Q. Who needs a home inspection?
A. Buyers and sellers. If you’re buying a home, pre-owned or new, a Maine Home Inspection tells you the condition of the property. That way, there are no surprises after you close on the home.
If you purchased a new home and it still has a warranty from the builder, it’s a good idea to have a Maine Home Inspection before it expires. It’s a rare case that even a new home doesn’t have some problems that were overlooked by the builder. Those repairs or corrections easily exceed the cost of an inspection. If you catch them prior to warranty expiration, your warranty should cover them.
Sellers benefit by knowing the condition of their home before they place it on the market. Then, any needed repairs can be made prior to listing. A seller’s inspection can also be used as a comparison to what the buyer’s property inspector finds.
Q. How long does an inspection take?
A. Anywhere from two to four hours (avg. 2.5) depending on the condition of the property, the number of services you’ve requested and the size of the home. It takes time to perform a thorough home inspection and inspection of the entire property and I pay attention to the details.
Q. What type of report do I receive?
A. You’ll receive your report via e-mail as a link and password where you can download and read on screen or print. The file can be saved to your hard drive on your PC for future reference or easily printed. We provide digital photos of any areas that need extra clarification and we include them in the report. Every item we inspect on the property is addressed in the report.
Q. Should my Realtor receive a copy of your report?
A. Yes. Your realtor can assist you in determining if any items in the report are significant enough to warrant re-negotiation with the seller. Having your realtor review the report also insures that you both are “on the same page” at the closing. Note: I will not provide a copy of your report to anyone without your direction to do so.
Q. Should I be present for the home inspection?
A. Yes, I encourage you to plan to attend the entire inspection. There are always items in the inspection that can best be explained on-site. I will include them in the report of course, but your presence at the property always makes it easier for you to understand important information about the property.
Q. Are you available to answer questions about the property or report after I close and move into the home?
A. Yes, I will be happy to assist you any way we can in clarifying the information we present in the report. Even after you’ve moved in and settled down to enjoy your new home. I’m always available to you, for as long as you own the home, to offer unbiased advice and recommendations.
Q. Does a newly-constructed home need an inspection?
A. Absolutely. A professional inspection of a new home is important. I can spot potential problems early, while they are still easy to correct. It’s especially valuable to arrange an inspection before the interior walls are finished. I may find problem areas where the builder has taken shortcuts or not done quality work. There are contractors popping up all the time thinking they know what they are doing, but we often find something different.
Q. Why can’t I do the inspection myself?
A. Chances are that even if you are very familiar with home construction, you still don’t have the knowledge, training and experience of a professional Home Inspector. I’m not only familiar with all the systems of a home-and how they work and need to be maintained-but I also know what to look for to determine if they’re about to fail. Also consider this-when you are involved in buying or selling a house, it’s impossible for you to remain completely unemotional about the house, and this may cloud your judgment. I will provide an objective, unbiased view of the property. A third party report has more leverage at the bargaining table.
Q. Will you fix the problems you find during the inspection?
A. No. The code of ethics of The National Association of Certified Home Inspectors (NACHI) prohibits its members from soliciting repair work on properties they inspect. This assures that there will never be any conflict of interest on the part of the inspector. Our purpose is to provide an unbiased, objective report on the condition of the home. We may provide some names of reputable contractors who can assist you in repairs. We always recommend obtaining 2 or more estimates prior to doing any work.