How to get an inspection scheduled and what to expect during and afterwards?

Call 910.295.5105 and to see what times are available or leave a message if necessary and we’ll get back to you ASAP ~ or email us. Give the address of the property, age if known, total square feet and let us know if you are a Home Buyer, Home Seller, REALTOR or a  home owner that needs an inspection for the home you are living in or own. (A great idea before the 1 year builder obligation is over or before a paid warranty expires.)

The Contract

We will prepare a contract for you to sign that spells out what is to be done, who can see the results other then you and the fee that is to be paid plus how and when the payment will be made for the Home Inspection then we will have you sign it ‘before’ the Home is Inspected. Don’t worry if you are not close by, email and fax works great too.

Who attends the Home inspection?

I advise all Clients to be present, if possible, at the time of the Home Inspection. Perhaps you may wish your real estate agent to be there in your place, and that is fine with us but, many Real Estate firms now are not allowing their agents to be present during the time of the Home Inspection because of liability issues. Again we don’t care if your agent is there but it would be a best case scenario for the person we are performing the Home inspection for to be present. 

The Home Inspection.

The exact sequence of what is inspected 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. is influenced by the time of day, weather and client and homeowner’s requests but generally ‘this’ inspector prefers this order.

Where do we begin? - Inside.

I enter the home with my inspection report sheets, then I start dishwasher, washer & dryer (if appliances are to be tested) shut off heat/air, then do a ‘quick’ walk around the house to note any obvious concerns I need to address inside and to get the ‘lay’ of the house in my mind, then I come right back in. I check on the progress of the cycles and continue with the kitchen. Test/Inspect built in appliances cabinets, sink(s), faucets, plumbing, hoods, lights, receptacles ‘observe’ the walls, countertops, floors, flooring and check & operate windows if present. Make notations as necessary to be included on the report.

Then I will usually begin to inspect each room 1 at a time as completely as possible, in either a clockwise or counter clockwise direction depending on the layout of the house before moving to the next room. If the house has a second floor with bathrooms, utilities or laundry areas I may begin there. If there is a basement, I will do that after the main levels are completed then move on. Each room has all the systems tested that are available while observing everything else. This includes but is not limited to: windows, doors, switches, receptacles, smoke detectors, fireplaces, exhaust fans, showers, sinks, vanities, toilets, tubs, walls, ceilings, fans, lights, heat/air registers, thermostats and anything else in the must inspect list from the NCHILB or my client.

Next - Attic & Garage - then the Exterior

After the interior is completed, I will either move to the attic or garage, then after the attic and attached garage is completed I will go out side for a thorough inspection of roof, eves, gutters, siding, door and window casings, foundation and inspect for proper drainage around the house.
If there is a crawl space I will nearly always perform this last, and 9 times out of 10, other then roofs, if there are any problems at all this will be where they start and/or show up.

The Crawl Space.

When accessible and safe to inspect, crawl spaces usually will contain heat/air equipment, water heaters, ducting, insulation, access to foundation walls, show signs of current or past moisture problems, exposed electrical and plumbing.

Time & Consultation.

As I worked my way through the house I will have been filling out my inspection sheets and taking pictures of areas of concerns, problems and failures. After I have gone over my checklist and made sure everything has been completed I will then go over the findings with the client or real estate agent, if anyone is present, and explain what I have found and collect a check. Then I will prepare my final written Home Inspection Report and deliver it as prearranged. Time spent at the home actually inspecting is generally 1hr to 3hrs, add time explaining 15-30 minutes and writing, creating and delivery of the report add another 1 - 2 hrs.

This is a brief description of the home inspection process and may not be complete for the home you need inspected. Homes vary greatly in complexity and  this is not meant to address or explain what all is actually tested and observed, but it is close enough to prepare you so you know much of what to expect.

A Sample Home Inspection Report is being prepared and will be inserted here