Frequently Asked Questions

I recommend that you read and understand the entire inspection report and ask question about anything you find in the report. I am responsible for writing in the inspection report the defects that I both observe during the inspection and deem (or consider) to be material. A material defect is very serious and must be further evaluated and corrected immediately by a qualified contractor or professional. I will put those material defects into the summary report. The summary report is not the entire inspection report.

Buying a home? The process can be stressful. A home inspection is supposed to give you peace of mind, but often has the opposite effect. You will be asked to absorb a lot of information in a short time. This often includes a written report, a checklist, photographs, environmental reports, and what the inspector himself says during the inspection. All this, combined with the seller's disclosure and what you notice yourself, makes the experience even more overwhelming. What should you do? Relax. Most of your inspection will be maintenance recommendations, life expectancies for various systems and components, and minor imperfections. These are useful to know about. However, the issues that really matter will fall into four categories: Major defects. An example of this would be a structural failure; Things that lead to major defects, such as a small roof-flashing leak, for example; Things that may hinder your ability to finance, legally occupy, or insure the home; and Safety hazards, such as an exposed, live buss bar at the electrical panel. Anything in these categories should be addressed. Often, a serious problem can be corrected inexpensively to protect both life and property (especially in categories 2 and 4). Most sellers are honest and are often surprised to learn of defects uncovered during an inspection. Realize that sellers are under no obligation to repair everything mentioned in the report. No home is perfect. Keep things in perspective. Do not kill your deal over things that do not matter. It is inappropriate to demand that a seller address deferred maintenance, conditions already listed on the seller's disclosure, or nit-picky items.

I inspect everything according to AS 4349.0 - 2007 and that includes systems and components from the foundation to the top of the roof and everything in between. I can also check for indications of moisture intrusion, water leaks, and material defects.

I inspect everything listed in the Home Inspection Standards of Practice, which is available by visiting www.nachi.org/sop.

I am a member of InterNACHI®, the world's leading organization of certified inspectors and consultants. I am a Certified Professional Inspector CPI®. I take 24 hours of Continuing Education every year to maintain my certification as a home inspector. I am certified in numerous other types of inspections.

My goal is to provide you with the most exceptional service of greatest value to you. If you hire me, I will give you the right information you need in order to make the best decisions. This may be the most important decision and biggest investment that you'll ever make. And I'm honored to help you at this moment. I will show you how your home works, how to maintain it, and how to save home energy. I will show you everything that I inspect, and everything that you should know about the home or building. I will provide you with an inspection report that is easy-to-read and clear-to-understand. It will have a short summary report included. I use infrared camera. I also use several moisture meters and wifi inspection camera.

I invite you to walk with me during your inspection. I will show you everything about your house that's important for you to know. Feel free to ask me questions while we walk around the property. If you have any concerns or questions, feel free to ask me while we're moving through the inspection process.

Choosing the right consultant can be difficult. Unlike most professionals you hire, you probably won't meet me until our appointment. Furthermore, different consultants have varying qualifications, equipment, experience, reporting methods, and pricing. Ultimately, a thorough home inspection depends heavily on the individual consultant’s own effort. If you honor me by permitting me to inspect your new home, I guarantee that I will give you my very best effort. This, I promise you.

Please read the Home Inspection Standards of Practice (www.nachi.org/sop), the Code of Ethics (www.nachi.org/code_of_ethics), the home inspection agreement that we sign before we begin the home inspection at the property, the entire inspection report(s) and not just the summary.

The consultant is not an expert but a generalist. The consultant can visually inspect a home and report upon the home’s condition as it was at the time of the inspection. That is the main responsibility of the consultant. The most important thing for a homeowner to understand is that things will break. As time goes on, parts of the house will wear out, break down, deteriorate, leak, or simply stop working. A home inspection does not include predictions of future events, house warranties, or guarantees that nothing will ever go wrong. Future events (such as roof leaks, water intrusion, plumbing leaks, and heating failures) are not within the scope of a home inspection and are not the responsibility of the consultant. Who’s responsible? The homeowner. The home inspection and report are based on the visual observations made on the date of the inspection, and not a prediction of future conditions. The home inspection will not reveal every issue that exists or ever could exist, but only those material defects observed on the date of the inspection.