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What exactly do we inspect?

Someone in our trade once added up the item evaluated during a good house or building inspection and it totaled over 400 items. During each home inspection, here are some of the many items inspected by Aberdeen Building Consulting, as applicable. If you're shopping around use this list to compare what we offer with other companies.

ROOF/CHIMNEY EXTERIOR: Assuming safe weather/building conditions, we will inspect the roof while walking on it. Even if unsafe conditions are present, a lot can be learned by examining the roof from a ladder at the eaves. By using a 2-story extension ladder, any building or house with the eaves at the top of the 2nd floor can be roof-accessed. (Taller buildings with flat roofs usually have roof access from the top floor.) Most inspectors do not use or carry such ladders and examine the roof from the street with binoculars. The condition and quality of installation of roofing materials cannot be verified from the street. Be sure the inspection company you hire will access the roof with a ladder.

The condition and quality of installation of roofing materials and flashing will be evaluated. The exterior of the chimney is also examined for needed maintenance and repairs. A proper examination of the interior of a masonry chimney can only be done after the chimney is thoroughly cleaned. We therefore recommended a Level II chimney interior examination, including a full video inspection, be performed by a chimney sweep certified by the Chimney Sweep Institute of America (csia.org).

EXTERIOR/GROUNDS: The condition of windows, siding, sidewalks, site drainage, roof drainage system, deck construction, garage, retaining walls, swimming pools, out-buildings, and fences are examined for condition and needed maintenance/repairs.

WATER ENTRY: We search the entire building for water stains, damage, and leakage. We can determine how wet or dry water stains are by using a moisture meter. Active water stains may be an indication of water damage behind finished surfaces as well as potential mold growth, a health hazard.

INTERIOR ROOMS: All finished floors, walls, and ceilings are examined for damages and active water stains.

STRUCTURE/FOUNDATION: These areas are examined for deficiencies or failure. Houses and buildings built before 1950 or with amateur improvements are particularly susceptible to structure problems.

HEATING SYSTEM: Fuel-burning heating systems are tested for the presence of carbon monoxide (CO), which is a deadly gas, using a CO analyzer. Draft and stack temperature are also checked. The condition of the heating system including the potential for repair or replacement is evaluated. Thermostats are operated. All rooms are checked for operational heat sources.

AIR CONDITIONING: Wall air conditioners and central A/C are examined and tested for performance. On houses with central A/C, each room is checked for an operational cooling source. Duct work and condensate management are considered as well. NOTE: Air conditioning equipment cannot be operated without risk of damage if the outside temperature is lower than 65ºF or if the central air system power has not been turned on for at least 24 hours. The compressor has a sealed motor lubricated by a very thick oil that does not readily flow in colder temperatures, which could result in a burned-out motor.

ELECTRICAL: The main circuit panel and sub panel covers are removed so that wiring may be examined for safe practices. Often home owners and/or amateur electricians use unsafe wiring practices out of ignorance, which can put the home or building at risk for an electrical fire. The service entry is also examined. Accessible electrical outlets are tested with an outlet wiring analyzer. GFCI circuits are tested with a ground-fault simulator. AFCI circuits in new construction are tested with an arc-fault simulator.

PLUMBING: All fixtures are tested for adequate pressure, drainage, and leaks. The presence and temperature of hot water is also checked. All accessible piping is examined for condition and quality of materials as well as the domestic water heating system.

GAS SERVICE: All accessible gas pipes are tested for leaks using a combustible gas detector. Older installations generally have pipe joint compound which has dried out and is a very common cause of gas leaks. About 60% - 70% of houses and buildings we see have gas leakage.

ATTIC: The attic is the space between the roof and the top floor. If the attic is accessible, we go in. The quantity and quality of insulation is evaluated. Signs of past/present water leakage/damage and attic ventilation are also checked. The attic is a good place to see if there is roof leakage.

BASEMENT/CRAWL SPACE: The spaces below ground level usually offer a lot of information about a house or building. Some buildings have a crawl space, which is like a basement where you can't stand up. Assuming the crawl space is accessible, we go in.

TERMITES: Each inspection includes a NYS termite certificate that you can use for your closing -- you will not need a separate termite inspection.

Cost estimates for major work is included in each report.

Other services

(not included in normal inspection fee)

Asbestos sample testing - This carcinogen is most often found on old steam heating pipes and old 9x9" linoleum tiles. Safe and lawful removal of asbestos can cost some money. Since we don't do removal, we have no interest in the outcome of a test and can assure an honest test result from an independent lab.
Water sample testing - It is now law (although rarely enforced) that homes with well water should have a county-approved full water screen performed, which tests for the presence of over 60 organic and non-organic compounds. Since samples need to be at a lab within 24 hours of collection, sampling cannot be done on Saturdays.
Radon - Radon is a naturally occurring soil gas that is less prevalent in sandy soil. It rises into the building through small cracks in the lowest level floor. Although the EPA New York State radon map shows that the NYC metro area is a low-incidence area, radon testing is generally recommended by real estate professionals. Many inspection companies offer radon testing for an extra charge. We do not offer this test, but you can do the same radon test yourself that we would have to charge 5 to 10 times the fee for by purchasing one or two radon cannisters from a hardware store or by typing "radon test kit" into a search engine. They are usually $13-$20 each, which includes the lab analysis. The typically need to be left open in a basement or crawl space for 48 hours, picked up, and sent to the lab. These short-term tests have two problems: 1) Performing a radon test in a building you don't own can be challenging, as the test must be left undisturbed in a sealed basement. When you don't have control over that environment, the test can be "contaminated" unbeknownst to you. 2) Also, the 48-hour test is a snapshot that may not provide the full picture. Radon levels can vary over the course of the year. These two conditions may cause the 48-hour test to result in a false negative. The good news is that even is radon levels are elevated in your house, mitigation systems are not very expensive.
Lead paint - Lead paint was widely used in buildings in this area prior to 1978. Therefore, any building older than that has a good possibility of the presence of lead paint. Lead poisoning only occurs by eating it and is mainly a concern for children under age 7, as they touch everything and put their hands in their mouths. We do not offer this test, but if lead paint is a concern, we suggest a lead survey, which can be done for usually a few hundred dollars. By using a machine called an X-ray floroscope, a report can be easily generated providing the lead content of every surface in the building. If you're interested, we can offer a recommendation for lead paint testing.
Mold testing - Mold testing is a procedure that is misunderstood at best and sold unnecessarily by unscrupulous or improperly trained inspectors at worst. First, when visible mold is present, testing is not necessary unless you need to determine the mold species for legal reasons. Any visible mold should be removed regardless of species and whether it is wet or dry. And it if is wet, the source of moisture needs to be corrected prior to replacement of the damaged area. Air testing for mold should only be performed in a house or building you own because elevated levels of mold could be present in an old couch or carpet that will be removed prior to occupancy by you, and therefore testing will not reflect conditions that will be present when the seller vacates.

Mold in air sampling should really be part of a comprehensive Indoor Air Quality investigation during which information is being gathered based upon complaints or concerns about a building. Testing should only be done after a comprehensive walkthrough inspection. Very often, indoor air quality issues can be resolved without the extra expense of mold testing. A fair amount of samples needs to be taken in order for there to be some level of statistical confidence in the samples. Simply taking 2 or 3 random samples without trying to prove or disprove a formulated hypothesis would have limited or no usefulness. Anyone who claims to be throwing this type of sampling into a typical house inspection is using it as a sales gimmick and the results, no matter what they are, will not likely be meaningful. Beware of "mold inspectors" who whip out their testing equipment as soon as they walk through the door.

What about Home Warranties that I have seen advertised?

Some real estate offices and home inspection companies sell or include these warranties as part of their service. While these warranties make for a nice selling point, they typically feature per-occurance fees, deductibles and restrictions/limitations. If these warranties sound attractive to you, be sure to read the terms of the agreement first, as they may not be as worthwhile as they appear.

How long does an inspection take?

A smaller house such as a 3-bedroom ranch or cape, typically takes about 1½-2 hours. A larger house, such as a brownstone or a 5-bedroom colonial with central air, a pool, and a second kitchen will take 2 - 3 hours or more. Multi-family or multi-floor buildings similarly take longer. We confer with clients afterward for a verbal discussion of everything observed. Typically verbal reports can last anywhere from 20 - 30 minutes up to an hour or even longer, depending upon how much information needs to be presented. The inspection can go quicker if conditions are obvious, and slower if conditions are more complicated. Buildings and houses with more equipment take longer. After the inspection, the report is delivered within one business day by email and the hard copy arrives shortly after that.

Should I attend the inspection?

You get the most out of the service by attending. Not only will you have the opportunity to see how a house/building inspection is performed, but also we give an extensive verbal report at the end of the inspection that will help reinforce the information appearing in the written report.

When is the right time in the purchase process to do an inspection??

Customarily, the inspection happens between the time when your offer is accepted and when the sales contract is signed. It is important to have a property inspected prior to signing a contract, as information could be revealed causing you to require further negotiation or possibly affecting your decision to buy the house altogether. Once you sign a contract, your ability to negotiate is greatly reduced or eliminated.

What else should be done to prepare for the inspection?

At the inspection site, it is recommended to limit the amount of family members present, as home owners may already be stressed out and they may not wish to have several strangers walking all over their house. It is also recommended to avoid bringing small children as they may cause distractions. And if the building is vacant, try to ensure all utilities (electricity, gas, heat) are turned on for the inspection.

Does this building/addition/modifiaction meet code?

That is usually impossible to answer from a typical inspection, and can only be proven by documentation on file with the building department. For any building department to certify a structure as code-compliant, various municipal building inspectors (plumbing, electrical, HVAC, etc.) inspectors visit the property during different phases of construction to verify components that will eventually be concealed by finished walls have been installed properly. Once walls are finished, this verification is not possible. In fact, for a building department to certify construction that was done without permission, very often they will require removal of walls to see the concealed wiring, plumbing, etc. Generally if work was done to code at the time it was built, it is grandfathered. However it is typically quite difficult to know precisely when construction was done and what prevailing codes were at that time. So the best way to verify that a given building is code-compliant is to look up the Certificate of Occupancy from the local building department.

Aberdeen Building Consulting ---- 877-492-9800