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Home Buyer Inspections
Buying a home is a big financial decision. A professional home inspector can help you make sure you are not buying a money pit. Home Inspectors are trained to look for things you are not likely to notice. The inspection will include checking the roof, exterior, interior, foundation, basement, fireplace, attic, insulation, ventilation, doors, windows, heating system, cooling system, plumbing system, and electrical system for certain defects. With a detailed report on your potential home you will have a complete picture of what you’re buying. This will allow you to decide whether you still want to buy the home, negotiate a lower price, or move into your new home with more peace of mind.
Pre-Listing Inspections
This type of inspection is typically performed before the home is listed on the market. The inspector will provide a typical inspection and provide an inspection report to the seller, and their real estate agent, if requested. A pre-listing inspection will allow you to see your home through the eyes of a critical and neutral third party. It can alert you to immediate safety issues before potential buyers tour your home. It can help you make repairs ahead of time or get reasonable bids from contractors for these repairs. This way defects won’t become negotiating stumbling blocks later. Having an inspection performed ahead of time can also help you and your real estate agent price your home realistically.
Home Maintenance Inspections
This type of inspection is different because the motivation or objective is different. Although the inspector still checks out all the main systems of the home – roof, walls, foundation, HVAC, electrical, & plumbing; the inspector will not test the appliances. Installation of the appliances will be noted, as well as their projected life expectancy. The inspection will reveal small problems before they turn into big ones, or big problems that the homeowner was unaware of. The inspector will walk you through the home, showing you what was found and explain what it means. This will give you a chance to ask questions or get clarification. You will also get a written report detailing everything the inspector found. A home inspector provides an unbiased opinion on the condition of your home, they are not going to make money off doing any repairs and are not there to sell you anything but the truth. We recommend getting a home maintenance inspection every 1 1/2 – 3 years, alternating seasons every time. (First inspection in the summer, second inspection in the winter).
Commercial Inspections
One of the biggest differences when inspecting a commercial property over a residential property is checking for compliance with fire safety including emergency exits with proper doors and latches, emergency lighting, fire extinguishers, and similar items. The property could also contain specialized industrial machinery particular to the industry that the buyer will use the building for. At Top Notch Home Inspection, we are trained to complete your next commercial inspection.
Log Home Inspection
Foundation Certifications
We have partnered with third party company in order to offer Foundation Certifications with your Home Inspection. If you are buying a manufactured home with an FHA or VA loan, then most likely the lender will require an engineer’s foundation certification. This add on service to your top notch Home Inspection will show the lender if the home is placed on a permanent foundation or not.
Well Water Testing
As an add on to your Home Inspection services, we offer the collection of water to be tested for Bacteria or Nitrates. This test is sometimes required when purchasing a home, but is also recommended this test be completed annually. Coliform bacteria are organisms that are present in the environment and in the feces of all warm-blooded animals and humans. This bacteria indicated “disease-causing organisms” could be in the water system. Nitrates are chemicals found in most fertilizers, manure and liquid waste from septic systems.
Well Flow rate Test
A well flow test is conducted to measure your well’s flow (gallon per minute) and pressure (psi). This will tell you if your well system is delivering an adequate water supply to your home. A well pump to a residential home should be able to deliver at least 5 gpm and should be set to turn on and off at the appropriate pressure for the system (usually 30/50 or 40/60 40 psi). This Well Flow Rate Test covers a visual inspection of the well location, well cap, pump, pressure switch, and storage tanks if they are accessible. Then we will pump water from an outside hose spigot for 60 or 120 minutes to determine if the well can sustain an adequate flow. We will monitor and document the water pressure during this test and include these findings in your home inspection report.
Sewer Scope
Sewer repairs can be extremely costly. To avoid those costly repairs we recommend ordering a sewer scope with your regular home inspection services. It is better to find out if the sewer is faulty or needs replacement before the home is purchased, not after. We will run a specialized camera through the home’s drainpipes and include any findings to the home inspection report.
Structural Pest Inspections (SPI) NPMA-33 Form
A Structural Pest Inspection will determine if the home has any wood destroying organisms, their damage, or conditions conducive to their infestation. Wood destroying organisms include insects or fungi that will consume, excavate, develop in, or otherwise modify the integrity of wood or wood products. Wood destroying organisms can cause a lot of structural damage to a home if left undetected for a length of time. Structural Pest Inspectors are trained to identify infestation of wood destroying organisms, or conditions that can lead to a wood destroying organism infestation in the future. Each Home Buyer Inspection, Pre-listing inspection, and Home Maintenance Inspection includes a Structural Pest Inspection at no additional charge. However, we do also offer a stand alone Structural Pest Inspection, if needed, such as for a VA refinance.
Multi-Unit Inspections
A multi-inspection unit is a property with two or more units and is very similar to a regular home inspection. If you’re purchasing a multi-unit property, getting a thorough home inspection services can minimize the costs and risks of buying a bigger property. Depending on the size of the property, we are able to provide multiple inspectors to come out and cover the square footage in a reasonable amount of time, and with minimal impact on current tenants.
Air Quality Testing
We can test 1 or more rooms for indoor air quality. This test samples mold, temperature, barometric pressure and relative humidity. You’ll receive a detailed report separate from your Home Inspection report within a couple of days of having the test complete.
Mold Swab Testing
We can collect a sample of a specific area of concern for mold or mold growth. Molds can have the potential to cause health problems, asthma, and can be an irritant to some. The longer mold grows the more damage it can cause. Cleaning up mold can depend on how bad of a mold problem exists. A mold swab can tell you exactly what type of mold you are dealing with so you can decide the next course of action.
Lead Testing
Radon Testing
1 out of every 15 homes have high radon levels and it is the #2 cause of lung cancer. Radon comes naturally from rocks and dirt in the ground. There’s always some radon in the air around us. The problem is when radon gas from underneath a home leaks through cracks or gaps, too much can build up inside. When you breath radon gas, the radioactive particles can get trapped in your lungs. The risks can depend on how much and how long the exposure to radon was. You can’t see or smell Radon gas, so testing is the only way to find out if you have a radon problem.
Get a Radon Test for your home! Radon levels constantly fluctuate so having a continuous monitor in your home can send you notifications of pollutants and contaminants before they become a problem.
