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Download our home inspection contract 
North Carolina began licensing home inspectors in 1996. The State of NC also required that a home inspection contract be presented to the Client for their signature (or the client's representative, i.e. Real Estate Agent) before the home inspection process. Download a copy of our contract here.
To get the most out of your home inspection service, please read the following articles about inspecting an occupied home and the scope of a home inspection.
SCOPE OF A HOME INSPECTION
The scope of a home inspection is summed up in the definition of a home inspection.
Home inspection definition:
“To describe the components found at the time of the inspection and to report on the functionality of the components inspected. Furthermore: to give the client a better understanding of the general condition of the house and the components within the house at the time of the inspection.”
This home inspection is not a “catch all” guarantee of the property. This inspection is an evaluation of the general condition of the house at the time of the inspection only.
Our goal is to give you, our client, the best possible service for the fees charged and to give you a better understanding of the house you plan to purchase. Knowing that you have the facts on the general condition of the house can be settling for any home-buyer. Although we list items that need attention on the report, the findings do not mean there will not be faults to occur in a system after the inspection or after you move into the house. Many things can happen between the time you obtain a home inspection and the time you move in. It is very important to pay close attention to the ages of the systems inspected and their design lives. For example: a nine year old dishwasher may work at the time of the inspection; however, it may not work long after you move in. We encourage your participation in a home inspection so you can observe what is inspected and see for yourself the operation of the components found in the house.
No home inspection can uncover everything that may need attention in a house, nor can a home inspection uncover items or conditions hidden beyond the sight of the inspector. The home inspection is a visual cursory inspection and not a technically exhaustive inspection. Meaning: a home inspection includes inspecting only those items that are visually seen and accessible by the home inspector. The home inspection is cursory - meaning: the home inspector is going to report the condition of a component (whether the component is an air conditioner or foundation) at the time of the inspection only. The home inspector will access service panels; however, they will not disassemble a component to perform any exhaustive testing. If a house is occupied at the time of the inspection, we highly recommend a re-inspection once the house is vacant.
Tips to get the most out of your home inspection:
- Read your contract!
- Attend the home inspection.
- Read all the report including the references.
- Contact the home inspector if you need clarification on anything.
- Order a re-inspection if the house was occupied during the initial inspection.
INSPECTING THE OCCUPIED PROPERTY
Occupied properties create a challenge for any home inspector. Items within a property may restrict the view of the inspector, but they cannot be moved by the home inspector. Even draperies moved by a home inspector can be an aggrevation to an occupant, therefore, we do not move items because we are considered a guest of the seller - not a hired contractor.
Another problem that arises from an occupied property is that many items and systems can be damaged or altered between the date/time the home inspection was performed and the time the buyer moves in. Below are a few examples:
Kitchen faucet broken - At time of inspection - Kitchen faucet ok - at move in date - Kitchen faucet broken -
Reason? A box had been dropped onto the faucet and broke it - Damaged door/s windows - Windows can get cracked or doors can be damaged during moving. Sometime doors that were taken off for the move out were reinstalled properly. A water heater element goes out - the oven door breaks...and the list can go on...Alterations are another problem that can arise after the initial home inspection. Example: A floor joist was repaired, but the repair man crushed the ducts or broke a drain pipe in the crawl space. A GFCI protection device was added to a receptacle, but reversed the polarity of the receptacle.
How to prevent these mishaps from being a surprise:
- Use the final walk-through work sheet
- Order a re-inspection. A re-inspection is a full inspection that accompanies the original report. The fees charged for a full re-inspection may be well worth the investment.
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