What to Expect During Your Inspection.

Most standard residential inspections take between two and four hours. The exact time depends on the size of the home, its age, and the number of systems being evaluated. Larger properties, crawl spaces, and homes with multiple HVAC units or complex systems will take longer. We never rush an inspection to meet a time window, so plan for at least a half day.

Yes, and we strongly encourage it. Being present lets you see conditions firsthand, ask questions as they come up, and leave the inspection truly understanding the property. A written report is valuable, but hearing an explanation in person while standing in front of the issue is even more so. If you cannot attend, we will walk you through the report over the phone after delivery.

A general home inspection covers all visible and accessible systems and components. We do not inspect items that are concealed behind walls or inaccessible surfaces, underground systems such as septic tanks or buried oil tanks, swimming pools or hot tubs unless specifically added to the scope, or cosmetic issues that do not affect function or safety. Specialty inspections such as mold, radon, or termite evaluations are add-on services and are not included by default in a standard inspection.

Your report is organized by system and includes photos, written descriptions, and severity ratings for each item noted. We flag items as Safety Concerns, Major Deficiencies, or Maintenance Recommendations so you can easily prioritize what needs immediate attention versus what can be monitored over time. If anything in the report is unclear, call us. We are always available to walk through the findings with you and answer questions after delivery.

Finding issues is exactly what an inspection is for. A thorough report with identified deficiencies is far more valuable than a clean one that missed something important. Once you have the report, you can use the findings to negotiate repairs or a price reduction with the seller, request specific corrections before closing, budget for future maintenance if you're keeping the property as-is, or walk away from a deal that doesn't pencil out. We give you the information. You decide what to do with it.

Our inspectors do not perform repairs on properties they have inspected. This is both an ethical standard and a boundary that protects you. An inspector who also offers repair services has a financial incentive to find problems, which undermines the objectivity you're paying for. We keep those roles completely separate. For contractor referrals, we are happy to point you in the right direction based on the type of work needed, but the final choice of contractor is always yours.