A: The biggest difference is the thoroughness of my inspections. My average inspection will take a minimum of 4 to 6 hours to complete on site. I then spend an additional 2 to 3 hours putting your Inspection Report together.

I book one inspection per day.

There are inspectors here in the Valley that are doing 2 and even 3 inspections per day. As a potential home buyer I would not be comfortable trusting my new home to an inspector that will complete an inspection in an hour or two. In my opinion they are more concerned about being on time to their next inspection than they are about doing a proper, thorough inspection of your home.

Your inspection has my complete focus and attention.

I am not worried about getting to the next inspection on time and worse, confusing or forgetting about the problems found on the multiple houses when that inspector finally gets around to doing the reports that evening. When you hire me for your Home Inspection you can be sure that you will receive the thorough and complete inspection that you deserve! In addition, I provide a very detailed Home Inspection Report complete with over 100 color photos showing you details of what I found during the inspection. Be wary of inspectors who offer to provide a “verbal” summary or a report that is only a couple of pages long in exchange for a “discounted” inspection.

A: No, I am not part of any franchise. I have nothing against franchises and do believe there are many outstanding franchises in business today. But the idea of a Home Inspection franchise business seems a bit too generic to me. Different areas of the country present a wide variety of home styles and regionally specific challenges. I specialize in Homes Inspections here in the desert area of Mesa, Arizona and the surrounding communities. I am experienced and familiar with the damage/problems that the desert heat, dust storms, monsoons and dry conditions can create for the homes here in the Valley of the Sun. When you hire me for your Home Inspection you can be sure that I will be the one doing the inspection. It won’t be someone from a franchise who just moved here from Michigan who is not familiar with our desert challenges. And should you have any questions about your inspection you have my cell phone number (480-390-9970) and email address to get in touch with me (the actual person who did your home inspection, not an answering service) any time.

A: I welcome you to join me for the entire inspection if you are able to attend. Or if you would prefer I will let you know the time I will be completing your inspection and you can join me at that time. I will walk you through the inside and outside of the home pointing out and giving you a detailed explanation of everything I found during the inspection – both good and bad. I will answer any questions you have about the home or inspection at that time as well. I follow up by emailing your Inspection Report which will detail the inspection findings that we discuss in person at the house.

And don’t worry if you are unable to attend the inspection. I do many inspections for clients who are out of town or even in other countries. I email the Inspection Report upon completion and I follow up with a phone call to review the results of the inspection and answer any questions.

A: I’d rather show you one of my reports! Click HERE to see what one of my typical Inspection Reports looks like. My reports are very detailed and written in plain easy to understand language. I also include plenty of digital color photos which show you exactly what a particular issue might be. I also show you photos of important safety features such as electric and water shut off locations. My reports average 60 to 90 pages long depending on the size of the home.

A: The majority of the issues that I find are what I consider to be routine maintenance issues. Or as I like to say, “Preferred Maintenance Issues” The previous owner “preferred” not to do any maintenance! The desert heat and sun can cause problems on our roofs and it is a good idea to have a qualified roof contractor check your roof every year or two. Cracked, loose and displaced roof tiles are a common find. The sun and strong winds combine to dry out the cement/adhesives that hold some of the tiles in place. As a result these loose tiles become a safety concern as the strong winds we experience during our monsoon season could send a loose tile flying off the roof potentially injuring someone on the ground. Another common find is the sealant drying out around the plumbing vents on the roof. The sun deteriorates the sealant over time which creates gaps that can allow rain to enter to attic. Again an annual roof checkup alleviates these types of problems.

 

Other common issues include the normal small nail holes and dents and dings in the walls of a home, minor cracks in the stucco, loose outlets, and dirty furnace filters. On homes that have been vacant for several months it is not uncommon for the faucets or toilet tanks to leak. (The O-rings and seals can dry out in our desert heat.) Most of the problems I find are easily repaired.

Structural and mechanical issues are less common than the above items but I still find them on a regular basis. And unfortunately many of the homes I inspect have been damaged by the previous occupant.

And I also find evidence of termites on about half of the homes that I inspect. Termites are very common here in the desert. The good news is that they are “slow moving” and easy to treat and get rid of.

A: The average home inspection will cost $275.00 to $475.00. The reason for the difference is based on the size of the home, additional features such as swimming pools and spas, age, termite inspections, etc. Please keep in mind that when I inspect your home it is basically an all day event. I do my best to provide you with a very thorough examination of your potential new home. The cost of the inspection can be a fraction compared to the cost to repair the potential problems I may find.

A: Home Inspectors in the Sate of Arizona are required to adhere to the Standards of Practice as regulated by the Arizona Board of Technical Registration. (BTR) Please click HERE to learn more about what is inspected. As a member of the National Association of Certified Home Inspectors (NACHI) I also adhere to the more comprehensive International Standards of Practice for Inspecting Residential Properties. You can read these Standards HERE.

A: Yes! As a member of NACHI I am required to complete a minimum of 25 hours of Continuing Education annually.