Introduction: The following numbered and attached pages are your home inspection report. This inspection was performed in accordance with the current Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics of FABI. The Standards contain certain and very important limitations, expectations and exclusions to the inspection. A copy is available prior to, during and after the inspection and it is part of the report.
Pre-Closing Walk Thru
Final walk-through inspections are typically performed shortly before closing and are to be accomplished by the prospective buyer to confirm acceptable and unaltered condition of the property and should include retesting all appliances and fixtures. Very often these inspections are performed after some time has passed after your home inspection.
If the home was furnished at the time of inspection numerous counter, under sink, closet, window, wall, floor, and/or ceiling surfaces may be obscured by personal effects, window coverings, rugs, carpets, collectibles, furniture and other items, limiting the inspection of some areas. We highly recommend once the seller has all possessions out of the home the client completes a full walk through for a final inspection before close of escrow
Particular attention should be payed to areas that were concealed during your inspection. Be sure to bring a flashlight to your walk-through to check under the sinks and other dimly lit areas to include viewing all ceiling/wall areas for staining.
It is recommended that all such work be documented by work orders, invoices, or receipts from the individuals or companies which performed the work as well as by copies of all signed off building permits and lien releases from contractors and their employees,other workers, and material suppliers.
You are advised to seek two professional opinions and acquire estimates of repair as to any defects, comments, improvements or recommendations mentioned in this report. Inside & Out Property Inspectors, Inc recommends that the professional making any repairs inspect the property further, in order to discover and repair related problems that were not identified in the report. We recommend that all repairs, corrections and cost estimates be completed and documented prior to closing or purchasing the property. Feel free to hire other professionals to inspect the property prior to closing, including Qualified HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical, Engineering and Roofing Contractors.
Your Inspector may bring: to your attention and discuss certain Recommended Upgrades of original and functioning installations and assemblies of Systems and Components that you may wish to consider implementing as part of upgrading your home. These Recommended Upgrades may exceed some of the building and construction standards that applied at the time of the original construction of the home. The differences between any such original building and construction standards and current standards do not constitute "deficiencies" in the subject property. Recommended Upgrades should be performed only by Qualified parties in accordance with all applicable industry standards and governmental requirements pertaining to permits, codes, ordinances, and regulations.
We recommend that client check with the Building and Planning Department to see if there are any "open" or previous permits on a property they are considering purchasing. An "open" permit could prevent another permit from being issued for the property and there could be some outstanding issues that need to be addressed. We will provide permits and a BuildFax Report when available in the report.
Any oral statements made by the Inspector pertaining to Recommended Upgrades or any inclusion in the Inspection Report of information regarding Recommended Upgrades shall be deemed to be informational only and supplied as a courtesy to you and shall not be deemed to be an amendment to or waiver of any exclusions included in the "Home Inspection Agreement and Standards of Practice."
Use of photos and video: Your report includes many photographs which help to clarify where the inspector went, what was looked at, and the condition of a system or component at the time of the inspection. Some of the pictures may be of deficiencies or problem areas, these are to help you better understand what is documented in this report and may allow you see areas or items that you normally would not see. A pictured issue does not necessarily mean that the issue was limited to that area only, but may be a representation of a condition that is in multiple places. Not all areas of deficiencies or conditions will be supported with photos.
Thermal Scans: Infrared/Thermal cameras or other specialty equipment may be used just like any other tool in our tool bag for portions of the inspection process as determined by the inspector in his sole discretion and is always a "limited scan" as part of a home inspection and not to be construed as a thermal scan of entire home and it's contents. Additional services are available at additional costs and would be supplemented by additional agreement/addendum.
What really matters in a home inspection: The process can be stressful. A home inspection is supposed to give you reassurance but often has the opposite effect. You will be asked to absorb a lot of information in a short time. This often includes a written report, checklist, photographs, environmental reports and what the inspector himself says during the inspection. All this combined with the seller's disclosure and what you notice yourself makes the experience even more overwhelming. What should you do? Relax. Most of your inspection will be maintenance recommendations, life expectancies and minor imperfections. These are nice to know about. However, the issues that really matter will fall into four categories: 1. Major defects. An example of this would be a significant structural failure. 2. Things that may lead to major defects. A small water leak coming from a piece of roof flashing, for example. 3. Things that may hinder your ability to finance, legally occupy or insure the home. Structural damaged caused by termite infestation, for example. 4. Safety hazards. Such as a lack of AFCI/GFCI outlet protection. Anything in these categories should be corrected. Often a serious problem can be corrected inexpensively to protect both life and property (especially in categories 2 and 4). Most sellers are honest and are often surprised to learn of defects uncovered during an inspection. Realize that sellers are under no obligation to repair everything mentioned in the report. No home is perfect.