| What To Expect: Home buyers sometimes buy | | | | quantity) condition of underground and under |
| their home in on impulse. Home inspectors can | | | | slab piping.Electrical: to determine the |
| help home buyers avoid buyers remorse by | | | | condition and necessary upgrades and repairs |
| reporting on home defects and problems before | | | | to the electrical system, telephone system |
| the home buyer finds them after closing. | | | | wiring, intercom system, security systems, |
| Professional home inspectors assist home | | | | heat detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, |
| buying clients with the tools they need to | | | | smoke detectors, provide circuit mapping, |
| make an educated choice regarding the quality | | | | determine the electrical system capacity, |
| and condition of their potential new home. | | | | adequacy of ground bonding, perform voltage |
| Home buyers must take care to hire the most | | | | testing, to evaluate electro magnetic fields, |
| experienced home inspector they can afford | | | | check voltage drops and circuit |
| and make sure the person they hire has their | | | | impedance.Chimney sweep: check condition of |
| best interest solely in mind. Inspectors who | | | | flue, safety of wood burning stoves and |
| rely on realtors for referrals sometimes have | | | | perform level II chimney flue inspections as |
| moral dilemmas.Buyers Benefits: A | | | | recommended by National Fire Protection |
| professional home inspection is the best way | | | | Association.Appraisal: determine the value of |
| for potential home buyers to effectively | | | | building and suitability for intended use, |
| evaluate the risks of a property purchase. A | | | | check zoning ordinances and provide an |
| major concern of home buyers is being | | | | opinion on the advisability of |
| suddenly confronted with major and costly | | | | purchase.Mechanical contractor: determine the |
| problems after they take possession of a | | | | adequacy of the heating and cooling system |
| property. A professional pre-purchase home | | | | size and provide efficiency measurement, |
| inspection can reduce anxiety by screening | | | | provide an underground storage tank |
| for problems and itemizing them in a | | | | evaluation, perform heat exchanger leakage |
| comprehensive report. This report may include | | | | test, check the condition of evaporator |
| approximations of repair costs and | | | | coils, determine air flow velocity and |
| recommendations of useful upgrades to the | | | | balance system.Appliance service person: test |
| property systems. The general result of a | | | | and calibrate oven and range temperature, |
| professional home inspection is that property | | | | test for microwave leakage, check to |
| buyers make significantly more informed | | | | determine if appliances secured to floor as |
| purchases.Screening for Problems: All homes | | | | required.Roofing contractor: more detailed |
| have strong and weak points, they are not | | | | evaluation of the roofing, flashing, chimney, |
| always what they seem. Gain the perspective | | | | provide tall ladder roof inspection and a |
| and sound information you need to make better | | | | detailed evaluation of the life expectancy of |
| decisions with a home inspection performed by | | | | the roofing, feasibility of repair vs. |
| an experienced professional home inspector. A | | | | replacement.Home buyers are advised to make |
| good home inspector works through a very long | | | | sure they check all of the following items |
| checklist of potential concerns to identify | | | | carefully. If any of these problems after the |
| the major and minor deficiencies in the home. | | | | purchase of the home the problems come with |
| A good report will clearly describe the | | | | the home and they are now the YOURS (without |
| problems and illustrate them along with the | | | | costly litigation).GENERALWere all your |
| what-to and how-to of repairs.Provide Owners | | | | questions answered by the home inspector?Were |
| Benefits: Home owners who are planning to | | | | all your questions for the home owner |
| make improvements to their homes in order to | | | | answered in writing?Have the previously |
| increase its market value would be well | | | | agreed to repairs been professionally |
| advised to have it inspected first. A home | | | | completed?Have warranties and guarantees been |
| inspectors can help prioritize home | | | | provided for agreed upon repairs?Were the |
| improvements and offer advice on the best | | | | home inspectors recommendations to have all |
| ways to approach repairs. More importantly, | | | | recommended additional inspections and |
| an inspectors can help the seller identify | | | | invasive inspections performed? If not open |
| potential or undiscovered problems before | | | | ended risks may be more than most buyers |
| those problems become material for contract | | | | budgets can bare?EXTERIORCheck the operation |
| contingencies. By taking a pro-active | | | | of the windows and screens?Has water been |
| approach one can avoid the frustrations many | | | | stopped from accumulating near the |
| owners encounter when they are asked to | | | | building?Check doors, decks, siding, windows |
| renegotiate their contracts because of | | | | & fences for damage / deterioration?Are there |
| unanticipated problem areas.Credentials: Like | | | | any signs of water infiltration from the |
| any other professional, home inspectors | | | | roof, siding or windows?Are there any signs |
| (even those with licenses) have varied | | | | of gutter or downspout problems? |
| degrees of expertise. All home inspectors | | | | |
| should be carefully screened. Inspectors | | | | Are the downspouts discharging water away |
| learn from experience. It takes a few | | | | from the foundation?Has the soil around the |
| thousand inspections and a more than a few | | | | home been pitched away from the |
| complaints for a home inspectors to LEARN | | | | foundation?INTERIORHave all the areas listed |
| what it takes to satisfy clients.Recently | | | | in the home inspection report as inaccessible |
| passed legislation allows New Jersey home | | | | or not traversed been accessed & |
| inspectors to be licensed with as little as | | | | professionally inspected to determine if |
| three weeks of class room training and just | | | | defects exist?Do the garage doors and their |
| one week in actual homes. Licensing is a | | | | openers function?Was the reversing devices |
| minimum qualification. Make sure you ask for | | | | for the garage door openers tested?Did you |
| resume! Belive it or not the standards in | | | | find out why any stains or cracks on any of |
| many states are LOWER!Many people without | | | | the walls or ceilings that have become larger |
| specific home inspection credentials offer | | | | or have appeared since the time of the home |
| home inspection services. Likewise, | | | | inspection?Have all cracked windows or |
| credentials are not always what they seem. | | | | mirrors been repaired?Have all the clouded |
| Engineering and architectural credentials | | | | double pane windows been replaced?Are all the |
| alone do not prepare anyone to competently | | | | permanently installed fixtures or appliances |
| inspect homes and communicate the findings. A | | | | been in place and in good condition?Are there |
| helping attitude, good communication skills, | | | | any signs of birds, rodents or animals? |
| and mature judgment must supplement technical | | | | |
| competence. Make sure you work with a company | | | | |
| employing a contract which specifies both | | | | Has any damage to damage to the walls, floor |
| what is inspected and what limitations | | | | or ceilings been repaired?PLUMBINGDo the |
| apply.Additional services like the ones | | | | plumbing fixture faucets leak or drip?Are the |
| listed below are usually NOT included in the | | | | plumbing fixtures chipped or damaged?Was |
| standard home inspection are available for an | | | | water for a time through all plumbing |
| additional fee. Code compliance: to determine | | | | fixtures and check for leakage?Was water for |
| what changes and upgrades are necessary for | | | | a time through all plumbing fixtures and |
| the home to comply with modern (or when | | | | check for stoppage?ELECTRICALAre all the |
| built) building, fire, plumbing, zoning, | | | | light fixtures are all in place?Do the light |
| mechanical and electrical code and to | | | | fixtures, switches and receptacles all |
| determine if the required permits and | | | | function?Does the door bell work?HEATING AND |
| inspection were obtained when changes were | | | | COOLINGDo the thermostat, heating and cooling |
| made to the home.Engineering analysis: | | | | systems function?Is there adequate air flow |
| structural, heating, cooling, soils, | | | | through the heating and cooling registers?Did |
| electrical, geological, site, investigate | | | | all the radiators or convectors get warm in a |
| for latent structural defects or problems, | | | | reasonable amount of time?KITCHENDo all the |
| evaluate the condition of playground | | | | appliances function properly?Are the counter |
| equipment, determine if private waste | | | | tops or cabinets damaged?Do the cabinets and |
| disposal systems are functional, determine if | | | | drawers operate?Complete this check list |
| cantilevers are safe, evaluate traffic | | | | during the walk through and go over it with |
| density and noise, evaluate insulation | | | | your attorney prior to closing on the |
| efficiency, perform flood plain review and | | | | property Most inspection companies accept no |
| issue flood hazard certification, evaluate | | | | liability for changes and problems that occur |
| easements and encroachments, determine the | | | | after the home inspection takes place. |
| quantity and cost of wood replacement made | | | | Please take the time to carefully and |
| necessary by rot, age, water infiltration and | | | | completely perform your pre-settlement walk |
| insect damage.Hazardous materials: to | | | | though. Contact the home inspection company |
| determine the presence or absence of: | | | | if there are any questions.Michael Del Greco |
| asbestos, lead paint, lead in water, | | | | is President of Accurate Inspections, Inc. A |
| formaldehyde, radon gas, lead paint, fungus, | | | | New Jersey home inspection firm, has |
| mold, mildew, water and air quality, toxic or | | | | performed thousands of home inspections in |
| allergenic substances, flammable materials, | | | | New Jersey since 1993, taught the New Jersey |
| underground oil or fuel tanks and other | | | | Home Inspector Licensing classes and New |
| environmental hazards.Pest evaluation: to | | | | Jersey Home Inspector CEU classes as well as |
| determine the presence of animal, rodent, | | | | participated in developing questions for the |
| termite, pest or insect infestation and to | | | | National Home Inspector Exam. The home |
| provide an opinion as to the cost of | | | | inspector's resume may be viewed at |
| repairing damage caused from these | | | | inspector Michael Del Greco is President of |
| infestations.Pool and spa: to evaluate the | | | | Accurate Inspections, Inc., a New Jersey Home |
| necessary changes and upgrades to pools, pool | | | | Inspection Firm He has performed thousands |
| equipment, gates and fences.Plumbing: to | | | | of home inspections in New Jersey. He has |
| determine the condition and necessary | | | | taught the New Jersey Home Inspector CEU & |
| upgrades and repairs to the waste piping, | | | | Licensing classes and help in developing |
| main sewer pipe, supply piping, venting, | | | | questions for the National Home Inspector |
| shower pans and tub walls, lawn and fire | | | | Exam. |
| sprinklers, water wells (water quality and | | | | |