Chattanooga TN Home Inspector FAQ

Can I do the inspection myself?

Sometimes it might be tempting to do your own inspection or have a friend do it for you. A professional home inspector has the knowledge, training, and experience needed and is an impartial third party in the transaction. You may also be blinded by emotions. It’s easy to fall in love with the house and not be objective enough for your own good.

Do new construction homes need to be inspected?

An inspection of a house prior to drywall will help see the electrical, plumbing, and structural elements before they get covered up.

How long will the inspection take?

It takes an average of 3 hours.

Will it help to be present at the inspection?

Yes, it is helpful to be there after I’ve finished with the inspection. It’s a great time to learn about maintenance and condition issues and to better understand the finished report.

Do I need to do anything before the inspection?

  • Please clear a space around your furnace, electrical panel, and water heater
  • Have utilities turned on
  • Leave keys available for easy access to attic, crawl space, and basement with a cleared space to enter these areas

5 Reasons to hire a home inspector:

1. As a buyer, it may be the largest purchase you may ever make. It only makes sense to know as much as possible.

2. If you are selling your home, a pre-listing inspection will point out any potential problems that might be uncovered later by the buyer’s inspector. Finding them early will allow you to address them before listing your home, making for a faster and smoother sale.

3. As a homeowner, there may be unknowns lurking in your crawl space or attic. There may be damages in your electrical system that can become a danger or there could be water damage that will cause more expense as time goes on.

4. You may have purchased a home in the last year and your one-year warranty is about to expire. It would be good to find any costly issues before that time is up.

5. The peace of mind of fewer unknowns is a great reason for a home inspection.

Misconceptions

An inspector cannot see inside walls. However, with enough knowledge, experience, and training they will be able to see signs of failures before they become too costly.