What to Expect from a Professional Quality Home Inspection – February 2021
What to Expect from a Home Inspection 
The first and maybe most important thing to expect from a home inspection is a qualified home inspector. At Hawley Home Inspections, we take pride in providing a fair and accurate analysis of the home you intend to purchase. Our inspectors’ knowledge and training stand out in a crowded field. Each of our inspectors completes fifty supervised inspections before being allowed to inspect on their own. Each inspector is also required to complete 50 hours of continuing education each year.
Our inspectors are all Certified Professional Inspectors, and four of our inspectors are Certified Master Inspectors. We also have a field trainer affiliated with a national home inspection school.
We will inspect your home according to our standards of practice. These are set forth by the State of Illinois, the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), and the International Association of Home Inspectors (InterNACHI). Also, we have our own stricter standards for our inspectors.
We request that the number of persons attending the inspection is limited to buyers and buyers’ significant others due to the Covid-19 pandemic,
What is Included in a Typical Home Inspection?
Your inspector will typically start on the outside of the home, weather permitting. The inspector will inspect the exterior:
- Siding
- Decks
- Porches
- Sidewalks
- Driveway
- retaining walls
- Drainage.
When safe, the inspector will check the roof from the roof. When conditions such as steep pitches, slippery conditions, or poor roof conditions exist, the inspector may use a remote camera system.
The inspector will inspect the heating and cooling system. We will not operate the air conditioner during periods of cold weather.to avoid damaging the compressor unit
The general condition of the plumbing will be reported, including types of water supply and drain lines. The inspector will note the presence and operation of sump pumps and sewage ejector pumps. And check water heaters for proper operation and safe temperature settings of less than 150 degrees Fahrenheit. Your inspector will check for visible leaks and deteriorated piping.
We will inspect the electrical panel(s) and report on their condition.
Your inspector will inspect the permanent kitchen:
- appliances for minimum performance
- operate ranges, ovens, and microwaves
- operation of faucets and sinks for leaks and stoppages
- electrical receptacles for proper GFCI protection, polarity, and function
Each room in the home will be checked for the proper operation of:
- Doors
- Windows
- Lights and ceiling fans
- Receptacles
- Heating and cooling source
Note ancillary wiring such as doorbell, cable, or satellite TV wiring are not part of a standard home inspection.
What will fail a home inspection
A home inspection is not a pass-fail inspection. There aren’t any criteria for a pass or fail designation in a home inspection. A responsible home inspector will look at the home and its components without reference to the cost of repairs or the buyer’s ability to pay for or perform repairs. Inspecting for code violations is totally outside our established Standards of Practice. Our inspection report may be used as a reference for qualified contractors to provide pricing, but we will not.
Many items noted in a standard inspection report will be general or reoccurring maintenance issues. Other issues may be items that would improve the performance or extend individual components’ useful life. Some items will be noted as prone to failure as they have approached their average expected life span.
A qualified professional should address all safety issues. Examples would be missing or inoperable GFCI protection, loose stair railing, or doors that open over basement steps.
Is this a Code Inspection?
No, we are not code enforcement officials; that is up to the local authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) over code enforcement for your community. We perform inspections in Illinois and Missouri, sixteen counties, and 350 plus cities and towns. We cannot know what code cycle anyone AHJ is enforcing. National Codes are typically updated every three years, and most AHJ’s wait one or two cycles before enacting a new code. We work on the latest applicable National Codes. Our standard is “if it hurts you in a home built in 2021, it will hurt you in a home built in 1821”.
How do I Prepare for a Home Inspection?
If you are the buyer, we welcome you to come to the inspection and meet the inspector. If you are the seller, we appreciate you allowing us and the buyer access to your home. Here are some ways you can make our inspection go smoothly:
- Please remove or cage your pets
- Make sure all areas are unlocked and accessible
- We will need access to the attic; please make sure we have a clear path
- Please park your car(s) outside of the garage.
- Please make sure we have clear access to the furnace and water heater
- Please make sure we have clear access to the breaker panel
- Please leave us a note on the kitchen counter if there are any special conditions we need to be aware of
Our average inspection time is four hours. If you want us to give you a call when we have finished, please leave a note and phone number on the kitchen counter, and we will call if we finish up early.
for more information visit www.HawleyHomeInspectionsLLC.com http://www.hawleyhomeinspectionsllc.com
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