What is a Trace Home Inspection?
The home buying process can be confusing and stressful. Not only do you need to consider things such as price and location, you also have to worry about whether the house itself has any hidden problems that could become costly surprises down the road.
As professional Home Inspectors, its our job to look for those problems for you. The Home Inspection is an unbiased, professional assessment of the condition of the house. It provides you with an expert opinion along with a professional report on the condition of the physical structure and various systems within a house. Giving you peace of mind on what is likely the largest purchase you'll ever make.
With every home inspection inspection we include a limited infrared scan of the home using advanced Infrared scanning technology. This helps us to locate possible areas of concern that are normally not visible with the naked eye. Many times we discover hidden moisture, electrical and plumbing problems that owners and occupants never knew about. Full home scans are available for an additional fee.
It is amazing what an IR camera shows, we can now see where insulation is needed or even where the builder failed to have it installed or it was installed improperly. The above image is a great example of missing insulation on a home located with a full home scan!
In order to prepare the report, an inspector must conduct a visual inspection of the house. The home inspection process typically takes about 3 hours to complete on a typical home. This of course may vary, according to the size and condition of the home. We strongly encourage you to attend and we have found that most of our clients prefer to come towards the end of the inspection. This will give you a chance to ask questions and become familiar with the systems of the home in addition to letting you see the home without anyone pressuring you to hurry or to make a quick decision.
We will inspect all of the readily visible structural elements and major systems of the home. Items that will typically be included in an inspection are:
- Framing (structure)
- Exterior cladding (siding on the home)
- Roof and attic
- Foundation
- Grading of soil
- Doors & windows
- Garage & garage doors
- Electrical system
- Plumbing system
- Heating and air conditioning systems
- Fireplace/Chimney
- Insulation
- Ventilation
- Kitchen
- Bathrooms
- Appliances (Built-in appliances)
- Swimming pools (We recommend hiring a professional pool contractor due to the specialty nature and complexity of modern pools, we work closely with one of the best pool inspection companies in the area)
Additional items and systems unique to a particular home can also be inspected, you just need to let us know in advance so the proper arraignments can be made if the item or system is outside our scope of knowledge and expertise. Additional fees may be charged when additional professionals are required.
When the inspection is complete, we'll tell you of any problems that were discovered and discuss them with you. We'll tell you whether these are major issues or minor concerns. We'll point out any safety concerns we notice. We'll tell you how old things are where that's relevant, like your water heater and HVAC system. We'll identify anything that's near the end of its typical lifespan. We will also tell you about any routine maintenance that should be performed, as well as answer any questions you may have. You'll also receive a full written report of the inspection that will be emailed the day of the inspection.
Our goal is to discover and inform you of anything we find that might affect your purchase decision. Well tell you about any problems we find, and make repair recommendations. Well also inform you of what maintenance tasks are required to keep the home and its systems in top condition. Even though we are not doing Code Inspections, we are familiar with the various building codes used in cities like Brentwood, Columbia, Franklin, Hendersonville, Nashville, Murfreesboro, Spring Hill and most of middle Tennessee.
But I’m Buying a Starter House. I Can’t Afford to Hire the Best Nashville Tennessee Home Inspector.
Hogwash! If money is tight, how are you going to pay for the repairs that low-cost-real-estate-agent-dependent inspector fails to report? Here’s another secret: Your real estate contract usually obligates the seller to make repairs. The more problems your home inspector finds, the more money you’ll save. And if the house is a disaster, you might save financial ruin. It is less costly to hire us now rather than when your attorney tells you to hire us as an expert witness to help with your lawsuit.
Hiring the best home inspector doesn’t cost, it saves you money and brings you peace of mind. You’ll sleep better knowing that you are buying a safe and sound home. And it’s not that expensive. Our price is based on the size, location, age of the home and other factors. All homes are different so should the pricing for an inspection.
Don't forget that the TRACE Inspections Advantage includes several valuable warranties, take a moment and review what is included!
90 Day Warranty is FREE with every home inspection. You can increase your protection with the Premium 18 Month Home Warranty
