Preparing for Your Home Inspection

A home inspection is typically the white knuckle part of the buying and selling process. In order to make this go as smooth as possible we recommend preparing for the inspection by considering the following:

ATTENDANCE

It is not necessary to attend your home inspection. However, if you want to attend, we recommend showing up towards the end of the inspection. This gives the inspector time to focus, then debrief at the end. Inspections can take from 1.5-3 hours for the average house.

ACCESS

Access to the property needs to be determined at least 24 hours before the inspection. Listing agents and occupants need to be notified in advance. All our inspectors have eKey digital lockbox access (GE supra).

UTILITIES

Be sure all utilities are on at least 24 hours before the inspection. In addition all gas pilot lights and water valves need to be in the on position. Inspection of any system that is not on at the time of the inspection will be greatly limited.

INSPECTION AGREEMENT

Before the inspection report can be released you will need to read and sign the Inspection Agreement. You can sign the agreement electronically (online), which is super easy. Before your appointment you will receive an email to sign electronically. If you need a hard copy let your inspector know in advance.

PAYMENT

Payment for the inspection should be made on or before the day of the inspection. If you pay online be sure to include any additional services to your cart, such as termite report or sprinkler system. Payment options include online: paying online before inspection or you can pay with check or cash at the time of the inspection.

CANCELLING YOUR INSPECTION

If you need to cancel the home inspection for any reason please give us 48 hour notice so we can offer the appointment slot to another person. A lost appointment that can't be filled by someone else is a loss in wages for our inspectors.

ROOF ACCESS

We are able to easily access most roofs with our 17 foot extension ladders. However, on occasion we come across a 2-story home without a first level roof access, which we can’t safely inspect. In these rare cases we recommend arranging for a roofing contractor to inspect the roof. They are outfitted with taller extension ladders.

POOLS AND SPAS

We don’t perform pool or spa inspections. If the property has a pool or spa we recommend hiring a pool specialist to inspect these systems. The companies we recommend for this are on the “recommended contractors” pages of this website.