The Home Inspection
You will appreciate the detailed yet simple to follow  report, which you will be able to download from the internet.  Your house will be inspected from top to bottom, inside and out, one room at a time. You will be surprised at just how much we inspect and the detail we go into (take our walk through inspection further down this page) The following components will all be inspected:

• Air Conditioning system and its components
• Attic, insulation, ventilation
• Built in kitchen appliances, countertops and cabinets
• Heating systems and its components
• Complete plumbing systems and water heater
• Driveway
• Garage
• Electrical system and it's components
• Exterior siding, windows and doors
• Fireplace, smoke chamber and chimney
• Foundation, basement, crawl space, grading
• Porch, patio, deck
• Roof, flashing, gutter, down spouts
• Walls, floors, ceilings, doors, closets

Some home inspection companies believe that random testing of outlets, windows, etc. is adequate (and yes it does meet national home inspection standards). We do not think this is good enough for you. If it is at all possible for us to inspect it or test it we will. Random testing can all too easily miss a major problem and that is not in your best interest.

Tools of the Trade
We arrive fully equipped to do the best possible inspection for you. Along with the "extendable ladder and flashlight" our tool bag has numerous other tools, including voltage testers, circuit testers, wiring analyzer, outlet tester, pressure and flow meters,  high power binoculars, coveralls and hard hat!
(Note: not all these tools will necessarily be used in every inspection)

A Learning Experience
A Home Inspection is also a great learning experience. It is an opportunity for you to gather information about one of the most important and expensive financial decisions you make during your lifetime... the purchase of a home.

Furthermore, this may also be your only opportunity to really get to know the house that will be your home for many years to come. You may have visited it one or more times with your Realtor, chances are you have not had time to really look at everything in the home in enough detail to fully understand what you are buying. Every thing you learn about the house is knowledge that can be used to successfully negotiate your purchase.
Our home inspection is designed to help give you "up-front" information so that you can be a well-informed homebuyer.

During the Home Inspection
During the walk-through, you will learn about the home's condition as the Inspector points out the "plus points" as well as any problem areas that need attention. The inspector will discuss what remedies are possible (in the case of major repairs) as well as showing you how to fix or repair smaller maintenance items.

The Inspection Report
You will receive a detailed inspection report at the end of the inspection. The inspector will also explain the report and the forms to you. Inspected items that are in working order are checked "Inspected" and those items that need immediate attention are reported as "Repair or Replace".   Any problem the inspector observed is clearly noted and if possible will include a color photo and the specific location in the building is given either by description or photo..

The inspection report you receive is not just a "fill in the blanks" report, it is a detailed computer generated custom analysis of the property.

The report is computer generated for you in an easy to read format, giving you a room by room description of the interior components and their condition. The exterior areas, attic, basement and garage, along with plant and equipment are all reported separately. The report has summary pages that give you a list of all the items needing repair and those needing immediate repair. These summaries can be given to your realtor if  they need a copy of the report.  Or we can forward a copy directly to your Realtor via email.

In some cases a written report will be used, in which case you will receive an original and carbonless copies of all the inspection pages.

Using the Inspection Report
After you receive the inspection report, you should read it carefully before going back to your Realtor and making the post inspection addendum. This addendum is, in essence, a counteroffer that you make to the seller asking for certain items to be repaired or replaced before you buy the house.

In most cases, the offer you made to buy the home subject to a Home Inspection by a professional Inspector holds the seller responsible to make good only those defects in the home that relate to habitability or safety. Your Realtor will advise you as to what is a defect, and  what issues relate to habitability or safety.

There will be instances on the report where it is noted that an item "needs  repair or replacement". The item in question should be repaired, but may not be something that you can go back to the seller about because it is not a defect, and does not relate to habitability or safety. In most cases these would be smaller items needing a repair that would normally be considered routine maintenance. (See "post inspection agreement" - below)

We strongly recommend that you insist that a contractor or a licensed professional carry out any repairs to the home that are required as a result of the home inspection. Receipts for the work done can be given to you at the time of closing to show and prove that the work has been properly done.

Forms needed
There are forms that you or your Real Estate agent will need to use when making your offer to purchase, to ensure your right to a home inspection.
In ,  Minnesota you must ask the seller  to allow you to have a home inspection on the property you are purchasing, Inspection Addendum .

After the Inspection
Feel free to call us any time, we are available to help you and your Realtor if you have any difficulty in understanding or interpreting a problem or condition that was observed and noted on the  inspection report. It is important that you get the most out of your report, click on the link for more information:
- The inspection is for a "home purchase" you are the buyer
- The inspection is a "pre-listing" you will be the seller

If there is anything you want the seller to repair or replace as a result of the home inspection, a Post Inspection Agreement will need to be completed by you or your real estate agent.

We recommend that you do a final walk through of the property the day before closing to make sure that the house is in the condition that it is supposed to be in, and that any appliances or fixtures that are included in the sale are still in the house.

All trash and debris should have been removed by the owner at this time. If there is any problem this will be your last opportunity to rectify the situation before you own the property.

Our Web site's Technical/FAQ 
This section is available with information to help you better understand the inspection report as well as helping you with your home's maintenance and your families safety. Read the insurance and financial sections, particularly if you are a first time homeowner.

Standards for Inspecting....
Unfortunately standards are not mandatory in the Home Inspection business. We want you to feel comfortable with what we do and why we do it. Reading through the standards and taking our "walk through" Home Inspection (above) will give you a better understanding of what a Home Inspection is.

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