Yellow Hat Inspections TREC #9222

Home Inspection in Dallas/Ft. Worth

Services

• Basic Buyer's Inspection
• Premium Buyer's Inspection
• Pre-Listing Inspection
• Pool and Spa Inspection
• Warranty Inspection
• Energy Audit
• Home Health Checkup
• Sewer Inspection
• KVAR Energy

Basic Buyer's Inspection

When performing a basic buyer's inspection, I look at everything from the foundation to the roof, inside and out. Outside the home, I check the exterior walls, roof, driveway, and deck. Then I move inside to examine the walls, ceilings, floors, doors, and windows. The heating, air-conditioning,plumbing, and electrical systems will all be examined to ensure that they function as intended. Bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms receive a thorough check, along with the attic and basement or crawl space. I make sure that all of your appliances are working. I also check the fireplace, electrical panel, water heater, and even the doorbell. All basic buyer's inspections meet the standards of practice defined by the Texas Real Estate Commission. You receive your report the day of the inspection.

Premium Buyer's Inspection

The premium buyer's inspection goes a few steps beyond the basic buyer's inspection. In addition to the thorough check of all items inspected in the basic buyer's inspection, I also digitally plot the level of the foundation. This gives you a baseline so that if you suspect foundation movement in the future, you will know exactly how level the foundation was when you moved in. This can be very important when you consider the expansive soils found in North Texas. I also do an infrared scan of the entire house. Infrared technology, or thermal imaging allows me to detect water and plumbing leaks, electrical hot spots, missing insulation and even pest infestations, to name a few. I also use a highly sensitive combustible gas meter instead of the soapy water used by many inspectors and plumbers. I find gas leaks in about 30% of the properties I inspect. Your report includes photographs and thermal images.

Pre-Listing Inspection

A pre-listing inspection is obtained by the seller either before or shortly after listing the property for sale. Having an inspection at the time the property is listed allows the seller time to make repairs before they are picked up by the buyer's inspection and used as negotiating points to bring the price down. Buyer's negotiate in thousands, not hundreds! Buyers typically expect a $2 to $3 reduction for every $1 worth of defects turned up by their inspector. Having an inspection can minimize price negotiations. Essentially, the pre-listing inspection is the same as the premium buyer's inspection.

Pool and Spa Inspection

I can inspect your pool and spa to ensure that the equipment is in good working order. I use an underwater camera to examine the general condition of the pool.

Warranty Inspection

A warranty inspection is performed for people whose homes are approaching their one year anniversary. A warranty inspection is similar to the premium buyer's inspection. All of the major systems are inspected and an infrared scan is performed on the entire house. The primary difference is that while the foundation is inspected, it is not digitally measured (although this can be added as an upgrade). The other difference is that the appliances are not checked in a warranty inspection. Chances are that if you've lived in the house for nearly a year, you probably don't need anyone to tell you that the microwave doesn't work. You will receive your report, including pictures on the same day as your inspection.

Energy Audit

I am certified with CMC Energy to perform energy audits. In addition to using thermal imaging to detect heat loss (or cooling loss) I take a number of measurements that will enable me to make recommendations for saving energy and reducing the cost of your utilities. Your report includes these recommendations, estimated implementation costs, and the payback time.

Home Health Checkup

You have your car inspected every year. But what about your house? Your car is worth thousands. Your house is worth hundreds of thousands. Early detection of problems can save you thousands. Most things that go wrong in a house are relatively inexpensive to fix if they are found before major damage is done.

Sewer Inspection

Traditional inspection methods do not reveal problems with sewer lines. Even when every bathtub is filled and drained and the dishwasher drains it does not put enough water down the line to reveal a blockage. You will find it after you move in and start using the washing machine. Or we can locate it now with a fiber optic camera. Another problem that can be detected with the fiber optic camera is a break in the sewer line that may be under the slab. A break in the line will allow sewage to leak under the slab and could contaminate the water supply, not to mention the lawn. These types of breaks often go undetected for years and lead to catastrophic deterioration of the foundation.

To schedule your inspection, contact me today.