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Blueprint
Services |
What’s included and not included in are
standard home inspection? Shouldn’t
you be informed about the strengths and limitations of the various types of
home inspections before you arrive for the inspection? We believe you should, and we hope that
this brief introduction to Blueprint home inspections will help you decide
which type of inspection is likely to serve your needs best. Please read all of this carefully (this will save the inspector’s time
and your money). Blueprint surveys include these systems: ·
Foundation ·
Exterior ·
Roof ·
Pluming ·
Electrical ·
Heating and central air conditioning systems ·
Interior ·
Insulation when accessible ·
Vapor retarders for accessible insulation ·
Structural ventilation for attics, foundation crawl
spaces, etc. For a detail List of the above systems Click Here HOW MANY PROBLEMS ARE FOUND? Of the three levels of service: Technically
Exhaustive Studies, Plus Cursory Surveys, and Standard Cursory Surveys (which
perhaps find 70% of all problems)… TECHNICALLY EXHAUSTIVE STUDIES Typically require two weeks or more and find
most problems in the house. They are
performed on almost every house sold in certain parts of Unfortunately, Studies are rare in the CURSORY SURVEYS Cursory
surveys (screening only, primarily visual, brisk) do not reveal as many
problems as are found by a Study, but you’ll learn much about the house if
you attend the inspection. Blueprints cursory surveys are computer-assisted
for accuracy and efficiency-a wealth of technical information is always just
a few keystrokes away. And an
electronic checklist is reviewed at the end of each inspection to be sure
that procedures required by the typical published standards were
conducted. Finally, a report is
printed or posted online that has 70 or more references to your included
reference book (located online) so that you can understand the systems and
components found in the house and the specific problems revealed by the
survey. By giving you in depth explanations-with hundreds of helpful
drawings-in a book, the report can be so brief that you can “size up” the
house in a glance. Standard Cursory
Surveys substantially
comply with or exceed published standards. Most new houses do not need more.
Standard Surveys usually require a couple of hours for a modern, small house
in good condition that does not have a crawl space. Large houses, houses with
crawl spaces, houses over a decade old, those with multiple kitchens or
several bathrooms are likely to require more than two hours. Please call for
an estimate-almost always we can comply with published standards within the
predicted time allowed by the estimate-provided that we meet at the house
(rather than a gas station, agents office, etc.), a talkative seller is not
there, and we don’t encounter unanticipated complications or answers too many
questions (you can always call me on the phone later for free if you have
unanswered questions after reading the report). It is much more likely that
you’ll get a discount for early completion of the survey rather than have to
pay more than the estimate. Payment is due at the beginning of the inspection
(checks preferred, made payable to Dennis Hickox). Plus Cursory
Surveys allow
you to request specific additional inspections, including the following
(choose the ones you want, then identify them on the last page/contract
and/or an addendum signed by the inspector): ·
Determining whether excessive circuit resistance, if
found, is due to one poor connection (a potential fire hazard) or instead is
a consequence of having too many receptacles on the circuit (a nuisance that
may cause the breaker to trip when too many appliances are operated
simultaneously, not a fire hazard). ·
Additional visual examination of air conditioning
systems/heat pumps: opening up the outdoor unit. ·
Probing into wall cavities with electrical moisture meter
probes to determine whether the wall is insulated and whether condensation is
likely to be damaging the insulation or wall structure. ·
Removing panels from electric water heater to examine
electrical connections. ·
Removing panels from electric furnaces to examine
electrical connections. ·
Removing cover plates/access panels for electrical
switches, receptacles, tubs, attics, crawl spaces, etc., that are secured
with screws or bolts. ·
Moving furniture or other belongings, throw rugs, snow,
etc. for visual inspections that exceed published standards ·
Walk the roof if agreed to by inspector and not steep or
otherwise unsafe, accessible with a 12’ ladder, etc. ·
Other non-destructive examinations that may be useful, as
requested by customer and agreed to by the inspector ·
If you want any Plus examinations, be sure to tell us
when the inspection is scheduled so that we can schedule enough time to
complete those of interest to you and bring needed tools. If you choose these
additional examinations, be sure to remind the inspector as the inspection
progresses regarding examinations that you desire. Plus surveys may require
more than four hours, and have additional pricing. FOLLOW-UP INSPECTIONS No house is ever fully inspected during a
cursory inspection. The walls are not opened, nor are any space between a
floor and finished ceiling, the attic may not be sealed to the wall or the
electricity or water may be off, the roof may be hidden or covered with snow,
frost rain, etc. The good news is that you won’t pay for inspections not
performed. The bad news is that you won’t learn much about components and
systems that have not been inspected. So you should consider a cursory survey
to be a screening examination-similar to that provided by a physician who is
a general practitioner-and you should then hire specialists to examine all
systems found to be flawed or questionable, not fully inspected, of special
interest to you, or for which you want more details than produced by a
cursory survey. A list of specialist is found at the end of Article 9Y in
your reference book. Obviously, specialists also should be hired to give cost
estimates and re-inspect and correct any component or system about which your
inspector expressed any concern, verbal or written. UNATTENDED INSPECTIONS You’ll learn MUCH more if you attend (please
fly in, if necessary). Blueprint does
not perform unattended inspections if not given Permission to produce and
copyright a complete video tape of the inspection (be sure to get permission
from the sellers to videotape the inspection). Please call for information
about surcharges for unattended inspections. PUBLISHED
STANDARDS The
National Association of Certified Home Inspectors (NACHI) recently released a
new edition of its Standards of Practice. This new version is by
far the largest, most comprehensive set of guidelines available
to inspectors. Twelve years in the making, and over 20 pages
long, this latest revision elevates NACHI's
Standards of Practice to the nation's definitive standard for the
professional home inspection industry. "The home buying public has
long been under the false assumption that inspectors are negligent if
every defect in a home isn't revealed," said Nick
Gromicko, Executive Director of NACHI. "Though we may be far
from correcting this public misconception, we are committed to providing our
membership an iron-clad document to point to, should a claim
arise." "NACHI's position as the
nation's elite inspection association required us to consider the
welfare of consumers as well. We can now provide home buyers with
a clearer understanding of what to expect from a home inspection,"
said Gromicko. "Like our Code of Ethics, NACHI's Standards of
Practice are a win-win for inspectors and consumers alike in
that they succeed at protecting both." Please visit NACHI website at www.nachi.org for a detailed view of these
standards! |
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