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