FAQs

The simple answer to that question is that you do not need to get a home inspection. There is no requirement that you get a home inspection. I have personally purchased several houses to flip without having a home inspection performed.

That having been said, you WANT to have a home inspection performed before you purchase a property. A house purchase is likely the single most expensive purchase you will make during your life and repairs can very easily run in the tens of thousands of dollars. As a buyer you want to know exactly what it is that you are purchasing and that is why you want to have a thorough home inspection performed by a reputable and knowledgeable home inspector. You should select a home inspector or home inspection company based upon their expert knowledge and attention to details as well as their ability to communicate what is truly important to address. The cost of a home inspection should be the last consideration. You are not just checking off a box in a list of requirements, you are hiring someone to help protect you and your family’s financial well-being.

A home inspection is a non-invasive, visual examination of the accessible areas of a residential property which is designed to identify defects within specific systems and components found in a building. The systems are inspected against industry standards. The systems include but are not limited to the roof, exterior coverings, foundation, climate control, plumbing, electrical, fireplaces, insulation, structure, doors and windows, and landscape. The purpose of a home inspection is to identify major structural or mechanical defects in the structure. It is not designed to discover cosmetic, minor defects, nor future defects.

A home inspection of an average home generally takes about four hours to perform including the completion of the report. Larger homes and properties that require more details such as vacation rentals can take longer.

You do not have to be present during a home inspection. Honestly, I prefer to be the only person at the property. This allows me to focus my entire attention on the inspection without concern for others safety or attention. I like to meet my clients at the property once the inspection is complete to go over major discoveries and point out things that may obscure concerning the property.

You can schedule an appointment at any time. Just follow this link https://www.spectora.com/home-inspectors/brinson-services-llc/schedule.

Generally, the report is complete at the end of the inspection. There are some occasions when a vendor report is not immediately available.

I offer several services that are ancillary to home inspections. These include the reinspection of defects discovered following repairs, roof inspections, closing repairs for sellers, minor renovations and upgrades as well as education on how to perform repairs and home maintenance. I offer the inclusion of outside vendors to provide the thorough inspection of HVAC equipment, pools, and wood infestations (CL-100).

No, a home cannot “fail” a home inspection. The purpose of an inspection is to identify the current condition of a property so that the buyer can make an informed decision concerning the purchase of a property. The acceptable condition of a property is dependent upon the buyer’s ability and tolerance not the property.

The cost of a home inspection varies within the industry. I understand that everyone has budget constraints, however, the cost of an inspection should not be a primary concern. Spending one percent or less of the purchase price of a property is a reasonable cost of protecting you and your family from a costly mistake. When considering that you are paying a home inspector for their years of experience and expertise to help prevent you from unknowingly making a costly mistake spending $500 or more for a home inspection is a bargain.

Not necessarily. Often it is best to use the defects identified as a basis to get a repair credit during the purchase of the property. By waiting to complete the repairs until after closing you can take your time and make sure the repairs are performed to the highest standards and not just band aide repairs to get through closing. If you prefer repairs are performed by the seller prior to purchase, then I recommend you have your inspector look at the repairs to ensure they were preformed correctly. I include the reinspection of repairs for up to 6 months after the initial inspection.

No, you do not have to get a CL-100 to purchase a house. The truth is that a clear CL-100 is a requirement that many lenders place on the lending contract in order to protect their interest in the property. It is has become industry standard to negotiate that the seller pays for a CL-100 inspection.

Having a CL-100 inspection performed is a wise decision and it is in the best interest of the buyer to hire a reputable company to perform a CL-100. You are seeking to protect your investment and should not leave this to the seller.

A CL-100 is an inspection to look for any wood destroying conditions such as moisture damage, insect infestations, or fungal infestations. Wood destroying conditions can be extremely costly to repair and should not be overlooked. Repairing the structural framing in a floor system can easily and quickly cost $50,000 or more. Spending a few hundred or even thousand dollars on an expert’s opinion is money well spent.

There is nothing wrong with using the inspector that your Realtor recommends. The biggest question is do you trust your Realtor with protecting the largest purchase of your lifetime? It is wise to trust but verify. Use your Realtor’s recommendation to start your search and confirm that the inspector will meet your needs.