Licensed, professional home inspectors serving the Pelham Parkway (Bronx) neighborhood, offering a broad range of services for our residential customers.
If you have been around for a while, then you’ll recognize the need for home inspections. A detailed home inspection protects you the prospective home owner against those obvious problems that every home has. While the inspection is not fool proof, an inspector worth his/her weight should be able to identify the primary systems and components that could be ready to become a problem for you as a new home owner. A great inspector will narrow down the likelihood of system failure considerably.
Typically and simply put, a home inspection is a formal detailed evaluation of the accessible and visible systems and components within a home (electrical, plumbing, roofing, heating and cooling, structure, etc.) and is intended to give the customer a better understanding of the unit’s general state. Phone today to schedule an appointment at 332-334-7701 or Request a Quote. You’ll be glad you made the call.
Typically, the inspection is a buyer who asks for a formal evaluation of the home’s condition they are serious about buying. A home inspection provides data so that decision makers can question or confirm details about the home confirmed or questioned, and can uncover serious and/or expensive-to-repair defects that the owner/seller may not be aware of. It is not an appraisal of the property’s value. The inspection does not point out any repair costs for defects the inspector finds. Similarly, an inspection of the property makes not claim that the home and its systems complies with local building codes or protects a customer in the event something inspected fails in the future.
Note: Warranties can be purchased to cover many items.
Don’t consider an inspection of the home and property as a final evaluation, but rather property evaluation at this point in time, considering normal wear and tear of the home based on age and location. An inspection of the home can also include for extra, pool inspections, water testing, Radon gas testing, pest inspections, energy audits, and many other specific items that may be location-specific.
Home inspections are paid for (less often) by a home seller before listing the property to see if there are any hidden problems, and also by home owners simply wishing to prevent surprises, and keep the home investment value high, and care for their homes.
The following are areas that inspectors pay close attention to when inspecting your property:
1. Safety hazards, such as exposed wiring in bathrooms and kitchens, lack of safety railing on decks above 30 inches, lack of GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters), etc.
2. Things that could lead to serious defects – a support beam that was not tied in to the structure properly, a roof leak that could get bigger, or damaged downspouts that could cause backup and water intrusion.
3. Serious defects, such as large differential cracks in the foundation; structure out of plumb or level; decks not installed or supported properly, and others. These are items that are costly to fix, which we classify as entire systems needing more than two percent of the buy price to fix.
Your inspector should be able to counsel you about what you should do about these problems. He may recommend an evaluation on serious issues – by certified and/or licensed professionals who specialize in the defect areas. For instance, your inspector will recommend you call a licensed building engineer if they find sections of the property that are out of alignment, as this could indicate a major structural deficiency.
Home inspections are merely done by a buyer when they sign a formal contract, right?
This is patently false! As you will see when you read on, a home inspection can be utilized for ad hoc inspections in new construction, as a maintenance tool with a current homeowner, a proactive technique by sellers to create their property more sellable, and by buyers wanting to ascertain the situation of the potential home.
Home owners, in particular, can take advantage of getting a home inspection before listing the home. Here are just a several advantages for the homeowner:
· The homeowner is likely to be alerted to any safety issues found in the home before they open it down for open house tours.
· A home inspection will help the homeowner be much more objective in regards to setting a reasonable price on the home.
· The homeowner may make repairs leisurely instead of being in a rush following the contract is signed.
· The homeowner may take the report and allow it to be into a marketing piece for the home.
Most homebuyers lack the information, skill, and objectivity needed to inspect a house themselves. In other words, they think they know their homes, but they really don’t. Utilizing the services of an expert home inspector, they gain a better knowledge of the situation of the property; especially whether any items don’t “abjectly affect the home’s living space” or “function as intended” or “warrant more detailed attention” with a qualified specialist. Understand that the home inspector is a generalist and is broadly trained in every home system.
It’s recommended for you to be present throughout the inspection – whether you are a homebuyer, seller, or homeowner. With you there, the inspector can show you any defects and explain their importance in addition to explain maintenance features that’ll be helpful in the future. In the event that you can’t be there, it’s not a problem because the report you receive is likely to be very detailed. If you’re not present, then you ought to be sure to ask your inspector to explain anything that’s not yet determined in the report. Also browse the inspection agreement carefully which means you understand what is covered and what is not covered in the inspection. If you have a trouble with the inspection or the report, you need to raise the issues quickly by calling the inspector, usually within 24 hours. If you’d like the inspector to go back following the inspection showing you things, this can be arranged and is a good idea, however, you could be charged extra since a second walk through not part of the inspection, unless, of course, you make that a part of your home inspection contract
However, it’s important for you to let the inspector do the job you’re paying for. We love our customers, but we also know that constant interruptions and interference make the inspection unnecessarily slow. Write down your questions and ask them after the inspector has presented you with a detailed report.
This depends upon the condition and size of the entire home. You can usually figure 1.1 hours for every thousand sq. ft. For instance, a twenty five hundred sq. ft. house would take around 3 hours. If the company also produces the report at your home, that will take an extra 30-50 minutes. These figures are not set in stone because you really want the inspector to do a thorough job without being rushed.
Since condominiums are individual units within a building, homeowners pay an assessment fee to a HOA or home owners association or condo association, which pays for the maintenance and upkeep of all exteriors including the building (roof, exterior walls, lighting) is also responsible for maintaining the HVAC. In smaller condo buildings, many owners have their own boiler that suffices for the HVAC that a building would normally provide. Owners are responsible for everything inside the condo unit including porches, electrical, balconies, walls, and appliances. There are less items to inspect, but getting an inspection from someone qualified is still a must. As you know well, Home Owners Associations are a fickle bunch. And they’re all so very different, even within a neighborhood. Ask us about it and we’ll be honest with you. If we can inspect your unit, we’ll do it; if we can’t, we’ll also let you know. We believe honesty is always the best policy and we live by it.
The following list is not exhaustive. Not all of these items may be in the inspection you receive, but the inspector will be following a standardized checklist for the property:
· Air Conditioning and controls
· Heat pumps and controls
· Laundry appliances (washer and dryer)
· Doors, walls, patios, walkways, windows
· Kitchen cabinets, counters, and floors
· Windows and window gaskets
· Soffits, eaves, and fascias
· Site drainage and grading
· Bushes, trees, shrubs, lawn
· Retaining walls
· Distribution systems and ducts
· Fireplaces
· Driveways
· Indoor doors and hardware
· Roofing, flashings, chimneys, and attic
· Safety items such as TPRV valves, railings, egress etc.
· Floors, walls, ceilings
· Hand rails, entry steps
· Decks
· Masonry
· Foundation, basement, and crawlspaces
· Garage walls, doors, and door operation
· Plumbing fixtures and systems
· Electrical system and panels
· Electrical grounding, GFCI, outlets
· Smoke (fire) detectors
Some tests which are not part of the normal inspection usually require an extra charge.
· Alarm System
· Swimming Pool and Spa Inspection
· Mold Screening
· Termites
· Gas Line Leak Test
· Sprinkler System Test
· Radon Gas Test
· Water Quality Test
Your new home has lots of systems and more than 9900 moving pieces – from cooling and heating to ventilation and to appliances. When these systems and appliances work together, all is well with the world. Weak links in the machinery, however, can produce a myriad of problems resulting in a loss in value and shortened component lifecycle. Would you buy a used car with out a reputable mechanic taking a look at it? Your home is far more complex, and to truly have a thorough inspection that’s documented in a report arms you with substantial information on which to make informed decisions.
That is the first question asked but the answer tells the least about the caliber of the inspection. Fees are based based on size, age and some other aspects of the home. Inspection fees from a certified professional home inspector generally start just over $350. An average fee for a 2,000 sq. ft. house around the country is approximately $350-$375 for just the inspection. In NYC, it will probably be an extra 30-35%. But think about what you’re getting for that price. Who can put a price tag on peace of mind?
Plenty of people assume that the entire home is inspected detailed on inspection day. This misunderstanding has caused many a homebuyer to be upset because of their inspector. The inspections we all do are usually not exhaustive and there’s a acceptable reason for this.
If you hired separate licensed experts in cooling and heating, plumbing, electrical, engineering, etc. to inspect your property, it’d take about 14 hours and cost you about $2000! It is far more practical (and affordable) to engage an established inspector who’s got a general expertise in home systems, knows things to look for, and can suggest further inspection by an experienced professional if needed. Your inspector can also be following very specific guidelines issued by state or national organizations as he/she inspects your home. The guidelines are written to protect both the home and the inspector.
For instance, we are directed to not turn systems on if these were off before the inspection (for safety reasons); we aren’t in a position to move furniture (might harm something); against the rules to turn on water when it is off (possible flooding), and against the rules to get rid of by way of a sealed attic hatch (possible damage). The down-side with this practice is that by not operating a control, by not seeing within the furniture, and enough sleep. into the crawlspace or attic, we are going to might miss identifying a problem. However, placed into perspective, the chances of missing something serious for this reason is fairly low. There are more things that more than 90% of inspectors consider outside an average inspection, for example inspecting most things that are not bolted down (installed inside home) for example electronics, low voltage lighting, space heaters, portable air conditioning units, or specialized systems for example water purifiers, security alarms, etc.
If you’re looking for a affordable, reliable, and professional home, condo, or townhome inspection in Pelham Parkway, your search is over. We know you have choices and we’d be happy to send out one of our inspectors to inspect your property. We are committed to getting the job done right and making you a satisfied customer. E-mail or phone one of our staff members (332-334-7701 or Request a Quote) to book an appointment.
Melrose, Mott Haven, Port Morris, Hunts Point, Longwood, Claremont, Concourse Village, Crotona Park, Kingsbridge, Kingsbridge Heights, Marble Hill, Riverdale, Spuyten Duyvil, Van Cortlandt Village, Bronx River, Bruckner, Castle Hill, Clason Point, Harding Park, Parkchester, Soundview, Williamsbridge, Woodlawn Heights, Home inspections NYC, The Bronx
