections are available upon request.
The HomeBook System is much more than a report. It becomes a complete owner’s
manual, tailored to the eight major systems of each individual home
including:
Any problems found are grouped
according to the cost of repair and safety risk, and an itemized
maintenance program is established.
Approximations of repair and replacement costs for systems and
components set up a five year budget projection.
Listed below are just a few of
the HomeBook’s outstanding
features:
A System-by-System Perspective
Summary rating the condition of the property by comparing it to
peers.
The eight ‘Key’ Sheets are
color coordinated to the backup text. There are four copies of these
sheets to facilitate timely and complete information dissemination to
sellers, agents, appraisers, insurance companies,
etc.
Illustrated Narrative Sheets
back up the ‘Key’ Sheets and provide the referenced consensus problem
descriptions and repairs.
Component and System
Maintenance Guidelines.
Authority Reference/Useful
Products Guide.
“Cost Guides” and Five-Year
Projected Budgeting.
Life Cycle Replacement/Repair
Cost Guide.
Prioritized Weatherization
Recommendations.*
Problem/Solution
Articles.*
Buyer’s Guides for Major
Systems and Components.*
Design Templates and
Step-by-Step Renovation Guides.
Presettlement Walk-Through
Guide.*
Tax Organizer Envelope
System.*
The easy to understand HomeBook is considered the ‘Bible’ of the industry and
is routinely used by public and private sector institutions. It is updated yearly for
comprehensive accuracy.
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The purchase of a home represents the largest
single investment most Americans make in their
lifetime. Yet surprisingly, the majority of people still buy
"on impulse," basing their selection on the aesthetic appeal of
the house, rather than a knowledge of its actual physical
condition.
Our home inspection system is designed to provide you with
an objective analysis of the strength and weaknesses of your
prospective home. The more informed you become the more
likely you will make a more educated purchasing decision and the
more prepared you will be to finance improvements should they be
necessary. In this regard, it is easy to see the value of a
home inspection.
Our
inspectors go through properties with you explaining everything in
detail, answering your questions, and making sure you understand
things, including the visual limitations. Training and
experience give our inspectors 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 construction. This inspector
is checking the roof and gutter system over the house and
porch for proper installation and
functionality.
Define Scope of Inspection
Knowing what areas of a house will and will not be
inspected is important in choosing a quality home inspector.
Below is a good list, though not exhaustive, of areas a quality
home inspector will check.
-
Structural
The structure of the home is
identified in terms of materials used, type of construction, and
the degree to which various areas are accessible to the
inspector. Significant subcomponents, such as foundation
type, framing materials, etc. are listed, as well as their
idiosyncrasies. Our inspector also checks for major or
minor problems in the various structural systems of the
building, including
the foundation, floor, wall, and
roof framing. This image of block columns
reveals a dangerous structural flaw (click
on image for enlargement). Will
this hold for a year?" Your guess is as good as ours! The
column has a mix of materials-brick on top, 8X16" single block
with little cement on two 8X16". Blocks without
cement rest on an inverted metal patio table that is directly on
ground without a cement footer.
Electrical
The existing electrical system is
checked for sufficient capacity and safety. Our inspector
evaluates the system in terms of its current condition, and
considers its suitability for future intended use. The
type of wiring used and it's potential for becoming a fire
hazard are evaluated.
Upgrades and repairs are
recommended where appropriate. While there should
only be one wire per terminal, this pictures shows too many
wires of different sizes connected to a terminal thus creating a
potential fire hazard
(Click on
image for enlargement).
-
Heating & Air Conditioning Our inspector assesses the capacity of the
existing equipment to produce comfortable conditions. By
considering the age of the existing equipment and the intended
capacity, our inspector can approximate the life expectancy and
recommend appropriate repairs or upgrades within a
budget. The heating unit featured on the
right indicates a faulty gas heater with rust.
It shows black marks from when flame rolled out of burner
area. Left in this condition, this unit and house is
waiting to be burnt down
(click on image for
enlargement).
Plumbing The piping
and fixtures throughout the house are checked for functional flow and
life expectancies. The system is screened for unsanitary
conditions and potential repairs, such as freeze vulnerability
or spillage/overflow. The laundry equipment, tile work,
and domestic water heating equipment are surveyed as well.
Useful upgrades are itemized and upcoming replacements
budgeted. The picture on the right shows
a home owner patch job which used more duct tape than metal
pipes
(click on image for
enlargement).
The appliances are operated and
deficiencies noted. Our inspector recommends appropriate
upgrades and approximates the life expectancy of each piece of
equipment. Depending on age and usefulness, our inspector may
suggest a budget for repairs from complete renovation to typical
minor problems such as appliance malfunctions, damage to floor
seams, or inoperative door springs. We test for
proper electrical functionality. This is a kitchen
outlet that is being tested for proper electrical
connections and proper functionality of the safety
receptacle -GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit
Interrupter). (click on
image for enlargement).
-
Interior
Our inspector scans the wall,
floor, and ceiling surfaces for problematic conditions, such as
visible evidence of water penetration, potentially dangerous or
toxic materials, fire hazards, or security breaches. The
ventilation and energy conservation aspects are checked and
appropriate upgrades are itemized. The
good intentions of the insulation company which capped vent to
prevent blowing insulation from getting into vent pipe were
reversed when they forgot to take cover off and reconnect the
vent.
(click on image for
enlargement).
Our
inspector walks on the roof (where safe and appropriate) and
notes preservation deficiencies. Roof runoff controls and
landscape drainage are checked and improvements are recommended
where necessary. Stoops, steps, walks, and drives are
checked for voids, surface problems, and safety
hazards. This picture shows shoddy insulation of a
new AC Compressor on uneven pad. (click on image for
enlargement).
Additional Services
Additional items such as pools, spas,
barns and other outer structures, well flow, wood destroying
insects, lawn sprinkler systems, fences & gates and EIFS
(Exterior Insulation & Finish Systems) are also provided for
an additional fee.
Environmental Assessment testing services
provided include:
| Water |
Radon |
| Lead |
Asbestos |
| Formaldehyde |
Carbon
Monoxide |
| Comfort Factor
Assessment |
Septic Inspection
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| Airborn
Particulates |
Underground Storage Tanks |
| Environmantal Assessment (Phase I, etc. |
Indoor Air
Quality (mold, mildew, fungi)
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