Who Should Attend the Home Insepection?

 

WHO SHOULD ATTEND THE HOME INSPECTION?

 

Getting your offer accepted is certainly an exciting time in the home buying process. The thought of buying a new house and moving into your new home is a major life event!  Now it is time for your home inspection as an important part of the transaction process.

 

Inspections typically take 2-3 hours but might take longer depending on the size of the house, the overall condition and how many questions you might have for the inspector.  

 

 

The buyer(s) should plan on attending the inspection, it is a great opportunity to look deeper into the condition of the property, ask questions about the major components and systems such as an estimated age of the roof, furnace and appliances.  If the buyer can't attend the entire inspection, showing up is still recommended, especially towards the end of the process for good summary from the inspector.  If for example, a wife and husband are buying the house together, both are encouraged to attend the inspection. 

 

 

The real estate agent representing the buyer typically will attend the inspection. In some cases, the buyer's agent is required to be there. The buyer's agent is typically responsible for getting the keys to the house, or having permission to use the lock-box. The buyer's agent can help answer the buyer's questions pertaining to repair responsibilities or questions about any needed negotiations that might arise if a significant defect or repair issue is discovered.

 

 

KEY POINT TO REMEMBER: YOU DON'T OWN THE HOUSE YET!  

 

If you want to show off the house to your parents, friends, family ~ you must remember that the house is not yours yet.  The seller might not be expecting a small crowd of people to be going through the house during the inspection.  You should get permission from the seller if you want to bring Mom & Dad, your best friend, or "my Dad's buddy who knows a lot about houses". 

 

Having conducted over 10,000 home inspections, I could tell horror stories about buyers who bring people to inspections and watching those "guests" go through drawers & cabinets / turn on appliances like the TV, try to lift up carpets or move owner's stuff!  The seller would not be expecting this to happen during the inspection.  

 

Also, the inspector might be distracted if too many people are running around asking all kinds of questions during the inspection process. 

 

In rare cases, the "guests" don't like the house or offer advice to the buyer that might not be accurate or appropriate. 

Buyers need to use the 2-3 hour time period to learn about the house as an important part of the transaction process.  If the buyer brings other people to the inspection, their focus can be diverted away from important issues. 

* What is a good solution? 

If the buyer's friends and family really want to see the house before the title transfers, perhaps the buyer's real estate agent can advise the buyers to have the guests stop by the inspection for just a brief time.  The guests can look at the house at the beginning or end of the inspection process, but not be there for the entire time.  

 

* The buyer should ask the seller for permission if other people like friends or family want to attend the inspection.  This also applies for contractors like carpet companies / painters / remodeling....  The seller might not want too many people walking through the house. 

 

* The guests of the buyers should not be getting involved in the inspection process!  Some people watch too much HGTV and think they are doing the inspection.  I have had buyer's guests use my ladder to go up on the roof !  (totally inappropriate and not safe) 

 

* The seller of the property typically should NOT be there during the inspection.  The buyer should have the freedom to look around and talk to the home inspector without having to worry about the seller evesdropping or inserting themselves into the inspection. 

Conclusion: the goal of the inspection process to allow the buyer to get a detailed condition report to help the buyer make an informed decision. 

CALL 440 937-DUKE if you have any questions about the inspection process. 

 

 

DUKE INSPECTION SERVICES, INC.

Serving Northeast Ohio Since 1999 

 

 

*Home Inspections

*Radon Testing 

*Certified Thermographer / Infrared 

*Sewer Scopes and Wood Destroying Insect Reports Available by request

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Duke Inspection Services 440 937-3853

  

Started in 1999, Duke Inspection Services, Inc. is owned and operated by David Sipple. 

David Sipple is a licensed home inspector and licensed radon tester in Ohio.  

 

www.dukeinspection.com 

 

Duke Inspection Services conducts inspections, typically for buyers, in the Northeast Ohio area.  In Cleveland and in suburbs like Westlake, Bay Village, Avon, Strongsville, Parma, Beachwood, Elyria, and Avon Lake Ohio just to mention a few.

 

Duke Inspection Services strives to exceed customer expectations by providing detailed inspection reports and by communicating to clients in an informative and professional way. 

 

Duke Inspection Services is A+ rated by the BBB and have a nearly perfect rating on Google!  

 

The best way to contact Duke Inspection Services is 440 937-DUKE

 

 

Qualified Home Inspector?

There sure seems to be a lot of new home inspectors out there!  When looking for a home inspector, be sure to ask "How long have you been a full time home inspector"?  "How many home inspections have you conducted"   "Are you ASHI certified?"    The answers might surprise you! 

In Ohio, home inspectors must be licensed. 

 

 

 

 

 

Buyer beware when hiring an inspector! 

Hire an experienced, professional with good communication skills. 

www.dukeinspection.com 

Contact Duke Inspection Services at  440 937-3853

Serving the Northeast Ohio Area  

 

Rust never sleeps

Newer furnaces create condensation in the winter and the A/C creates condensation in the summer.   If the condensation is not draining properly, it will back up and cause damage by rusting out the components of the furnace.   This is why it is so important to have your furnace and A/C checked annually by a HVAC technician, even when the equipment is "new".

Owners should disclose known defects

Sellers are required to disclose known defects ... typically by using the disclosure form the State of Ohio has put together for residential real estate transactions.

But this one I saw today is pretty good too !
In my experience, sellers are o.k. with most issues, as long as those issues are disclosed.  It is the surprise issue, the issue that is found but not-disclosed that can really upset the buyer.

Air Conditioning in the Spring

You may be tempted to turn on the Air Conditioner when we have the first hot day in Spring.  But remember this rule of thumb.  If the outside temperatures are still in the 40's or 50's overnight, you shouldn't turn on your Air Conditioner without risk of damaging the compressor.

So, when it is hot during the day, open the windows and turn on a ceiling fan... but be patient and wait a few more weeks before you crank the A/C.

newer ASHI logo

The newer ASHI logo highlights the "gold standard" of home inspector certification.   ASHI is the only certified home inspector program that has been accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies - NCCA.

The NCCA evaluates associations for viability and integrity along with certification programs for fairness, reliability and means for re-certification.  NO other home inspection association has met this level of scrutiny or has the ability to issue this level of certification.

Duke Inspection Services sponsors Avon/Avon Lake Relay for Life

Duke Inspection Services is proud to be a sponsor of the Avon/Avon Lake relay for Life to benefit
the American Cancer Society.

June 4th at the Avon Lake High School. 

Radon testing even if you have a mitigation system?

Customers often ask- "Do I need a radon test if the house already has a mitigation system installed?"

The answer is - the house should be tested every 2 years, to make sure the mitigation system is working properly.  This is per EPA and State of Ohio Dept. of Health guidelines.





 

Guess the age

** Stone falling off the siding / cracked siding
** In adequate attic insulation
** Gas leak at the furnace gas supply vavle
** Poorly vented sewer pipes
** Gutters not sloped properly towards downspout
** Missing metal trim at the eaves
** Bent soffit trim allowing a small hole in the roof

How old was the house??  

Less than one year old.   Encourage your friends who have new houses to have them inspected before the one year builders warranty runs out.   This is sometimes referred to as a "punch-list" inspection.

Always look for this logo

Did you know, the state of Ohio does not have a licensing program for Home Inspectors?

At a minimum, always make sure you are working with an inspector certified by the American Society of Home Inspectors.   Look for this logo..    don't accept anything less.

And of course, don't by shy about asking "How long have you been doing home inspections?"  "How many home inspections have you personally conducted?"  "Are you a member of the Better Business Bureau?"
"Do you carry professional insurance?"

Home Inspectors and E&O

When choosing your home inspector, make sure he is covered for any negligence.  This is called Errors and Omissions insurance.  Reputable home inspectors will carry insurance, specific to the home inspection profession that will protect customers if the inspector misses something through negligence or a failure to perform his duties in a manner consistent with industry standards.  This is NOT like a home warranty.  For example, if the oven breaks 2 weeks after the client moves in the house, the E&O insurance is not going to pay for a new oven.  If the item or component was not visible or accessible to the inspector the insurance will not cover it.  If the item in question is outside the scope of the general home inspection, the insurance is not applicable.

Realtors, mortgage lenders' and other professionals who refer inspectors to their clients should make sure the inspector has E&O insurance.. not all inspectors carry this insurance because it can be expensive and it is not required by law in the State of Ohio.

Call David Sipple at Duke Inspection Services if you have any questions.  (440) 937-DUKE

Radon Testing for new homes

Recently, a customer asked if he should test his house for Radon, even though the house is new ( less than 1 year old).   Lets review the recommendations!   The EPA and the Surgeon General of the United States recommend that ALL homebuyers test for Radon.   That means new homes / old homes / homes with basement / homes without a basement / split level homes / homes on a slab / homes in "nice" neighborhoods / homes in "not so nice" neighborhoods.....    ALL homebuyers should test for Radon.     Check out www.epa.gov/radon for more information.    Call Duke Inspection Services at 440 937-DUKE

Critters in the attic

Recently, I was called to a house to inspect the roof for hail damage.  The owner was unaware of a hole in the wood trim, just behind one of his gutters...

He told me he recently had chipmunks removed from his attic - well, his exterminator removed them.

So, this year, when you are cleaning your gutters, or having your gutters cleaned by a service company - keep your eyes open for holes and rotted wood: entry points into your home for critters and rodents.

Call Duke Inspection Services for more information

Keep your roof in shape for Fall

August 2010? Why is time flying by so quickly?

Fall is around the corner, and one thing that is often neglected in the homes I inspect is the roof area and gutters.

Gutters and downspouts need to be kept free and clear of tree debris, that's obvious.. but the roof area needs routine maintenance too.

Keep all flashing sealed, look for missing or damaged shingles, and make sure chimney areas are in shape for the bad weather of fall and winter that is coming soon.

A professional home inspector can inspect your roof if you don't want to get on a ladder or walk the roof area.

For more information - call Duke at 440 937-DUKE.

Free Agent

I am staying in Cleveland!

Perhaps LeBron will need a home inspection in Miami, but I am staying here

Inspect a new house?

YES!

I recently inspected a house that was built in 2008, but was never lived in. The client was a little
apprehensive about paying for an inspection, since the builder was claiming the house was in "brand new" condition.

I found loose and cracked siding boards, unfinished plumbing stacks in the attic, and a large foundation crack that needed to be sealed immediately.

Afterwards, the client was quite happy to have had an independent inspection ... The builder made all the repairs before she moved in.

Call 440 937-DUKE if you have any questions about buying a "brand new" house...

440 937-DUKE

WHY DO I HAVE SO MUCH ICE IN MY GUTTER?

Very common question this time of year - one of the reasons is that you forgot to clean out the gutters and downspouts in the fall.

When doing home inspections, more often than not I find gutters need to be cleaned out. Junk from trees is the main culprit. The water flows off the roof into the gutter, then gets trapped. This allows freezing and problems with ice dams.

Attic ventilation and insulation issues are also to blame.

TIP - Do not get up on a ladder and try to chop ice off the roof and gutters. The danger of doing this far outweighs any benefit of ice removal. Also- it is easy to damage the shingles and roof deck if you are using an ax or shovel to chop ice.

Call me if you have concerns about this - I can inspect your home and offer suggestions and remedies.

David Sipple
Duke Inspection Services
440 937-DUKE