"How Can We
Help You?"
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To Inspect…Or Not To Inspect |
That Should NOT Be A Question!
By Peter Blodgett
HouseMaster
There's a
"fictional" movie about two people who bought a house and wish they hadn't
bought that one! And if Tom Hanks and Shelly Long had ordered a house inspection
for their new home, they never would have purchased the property and moved in.
A professional home
inspection is not a "walk-though" inspection tour of a house. It is not cursory. It is detailed and
intense. It is not a matter of turning on light switches or the kitchen tap or poking a
head into a closet or storage area, although it will include these things. It is a
thorough, methodical look at a house--inside, outside, underneath, and on top--and the
systems that make it up. It is an analysis to determine if it is structurally sound and if
all the major systems, such as electrical and plumbing, are in satisfactory working order.
It also addresses items to watch out for, what could go wrong that hasn't, and prompts
questions the buyer may want to pose to the seller to get a better understanding of the
property.
The professional inspection
takes about two hours for the average size house. Its findings are put down in writing
both during the inspection and through a follow up, condensed report. The typical
inspection includes the grading and site elements, kitchen and bathroom components, all
the rooms, all the crawl spaces, all the appliances, the substructure, electrical and
plumbing systems, the water heater, the roof, and cooling systems when present. The comprehensive view of the professional home inspection cannot 
be matched by a
simple walk-through inspection. It hides detail available to the trained eye. It is
difficult for the typical homebuyer to make an intelligent purchase decision armed only
with minimal visual information obtained by visiting the property.
This is why the homebuyer is welcomed during the inspection. At the completion of the report, the inspector will completely walk through the site with the buyer and discuss the findings, item by item. This is a good time for the inspector to discuss repair and maintenance issues with the prospective buyer and answer all questions within the scope of the inspector's training.
The professional home inspector appreciates that owning their own home is the realization of a dream for most families. I understand this is something most individuals plan for years in advance. That's why this extra ounce of prevention is a sensible addition to the otherwise perfect plan. With a major purchase as a home, you simply cannot be too safe. Moreover, the cost of a professional home inspection these days is right. Also, the majority of inspections in the industry, are guaranteed (all of mine are).
Unlike Tom Hanks, Shelly Long, and their Money Pit, you can be sure your home purchase does not turn into a "nightmare," because professional advice is there to protect you in advance---if you choose to use it. A professional home inspection report would have sent Tom and Shelly along another path looking for another home that, to put it mildly, was more in tune with their dream home!
Want To Know More? Contact Peter Peter Blodgett, professional home inspector, is the Oahu franchise holder for the national firm of HouseMaster, the "Home Inspection Professionals." Telephone (808) 247-8877. Mr. Blodgett guarantees his inspections. |
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James Patton Toll Free (800) 997-8701 Ilikai
Marina Bldg, #1389, |
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