Frequently Asked Questions

A home inspection is a professional, complete visual and hands on examination of all the major systems and physical structural elements of a home. Our emphasis is on identifying existing or potential problems that could affect a purchasers buying decision. Very much like going to your Doctor for a check up. However we can not get involved in the real estate transaction itself.

A home is the largest purchase most people will ever make. It only makes sense to find out as much as you can about the house you are interested in before you buy. That way you can avoid costly surprise repairs and problems with your new home. A professional inspection will give you a clear picture of the many systems and structural elements that make up the property. If you are selling your home, a pre listing inspection will point out any potential problems that might be uncovered later by the buyers inspector. Finding them early will allow you to address them before listing your home, making for a faster and smoother sale. Since many of the problems discovered in a home were not known by the occupants, even a homeowner not selling their house should consider a professional home inspection to insure their house is safe and sound.

Our standard inspection report covers all the major systems and structural elements of the house. This includes the condition of the homes heating and air conditioning systems, plumbing and electrical systems, roof, foundation, attic and visible insulation, walls, doors, windows and all visible structures. Basically we try to make everything do what it's supposed to do.

The systems not reviewed are things such as telephone, cable TV, security systems, media/speaker/intercom wiring. Exterior systems such as irrigation systems, pet fences, hot tubs, pools.

We highly recommend that you be present. It's a valuable learning experience for most people and will help you get the most benefit from the inspection. By following us, you can ask questions directly and we can explain maintenance tips for specific areas. We feel you'll be able to best understand the finished report and get the most benefit from it by having been there during the inspection. If you can not be present for the inspection, we can set up a time to chat on the phone and go over the report and any questions you may have. Of course you are always welcome to email questions.

The time will vary depending on both the size and condition of the home. For most homes, 2 hours is pretty typical. But for larger homes, or homes in poor condition, it may take longer. Scheduling blocks out 3 hours for most single unit homes.

Absolutely. A professional inspection of a new home is important. We can spot potential problems early, while they are still easy to correct. In most cases the items we discover are when they forget to finish the installation. In one case a builder had the problem finished before the inspection was completed.

Chances are that even if you are very familiar with home construction, you still don't have the knowledge, training and experience of a professional Home Inspector. We inspect hundreds of homes every year. We are not only familiar with all the systems of a home, and how they work and need to be maintained, but we also know what to look for to tell you about potential problems. But beyond the technical expertise and experience a professional inspector brings, it is important to remember that the inspector remains an impartial third party. If you are involved in buying or selling a house, it's impossible for you to remain completely unemotional about the house, and this may cloud your judgment. The professional inspector will provide an objective reporting of the facts. In this way you can decide where your furniture is going, which closet is yours or where the workshop, art room or music room is going. Then there is the point that the State of New Hampshire requires a Home Inspector to be licensed with the State.

Our report will tell you the condition of the house, including needed repairs. No house is going to be perfect. Most problems are straight forward, even the major ones, and the repairs can be made. It is up to you to decide if any problems the inspection uncovers, might affect your decision to purchase. If major problems are discovered, you can work with your Realtor to determine what issues should be part of the Real Estate transaction. The report is detailed and will contain many items that have nothing to do with whether you should buy the home or not. Always read through the report and we will be ready to answer any questions you have.

No. The code of ethics for Home Inspectors and my own business ethics prohibits us from doing repair work on properties we inspect. This assures that there will never be any conflict of interest with what is in your report. Our purpose is to provide an unbiased, objective third party report on the condition of the home.

Generally you meet with your Realtor and do what I like to call the "wheeling and dealing". We do not get involved with who fixes what. Some clients of ours could build a house while others barely understand changing a light bulb. Each buyer becomes concerned about different items. No matter what, we are with you every step of the way. We will be just a phone call or email away with any questions you have as the new homeowner. If you need a letter detailing something in the report, need another inspection or just have a simple homeowner question, feel free to contact us.