Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is a home inspection?
A home inspection is an in-depth visual examination of the physical structure, systems, and components of a home. It is not an appraisal that tells you what the home is worth or a code compliance audit: an inspection will basically tell you what is wrong with the property as many of the good points! If you are thinking of buying a home, condo, townhouse, or duplex, you should have it properly inspected before final purchase by an experienced and impartial inspector.

2. Why do I need a home inspection?
Purchasing a home will probably be the single largest investment you will ever make. You should know exactly what to expect, inside and out, in terms of repairs and maintenance and their possible costs. A fresh coat of paint could be hiding serious structural problems. Water marks on the ceiling, roof decking, or floor joists may indicate a chronic leakage problem or simply the result of a single incident. The home inspector interprets these and other clues, then presents a professional and impartial opinion as to the condition of the property before you buy, so you can avoid any unpleasant surprises after the sale. Of course, a good home inspection will also point out any positive aspects of a home, such as: a new roof,  or new siding, to name but a few. Some buyer programs consider home inspections to be so important that they allow for additional financing to help cover costs of an inspection.

• Seller may help with repairs
• Address issues before close
• Reduce your risks
• Buy with confidence

3. How do I select a good home inspector?
There are already a few players in your home buying or selling transaction - realtors, mortgage lender, family, and of course the buyer/seller. Now you are going to add another - a home inspector. You need to be able to interview your potential inspector and find the one that can best educate you on the major purchase about to transpire.

As the real estate market grows rapidly in the area, more inspectors are joining in the competition for your business. There are some very good inspection companies and also some with very little in the way of proper training, experience, and knowledge. Until recently, it wasn't easy to find a professional who could make a valid assessment of the dozens of systems and components that make up a house. A carpenter moonlighting as a home inspector might check all the structural elements but walk right past a deficient heat pump or electrical service.

Before you schedule a home inspection, interview a few inspectors using a comparison Checklist. Try asking your Realtor, plus, get a feel for their personality…are they a good communicator? Do you feel comfortable talking to them? Are they willing to explain the home inspection process to you? You can be assured that we will listen to your concerns and present a professional report to answer your specific questions.

4. What kind of inspection report can I expect to receive?
At Certified Check Home Inspection, our clients will receive their in-depth computer generated digital report (complete with color photos) within 24 hours after the inspection is completed. At no extra cost to you, we make the entire report and many other great resources available on our web site. Many Clients love this feature of our service! Even if you can’t be at the inspection, you can still receive your report the same day simply by checking your email then clicking on a password protected link, without even missing work!

• Reports available fast
• Generous Digital Color Photos / Easy to read format
• Narrative and checklist combination style reports
• FREE! Immediate delivery to seller and agents for tight deadlines, faster negotiations and repairs.

5. What does a home inspection cost?
The cost for a home inspection varies from company to company. It will also depend upon the type of inspection you request and the characteristics of the property. Generally, you should expect rates for a qualified company/inspector to range from about $300-$400 depending on the size of the home.

Not a bad price to pay considering you are about to make the single largest investment of your life. We feel that this would not be a prudent time to save a few dollars by going with a “discount champion”. The $20.00 you might have saved won’t sound so great if a $1000 defect were to be overlooked. It is a small investment for such a large “peace” of mind. Retaining the services of a qualified professional home inspector can also translate into big savings at the closing table. Find out the cost of your complete home inspection.

6. Should I attend the inspection?
Yes, but at Certified Check, we meet our clients for a walk-through AFTER the inspection is complete.  Why? Our inspections take an average of 4-5 hours, compared with the average 2-3 for many inspectors.  Most people (clients and their agents) do not want to wait that long for an inspector to finish inspecting, and we have found that it is best that clients do not follow us around the house as we try to do our job to the best of our ability.  It is too easy to become distracted by a well-meaning client and/or agent.  This can result in the inspector missing something that might be very important to you and your family.  We want to give you 100% concentration and focus as we inspect your prospective new home.  This is best done with nothing to distract us from our regular inspection routine.  You are assured of our complete devotion of time and effort to your inspection.  One way we do this is by only scheduling ONE inspection per day.  This way, you don't have to worry about us cutting your inspection short in an effort to run off and make it to another scheduled inspection.  You get our undivided attention the day of your inspection.  We will take whatever time is necessary to complete the inspection properly, and will also take as long as you want/need (normally takes 45 minutes to 1.5 hours) to do a walk-through to show you what we've found, and to answer any questions you might have.  When you schedule the date and time of your inspection, we will ask you to inform us when you can (if possible) attend a walk-through of the property.  The inspector will then "backoff" the number of hours he thinks the inspection process will take for your particular property (depends on size, age, condition, etc.).  It is at that time that he will start the inspection.  You should arrive at, or near, the end of the inspection for your walk-through.  After that is complete, the inspector will ask you for a signed copy of the pre-inspection agreement, accept payment, and then leave to prepeare your personalized inspection report.  This is normally available online (you will receive a notification email with a link, username, and password) approximately 24 hours after the end of the inspection.   

7. Can I do a home inspection myself or have my friend help me?
Even the most knowledgeable home Buyer or homeowner lacks the expertise of a professional home inspector who has inspected hundreds or even thousands of homes in their career. An inspector is equally familiar with all the elements of home construction and the proper installation, maintenance, and interrelationship of these elements. Plus, most buyers find it hard to stay completely objective and unemotional about the home they are considering, possibly leading to a poor assessment. Even trained craftsmen, know that professionally inspecting a home is no simple task. Many wouldn’t consider doing an inspection for themselves, or even having one of their own employees do it for them, why should you?

8. Can a house 'fail' an inspection?
No. A professional home inspection is simply an examination into the current condition of the prospective home. It is not an appraisal or a municipal code inspection. A home inspector will not pass or fail a house but rather, we describe its condition at that time and indicate which items will be in need of repair or replacement.

9. If the report is favorable, did I really need an inspection?
Definitely! Now you can have peace of mind in completing your home purchase, knowing the condition of the property and all its equipment and systems. You may have also learned a few things from the inspection and will want that for future reference.

10. How does your service compare to that of other home inspectors?
We welcome you to read more out about our services, then compare us to the competition. We're sure that you will find our inspectors are the best in the business; well-educated, professional, sincere, unbiased, fair, and thorough. Our inspections are a complete service, with no hidden charges. Our report format is easy to understand, easier to read (digital printout, no handwriting to decipher), and we include images with every report. We are not satisfied unless you’re satisfied, it’s that simple AND that’s our guarantee. We believe that you will have a better understanding of the inspected property or it’s free!  All of these factors separate us from our competition, and continue to make us the preferred choice for home inspections!

11. Why is your digital report format better?
A digital format and our modern reporting approach allows us the ability to deliver a personalized, professional, report that is easy to follow and understand.  In fact, while some inspectors receive calls from clients seeking clarification, we have NEVER received such a call!  There was no need for the client to try and figure out OUR report!  It amazes us that there are STILL some inspectors who ONLY use checklist and/or written repeorts with virtually NO photos!  No one wants to try and decifer someone's "chicken scratch", or try to figure out what specific information, with no pictures, an inspector was TRYING to get across.  Rest assured, a picture, when it comes to an inspection report, IS "worth a thousand words"!  MANY photos, as our reports include, are even better.  Our detailed, comprehensive, computer generated report is the industry leader. It’s easier to understand, and guides you through the home analyzing the physical structure, mechanical systems, and operating components of each major part of your prospective new home, identifying any problems discovered during our intense visual examination of over 400 items.
The best inspectors using the best reporting system - it can't get better than that!

12. After the home inspection, which items should I ask the seller to repair?
It is appropriate to ask the seller to fix any immediate safety issues, such as a gas leak. If you would like to ask for other defects to be corrected we suggest you seek the advice of your professional real estate agent since only your agent would know the total monies you will spend versus how much the property is worth.

In most cases the Seller will make concessions, either they will fix certain items or perhaps adjust the purchase price of the home. However, cosmetic items and some minor issues will typically not be taken care of by the Seller. These issues are often not expensive to correct especially if you can do them yourself. If you need a little help look at our Seller info on repairs and maintenance.   Even though you are a buyer, you might find some helpful ideas and tips! If you are not able to perform the repairs yourself, please visit our repair cost and life expectancy guide page to determine how much it will cost you to pay someone to correct them for you.