Home Inspection Types
ONE INSPECTION DOES NOT FIT ALL!
I do not believe that one type of inspection meets the needs of every person seeking a property inspection. For example, a seller typically has an entirely different set of needs than a buyer, and an investor who’s planning on gutting and renovating a home and then selling it has an entirely different set of goals than someone buying a home to live in. Therefore, I offer different inspections to meet those differing needs, all at different prices, and all providing different information. Some are very specialized and are not recommended for the general buying or selling public. If you’re interested in the most common and popular inspections, check out the BASIC, LIST, and STANDARD inspections.
BASIC POOL STANDARD
DRIVE PREMIUM TECH
LIST RENTER TENNIS
MAINTENANCE SPA WALK
M-I-C SPOT
Virtually anyone can find the right inspection that meets their needs and goals at a price they can afford. Simply pick the inspection that’s right for you and contact me for more information or to schedule an appointment. If you want to check prices now, simply click here.
If you already have had an inspection, check your property report to determine which type of inspection I did for you, either at your request or that of your Realtor. My most popular inspections are discussed below, as well as their starting prices; note that they are “starting prices” and are dependent upon several factors, most commonly the type of property (condo, house, etc.), size of property in square feet, and zip code. I work throughout San Diego County and Southern California, but it is more time-consuming (i.e., expensive) to travel to some areas, especially during tourist season.
EXPERIENCE
Why can I offer so many different inspections for my Clients? Well, as a former Realtor and property renovator, I probably have a little more experience in all aspects of real estate than the great majority of property inspectors. Additionally, I own About Homes, an Internet library containing “everything about homes… under one roof.”
I am a member of the InterNational Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI), a national trade association with about 10,000 members. Since I don’t know it all, if I have any questions, I can go to the InterNACHI message board, post a question, and have dozens of answers within hours. In comparison, the second largest national trade association, ASHI, only has about 3,600 members, and the state trade association for California, CREIA, only has about 1,200 members. I also do a lot of teaching at InterNACHI, and I participate in property inspector conventions, seminars, and dinner meetings whenever possible, regardless of which organization happens to be hosting the event.
I have been a member of the Better Business Bureau for 41 of my 42 years in business in seven states (California, Florida, Louisiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Ohio).
CHOICES, CHOICES, CHOICES
Although I offer many different choices for my Clients, it is important that you choose wisely. I could easily offer only one inspection type like 95% of property inspectors throughout the nation do (the other 5% have taken my lead in offering choices for their Clients) and make a lot of money doing it. However, I’m here to help you meet your needs and goals in buying property, for whatever reason you are buying it. As my wise old grandmother said, “If you help people, the money will follow.” She was right. So if you have any questions about which inspection type is the right one for you, contact me.
Note some of my inspection types are specifically for property investors, renovators, flippers, landlords, etc., so if you fall into one of those categories, contact me to discuss how I can help you by using my vast experience in property renovations and as a former Realtor.
PRICES
I change prices monthly in response to third-party conditions over which I have no control (such as gas prices, insurance premiums, etc.). I cover all of San Diego County and will go anywhere to work for my Clients, having done property inspections throughout Southern California: San Diego County (including Julian during tourist season) as well as Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties. Consequently, prices will be higher in outlying areas to account for drive time and gas. Contact me for a firm price that is good for 30 days.
Although I have been asked to work in other states (Arizona, Texas, and Utah), I do not work outside of California since I am not familiar with the requirements for property inspectors in other states.
Click here for a complete price list or continue reading for more detailed information about my different inspection types.
BASIC (prices start at $59)
This is my most popular inspection and most closely resembles the inspections done by my major competition. It includes only major defects. It does not include (1) my free appliance package, (2) recall and safety concern research on appliances and equipment, or (3) cosmetic damage and “minor” defects (note that cosmetic damage and “minor” defects are determined solely by me and may differ from your opinion or from the opinions of third parties).
I do receive complaints resulting from this type of inspection, usually pertaining to doorknob holes in walls; loose hardware on doors, cabinets, and drawers; and small holes or minor damage to screen doors and windows. In the overall scheme of things, those common problems are not difficult or expensive to resolve. However, if you want me to document as many of those as possible, you want at least my STANDARD inspection. Keep in mind that one damaged screen window might be okay, but what if there are 15 damaged screen windows? Now that minor cost for repairing one screen is multiplied by a factor of however many screen windows are involved.
The BASIC inspection is best for Clients needing just the basic, major defects, either because they are an investor and will be gutting and renovating the house, or because they are a general handyman or other person familiar with the ins and outs of real estate. Price-shoppers also usually order this type of inspection. This inspection is not recommended for first-time home buyers, Realtors completing their first property inspection experience, or anyone purchasing a newly constructed or recently renovated home.
In having a BASIC inspection, it is very important that you read through SOLUTIONS and your email report to get a full and complete understanding of the condition of the house at the time of the inspection, as well as what I did and did not do, or could and could not do, at the time of the inspection. If you have any questions about anything, contact me BEFORE your property inspection time contingency period expires, but certainly BEFORE CLOSE OF ESCROW. back to top
DRIVE ($99 per hour)
My DRIVE inspection is available only to property investors. I developed it based on what I used to do as a Realtor in Texas, as well as my experience in doing property renovations. Bring a list of properties in a specific neighborhood or city where you are interested in doing a renovation, and we’ll drive the neighborhood or city looking at them. I’ll give you my professional opinion on the degree of difficulty involved in renovating as an investor, as well as any special visions of mine that could add value to the property. There is no written report involved with this inspection. I talk, you listen, you ask questions, you make notes. back to top
LIST (prices start at $69 for small condominiums)
My LIST inspection is a specialized inspection available only to Sellers since it is a pre-listing inspection. It includes only major defects. It does not include (1) my free appliance package, (2) recall and safety concern research on appliances and equipment, or (3) cosmetic damage and “minor” defects (note that cosmetic damage and “minor” defects are determined solely by me and may differ from your opinion or from the opinions of third parties).
The LIST inspection does not meet legal requirements or standards of practice of various trade associations, because I note only major defects and do not describe common information or descriptive information about the structure. For example, type of foundation, type of roof, type of siding, etc., is not included unless the descriptive information in and of itself could indicate a problem, such as cast iron drain pipes, knob & tube electrical wiring, wood shingles, etc.
The reasoning behind this inspection is that the sellers either know about the common or descriptive stuff or doesn’t care since they are selling the house. And the buyers will (hopefully) get their own inspection which will tell them the common and descriptive stuff, as well as any major problems that occurred since the date of the LIST inspection. Cosmetic damage and “minor” defects will not be listed; note that cosmetic damage and “minor” defects are determined solely by me and may differ from your opinion or from the opinions of third parties.
The LIST inspection meets all general requirements for correcting or disclosing major defects concerning the structure. Note that major defects listed are those that were present or visible at the time of the inspection. I cannot, and shall not, take responsibility for something that has failed since the inspection, for damage caused by someone doing repairs, for the quality of repairs, or for damage caused by those living on the property in the course of daily life. However, I will be there with the sellers until the house is sold in order to address problems that the buyer’s property inspection discovered. Keep in mind that with no licensing for, or regulating of, property inspectors in the State of California, there can be a significant difference between two property inspection reports by two separate companies. And while I hope that being a member of a trade association will help with that concern, there are, as of January 2007, at least seven national trade associations for property inspectors (NACHI, ASHI, SPREI, NAHI, AAHI, HIF, FREA), as well as a state trade association in most states (CREIA for California).
If you have any questions about the LIST inspection report, or the buyer’s property inspection report, simply contact me . I’m on your side and will be fighting for you. back to top
MAINTENANCE (prices start at $59)
My MAINTENANCE inspection is available only to past Clients who have closed escrow on the properties originally inspected. The original inspection, however, must have been a BASIC, STANDARD, PREMIUM, or TECH inspection. It is included free in the PREMIUM and TECH inspections. It is meant to detect problems that might be occurring under the new ownership. back to top
M-I-C (prices start at $89)
My M-I-C inspection is a type of pre-listing inspection available only to sellers. The difference between my LIST inspection and my M-I-C inspection is that sellers certify that they have had a LIST inspection and that all major defects and safety items have been repaired or resolved, resulting in the property being “Move In Certified” by the seller. Sellers have the privilege of using the trademarked term “Move In Certified” in their marketing and advertising, as well as custom logos and yard signs. back to top
POOL (prices start at $149)
Swimming pool inspections are best done in conjunction with a property inspection, but I will do them on their own if necessary. back to top
PREMIUM (prices start at $199 for small condominiums)
This is my third most popular inspection. It includes my STANDARD inspection and a free re‑inspection of the seller’s repairs to make sure they were done (or were done properly), attendance with you at your final walk-through, a 30-day on-site follow-up, and a six-month BASIC inspection to make sure things are still working as intended. It also includes recall and safety concern research on appliances and equipment and a free appliance package to record vital information about your home’s appliances and equipment for insurance purposes.
This inspection is best for Clients who might be unable to attend the property inspection itself or the final walk-through, Clients who might be involved in a rent-back situation with the seller or the seller’s tenants, or Clients who will have tenants in the property.
If you have any questions, simply contact me to discuss them. back to top
RENTER (prices start at $59 for small condominiums)
My RENTER inspection is available only to renters, hence the name. It is used mainly to document the condition of the property at the time of move-in, thence avoiding any conflicts at the time of move-out. However, some renters having problems with their landlords also choose a RENTER inspection to document the problems.
The RENTER inspection does not meet legal requirements or standards of practice of various trade associations. It is a specialized inspection for a very specific purpose.
If you have any questions, simply contact me to discuss them. back to top
SPA (prices start at $49)
Spas and hot tubs are best done in conjunction with a property inspection, but I will do them on their own if necessary. back to top
SPOT ($99 per hour)
My SPOT inspection meets the needs of property owners or tenants who are having problems with individual systems in the home, such as the roof, or the heating and cooling system, or the water heater. This inspection simply documents specific conditions and is commonly used in insurance claims or complaints against installation or repair personnel. back to top
STANDARD (prices start at $99)
This is my second most popular inspection. It is suitable and recommended for all types of properties, although my BASIC inspection (see below) is a better value for investors or anyone who will be doing a complete renovation, including properties that have a significant amount of deferred maintenance. My STANDARD inspection is my “above and beyond” inspection. It includes (1) cosmetic damage and “minor” defects (note that cosmetic damage and “minor” defects are determined solely by me and might differ from your opinion or from the opinions of third parties), (2) common information about your home, and (3) common maintenance and safety tips.
Cosmetic and “minor” defects generally include items such as holes in screen windows; loose hardware on cabinets, doors, and drawers; doorknob holes in walls, etc. In the overall scheme of things, it is relatively easy to resolve those problems, but if there are a lot of them, then the total expense could be higher than you’d like. Contact me if you have any questions. back to top
TECH (prices start at $299 for small condominiums)
This inspection is most suitable for the demanding Client who desires only the best. It is my fourth most popular inspection but my most popular inspection for the ultrarich and overly wealthy, such as sports stars, music and recording stars, and movie stars. It is also popular with those re-locating from states that have licensing and regulations for property inspectors, such as Massachusetts and Texas.
Keeping in mind that there is no licensing or certification for property inspectors in the State of California (as of October 2007, and not in the foreseeable future), my TECH inspection is my PREMIUM inspection with additional licensed professionals involved as members of my team. For example, I include a licensed plumber, a licensed electrician, a licensed roofing contractor, and a licensed heating and cooling technician to help make the property inspection process go more smoothly for you and your Realtor. When necessary, I will take the lead on getting additional professionals, such as a licensed foundation professional, a licensed chimney sweep, or a licensed pest control professional. The licensed professionals, simply because of their licensed expertise, can find many more problems that a generalist property inspector like me cannot.
If you have any questions, simply contact me to discuss them. back to top
TENNIS (prices start at $49)
Tennis courts are best done in conjunction with a property inspection, but I will do them on their own if necessary. back to top
WALK ($99 per hour)
My WALK inspection is available only to prospective buyers who are not yet in escrow on any property. It is specifically meant to inform prospective buyers of major visible problems before they have made a purchase offer on a property and deposited thousands of dollars into an escrow account. By doing this, they don’t have to wait weeks or months to get their money back if the property inspection revealed too many problems, or major problems, that they don’t want to deal with under any circumstances.
This inspection is most popular with property investors and can be done at Open Houses or private showings, either with or without your Realtor. There is no written report involved with this inspection. I talk, you listen, you ask questions, you make notes. back to top
If you have any questions about anything, simply contact me.
Thank you for using The Upscale Home Inspections Service.
www.upscaleinspections.com
