Home Inspection Overview and Considerations

• The structure of the house including; foundation, ceilings, stairs and walls
• The exterior including; chimneys, decks, doors, driveway, flashings, grading, gutters, patios, retaining walls, roofing, walkways and windows
• The interior including; cabinetry,counters,finishes, railings, steps, visible insulation and ventilation
• Kitchen appliances including; central vacuum system, dishwasher, microwave, oven, range, refrigerator and stove. All appliances will be tested in accordance with the TREC Standards of Practice.
• Plumbing including; drains, fixtures, visible piping,and water heater. All accessible and visible gas pipe connections will be tested for leaks with a state of the art gas detector. The water heater will also be tested in accordance with the TREC Standards of Practice.
• Electrical system including; accessible receptacles, appliances like ceiling fans and bathroom vents, exterior and interior service panels, light switches; and visible wiring. All accessible receptacles will be tested for correct grounding and polarity and GFCI breakers will be tested for proper operation.
• Heating and Air Conditioning systems including; condition, operation, safety and type. All HVAC systems will be tested in accordance with the TREC Standards of Practice.
• The basement or crawl space including; construction, cracks, settling, stability, water infiltration and visible damage from rot or wood destroying insects.
• The attic including; access, insulation, sign of water infiltration and ventilation.

We have a very well defined inspection procedure guided by a 1,000 Point Checklist. This procedure allows us to meticulously inspect all areas of your new home and property while the checklist helps ensure that all appropriate items are inspected.

We will also provide you a report that goes beyond the stipulated requirements of the TREC form. It will contain detailed comments, digital photos when possible and potential impacts of observed problems.

The home inspection is not designed to inspect the following:

• Things that are inaccessible or unexposed are not inspected (e.g. under rugs, etc)
• Some items are randomly inspected (e.g. large surface area items like shingles or bricks)
• This is not an engineering study so no calculations will be done (e.g. A/C capacity)
• Some things are not examined at all (e.g. playground equipment, security systems, etc.)
• This is not an inspection to determine compliance with building codes or zoning laws
• There are no environmental, geological or soil tests conducted
• There is no inspection for wood destroying insects. Texas requires a separate license for that task.

Other considerations:

• Like all inspectors in TX, we are governed by the TREC Standards of Practice
• We cannot perform the inspection without a signed contract. This practice protects all parties.
• The more information we have about the home the better. Please send the Sellers Disclosure to us ASAP, or at least bring it to the inspection
• A complete inspection can take up to three hours to complete. Please be sure that the property is available for this length of time.
• We cannot perform a complete inspection if the utilities aren't turned on. Please be sure that all utilities are connected.
• We do not provide any warranties for merchantability or fitness of use
• The Limitation of Liability clause in the contract limits our liability to the amount of the quote
• It would be good if you could attend at least the last 1/2 to 1 hour of the inspection
• You will receive a verbal report after the inspection and the written report soon thereafter