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Let Our Experience Help You

Protect Your Investment  

 

518 Home Inspector, LLC Offers:

OVER 15 YEARS OF STRUCTURAL INSPECTION EXPERIENCE

Free Mold Inspection (Pre and Post Assessment Reports Extra If Needed) 

Most Reports Provided On Same Day

Competitive Rates

Peace of Mind

Licensed and Insured

 

 

Important Considerations When Choosing Your New York State Licensed Home Inspector

 

1)  Keep in mind that not all inspectors are equal.  Just because someone is NY State Licensed does not mean that they are experienced.  The licensing requirements for NYS require minimal inspection experience.  The HOME Inspector, LLC offers home inspections from an experienced staff of ASHI Certified Home Inspectors.  Our inspectors have experience with thousands of inspections performed in the Capital District!

2)  Years of experience are important, but that doesn't tell you how many home inspections your inspector has  performed.  There are inspectors who have many years of experience, but only inspect a few homes each month.  

3) Will your inspector provide you with the inspection report on location?  Many inspectors take 2-7 days to give you a report (some are hand written).  We at Capital Home Services will provide you with a computer generated report on location, before you leave the inspection (two family and multi-family units may take longer).  


4)  What is the quality and content of the inspection report ? Our comprehensive 9-Point Inspection Process covers the roof, foundation, structure, electrical, heating, cooling, interior, exterior, and plumbing system.  Our "same day" reports are typically 40 pages long (With Pictures).   

Note: The inspection is limited to the visual components of the home.  We do not comment on or inspect the condition of hidden items including but not limited to Septic Systems, Dry Wells, Leach Fields, Chimney Interiors, Furnace/Boiler Interiors, Inside Plumbing Pipes, Hidden Electrical Lines etc.  

5) Is your inspector a New York State licensed Pest Inspector, or will you have to hire a separate company to provide the termite, carpenter ant, powder post beetle inspection?  Our team is licensed to provide all these inspections.

6) What is the Cost?  Sometimes the saying is true.... "You Get What You Pay For".   We at Capital Home Services offer very competive prices while still providing quality, experience, and same day services.  You are spending substantial money on your home - let our experience help you protect your investment. 

7) You are encouraged to attend the inspection.  This is the best time to learn about your house.  Our ASHI certified staff will not only inspect your home, but will help educate you on the technical features so that you will better understand your home.  We will provide you with an unbiassed assessment and in return, give you Peace of Mind.

As of December 31,2005: New York State now requires all Home Inspectors to be licensed. Ask your inspector to verify this prior to accepting their services.

NY License #  16000022192

 


 
 
 

Our comprehensive 9 POINT Inspection process includes inspecting your homes:

 

-Roof

-Structure

-Basic Electrical

-Heating System

-Cooling System

-Insulation

-Plumbing

-Interior

-Exterior

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A Further Breakdown Of Our Comprehensive 9-Point Inspection:

-Roof, vents, flashings, and trim.

-Gutters and downspouts.

-Skylight, chimney and other roof penetrations.

-Decks, porches, walkways, and railings.

-Eaves, soffit and fascia.

-Grading and drainage.

-Basement, foundation and crawlspace.

-Water penetration and foundation movement.

-Heating systems.

-Cooling systems.

-Main water shut off valves.

-Water heating system.

-Interior plumbing fixtures and faucets.

-Drainage sump pumps with accessible floats.

-Electrical service line and meter box.

-Main disconnect and service amperage.

-Electrical panels, breakers and fuses.

-Grounding and bonding.

-GFCIs and AFCI’.

-Fireplace damper door and hearth.

-Insulation and ventilation.

-Garage doors, safety sensors, and openers.

-And much more.

 

 

Note: The inspection is limited to the visual components of the home.  We do not comment on or inspect the condition of hidden items including but not limited to

Septic Systems, Dry Wells, Leach Fields, Chimney Interiors, Furnace/Boiler Interiors, Inside Plumbing Pipes, Hidden Electrical Lines etc.  _______________________________________________________

Buying a home involves many  considerations including price, style, size, and neighborhood.  However, the most important concern is determining what condition your home is in, what repairs are needed, and what are the costs?  518 Home Inspector, LLC can give you useful information on the homes major systems including the roof, structure, electrical, heating, cooling, insulation, plumbing, interior and exterior. 

Most of your inspection will be maintenance recommendations, life expectancy estimates, and other "FYI"  descriptions. These are nice to know about. However, the issues that really matter will fall into five categories:

1) Major defects: An example of this would be a structural failure. Major Bowing in your walls, a roof with moderate to severe cracks/stone loss/or obvious signs of leaking, a defective/broken boiler/furnace/ or any other item that will result in a repair of $1,500 or more.

2)Potential Major: (These are items that look suspicious and may result in a repair of $1500 or more).  For example:  A large crack or group of cracks in your foundation , an older roof, furnace, or boiler that appears to be at the end of their usefullness or "End Lives".

3)Safety Hazards:such as an exposed/live wires, live buss bar at the electric panel, missing outlet covers, no carbon monoxide detector, lack of smoke detectors, missing hand rails, uneven walkways, potential asbestos, lead paint, and known defects such as Federal Pacific electric panels:

For More Information On The Hazards OF FEDERAL PACIFIC Electric Panels, Please Click Here

4)Typical Defects: These are areas in your home that commonly occur over time and should be expected with a home of its age (normal wear and tear): stone loss with your asphalt shingles, chipped paint on your windows/walls, settlement cracks, normal aging of appliances/hot water heater/furnace etc.

5)Monitor: These are things that are currently in satisfactory condition, but you should monitor them for future problems, such as: small cracks in the foundation, areas of moisture/dampness etc.

Remember,
no home is perfect.   Improvements can be made to even the newest homes.  Most sellers are honest and are often surprised to learn of defects uncovered during an inspection.  The seller is under no obligation to repair everything mentioned in the report.  You can always ask the seller to make changes, however, it is inappropriate to demand that a seller address deferred maintenance, conditions, especially if they are listed on the seller's disclosure or general maintenance items.


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At the end of the home inspection, we will provide you with the results of our  comprehensive 9 Point Inspection.


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Why Choose 518 Home Inspector, LLC?

- We will provide you with a professional computer generated report at the end of the  inspection

- We are NYS licensed Pest Inspectors, allowing us to test for termite, carpenter ant, carpenter bee, and powder post beetle damage and/or activity.   

- In addition, we can perform well flow tests, water bacteria tests, and septic dye tests.

- We are licensed to perform all aspects of the home inspection.

- We Are Experienced.  Let us help you  Protect Your Investment!

 

Prior To Your Inspection:

-Please Click On The "Inspection Agreement" Tab

-Please Read The Building Inspection Service Agreement

 Prior to the Inspection

 

 

For More Information On Our STANDARDS of PRACTICE, Please Click Here

ARE YOU SELLING YOUR HOME?

We at The HOME Inspector llc encourage you to take advantage of our experience to help you sell your home.

Hopefully your home is in great condition, but if not, let us assist you in locating problems that are not always obvious. Our trained and experienced ASHI inspectors will provide you with a quality report covering the 9-Point Inspection process.   This will help you better understand your home and help detect problems that your buyers may uncover.  This can be valuable information for you to learn, before your home goes on the market. This will give you the advantage of making repairs or at least being aware of what the buyers inspectors may find.

Find out about any hidden problems and get them corrected in advance, on your own terms. Or present the items as is and reflected in the purchase price.  You will get the highest price in the shortest time, if your home is in top condition.

By having a pre-listing inspection done, you can identify problems early. Then either correct them or present them as is, assuring that the first offer you accept can move quickly and smoothly to closing without delays or costly surprises.

-It allows you to see your home through the eyes of a critical third-party.

-It helps you to price your home realistically.

-It permits you to make repairs ahead of time so that ...
a. Defects won't become negotiating stumbling blocks later.
b. There is no delay in obtaining the Use and Occupancy permit.
c. You have the time to get reasonably priced contractors or make the repairs yourself, if qualified.

-It may encourage the buyer to waive the inspection contingency.

-It may alert you of items of immediate personal concern, such as radon gas or active termite infestation.

-It may relieve prospect's concerns and suspicions.

-It reduces your liability by adding professional supporting documentation to your disclosure statement.

-It may alert you to immediate safety issues before agents and visitors tour your home.

Preparing a House to Sell:

Many buyers peruse neighborhoods looking at listed properties from the outside before inquiring with the listing agent to show them the inside. A first impression is hard to shake and if the prospective buyer doesn't like the house from the outside, they probably won't inquire at all. To get them past the front door, you need to add some curb appeal. Here's a list of items that will definitely add value to your home.

OUTSIDE MAINTENANCE:

•Clear your gutters and downspouts of debris (leaves, sticks, etc.) that may block the flow of water from your roof.

•Properly grade the area under your downspouts and around your house, so rainwater flows away from your foundation. Splash blocks can help rainwater at downspouts flow in the proper direction. If necessary, add extensions to your downspouts.

•Plantings should be set away from the foundation to ensure regular watering does not add to soil moisture around the basement. Lawn sprinklers should not hit the house or the area next to the foundation.

•Ensure that landscaping around the foundation (sidewalks, patios, gardens, etc.) starts at 8 inches down from the top of your foundation wall and slopes away from the home. Failure to do so may cause moisture to build up at or around the foundation and promote the environment for mold growth.

•Keep mulch, dirt and other landscaping material away from veneer drainage system weep holes commonly found on, but not limited to masonry and stucco homes. The veneer drainage system diverts water away from the interior of the exterior wall system and the weep holes allow the water to escape the wall. If the weep holes are blocked or clogged with debris, mold may form on the interior of the exterior walls. The weep holes are found at the bottom of the finished veneer.

•Sidewalks, steps and exterior foundation cracks should be filled or parged to bring up to date.

•Caulking around windows, doors, chimney/siding cavity, foundation, and other common leakage points is necessary to prevent any moisture intrusion.

INSIDE MAINTENANCE:

•Clean everything in sight. The kitchen, bathroom, bedrooms and general living spaces, and clean/test household appliances and equipment. No matter what physical condition the property is in, it should be clean, tidy and uncluttered.

•You want buyers to view your home as their potential home. Therefore put away family photos, sports trophies, collectable items, knick-knacks and souvenirs. Put them in a box or a rented storage area for a few months.

•Shampoo rugs and wax floors.

•Wash walls and use a broom to clear cobwebs from the corners of rooms and closets.

•Wash windows and clean blinds or draperies.

•Repair those small things now, like leaky faucets, missing tiles or broken screens.

•Replace all burned-out light bulbs.

•Properly insulate (12" of blanket or 8" of blown-in insulation) and ventilate the attic of your home.

•If you are a smoker, clean, prime and paint any nicotine stained walls and ceilings thoroughly and refrain from smoking in the home.

BASEMENT:

•Neaten up the basement.

•Clean up and correct any water problems in your basement, including upgrading the foundation with a mortar parging at all loose cavities and cracks.

•Test sump pump.

THE DAY OF THE SHOWING:

•Before you leave, turn on all lights, open all curtains and shutters to let in as much light as possible but screen out unappealing views.