Home Inspection Overview

Davidson Inspection

You've found the house, made the offer and had it accepted. The next step is having the home professionally inspected. A professional home inspection is a visual examination of the physical structure, systems, and components of a home, followed up with a written report. 


Why you need a home inspection?
Your purchase of a home will probably be the largest single investment you will ever make. Your professional home inspector can answer questions about the property, systems and components, as well as household maintenance. As the average home inspection is 2-4 hours. This is an ideal opportunity for you to spend time in the home. Your inspector will lead you through a detailed "look" at your new home. Any information affecting the value or desirability of the house is your right.

Some homebuyers are nervous about the home inspection because they fear their dream house will not 'pass' inspection. In reality, a house cannot fail inspection. A professional home inspection is simply an examination into the current condition of your prospective home. An inspector, therefore, will not pass or fail a house, but will simply describe it's condition and indicate which items will be in need of immediate or near future major repair or replacement.
Though a typical home inspection will take about 2-4 hours we limit our home inspections to two per day to ensure that you receive our full attention before, during and after the home inspection process.

A thorough home inspection will include the following:

 

~ Roof (shingles, flashings, chimneys, vents, trim and gutters, drip edges, skylights, downspouts, and other visible roof related items)

~ Plumbing and Fixtures (water volume, water distribution system, hose bibs, sinks and faucets, bath/showers and toilets, sanitary system, and other plumbing system components)

~ Heating and Cooling Systems (furnace, air cleaning filters, ductwork, air conditioner and lines, and other visible related HVAC components)

~ Basements, Crawl Spaces, and Foundation (insulation, ventilation, posts, vapor barriers, utility attachment, structural items, floors and walls, and columns)

~ Decks and Porches
~ Pools
~ Fireplaces
~ Overall Structure
 

~ Attics (insulation, ventilation, rafters, joists and collar ties, trusses, wiring attachments, and other visible related items)

~ Interior (floors and ceilings, walls, stairs (if applicable) and banisters, finishes, sinks, cabinets, shelving, built-in appliances, smoke detectors and safety-related items, and other visible interior-related components)

~ Electrical Systems (service entry and clearances, service panel, switches and outlets, visible wiring and junction boxes, grounding system, and other related electrical components)

~ Exterior (siding materials, attachments, windows, doors, sashes and lintels, vents, entryways, and other visible exterior related components)