Comprehensive Home Inspections for Buyers or Sellers

Buyer's Inspection

This is a comprehensive and objective evaluation of a home’s physical structure, roof, readily accessible installed systems, appliances and components. We will produce an unbiased report that will include commentary, color photos with arrows or circles to highlight notable defects and our recommendations for repairs. The goal of this evaluation is to make you a more informed and more confident buyer. Our report will be available within 24 hours of completing the inspection and can be sent to anyone, anywhere in the world. Comprehensive home inspections include an evaluation of:

Listing Inspection

A pre-listing or “seller’s Inspection” is offered by Integrity in two different packages; a comprehensive version (identical to a buyer’s inspection) or a pre-check where we inspect the roof, foundation, furnace or A/C, electric and verify there are no plumbing leaks. As a seller, either package will afford you the opportunity to market your home as Certified Inspected. These inspections offer a number of benefits for sellers and their listing agent(s) by getting ahead of any issues. This, in-turn, will reduce the likelihood of a deal falling through. The advantages of a seller’s inspection include, but are not limited to:

1. Allowing sellers to make repairs before their home is under contract, thus there is less negotiating power for the buyer. This also eliminates the pressure of your home being under contract and needing repairs found during the buyer’s inspection. If repairs are not made, they can be disclosed which will help gain leverage during negotiations.
2. Whether or not repairs were made, the sale of the home becomes smoother and more efficient. The buyer is made aware of any residual issues and is less likely to walk away or demand a lower price.
3. Sellers may be able to convince buyers to waive their home inspection contingency if the seller presents them with a copy of the pre-sale inspection. This is a huge advantage to the buyer and cuts down the transaction timeframe considerably, ergo a sizable advantage for the seller.
4. A seller’s inspection also affords sellers, and their agent(s), the opportunity to more accurately price the home. It can also save sellers money in that buyers tend to overestimate repair costs and will expect these inaccurate costs to be deducted from the home’s sale price.
5. Sellers will be recognized as being more trustworthy; by disclosing any issues, the buyer will have more confidence that they are dealing with people who are not hiding anything.

Limited Scope Inspection

Limited-scope inspections are a-la-carte versions of our comprehensive home inspections. A client can choose one or more area, component or system and we will produce a report with our findings including color photos of notable defects and our recommendations. Examples would include having us come out to assess a specific concern, determine the source of a leak or to discuss cost-saving measures such as insulation values and home efficiency.

Wood-destroying Insect (termite) Inspection

Often referred to as a termite inspection, there are a number of other insects who fall into this category as well. These include: Carpenter Ants, Carpenter Bees, Powderpost Beetles, Old House Borers, Wharf Borers, Bark Beetles, Ambrosia Beetles and Horntail Wasps. We are licensed through the OH Dept. of Agriculture to conduct these types of inspections and we offer them as a standalone service or coupled with a home inspection.

Log home & Timber Home Inspections

We hold a certification specifically for log and timber homes as well. While the evaluation of the home is conducted in the same manner as our comprehensive home inspections, we are trained to determine a few ancillary factors as it pertains to these types of homes. Examples of these are tree species, climate conditions, design and construction, decay and fungi in logs, log home maintenance, log finishing methods and much more. We will produce a report with color photos of notable defects and our recommendations for repairs or mitigation. This report will be available within 24 hours of completing the inspection and can be sent to anyone, anywhere in the world.

Consultations

Home Maintenance Evaluations

Clients can stay ahead of the home maintenance curve by having us perform annual or semiannual maintenance checks of their home and property. As a preventative measure, clients can set up recurring visits to minimize the risk of costly repairs from hidden problems.

New Construction Consultations

For our do-it-yourself clients, this type of appointment can range from advice on how to properly construct a new deck to a larger-scale room or home remodel. We also offer consulting for situations where a contractor has been hired for a project to ensure everyone involved has their best foot forward. Additionally, we offer a comprehensive consultation for newly-built homes. Much like our comprehensive home inspections, this will ensure confidence in your purchase or the opportunity to contact the builder should anything dissatisfying be found.

HUD/FHA 203(k) Consulting

Should a client choose to take advantage of HUD’s 203(k) rehabilitation mortgage program, we are authorized to perform all duties associated with these consultations. Our software is top-notch and acts as a unified platform from which all parties can operate. This process begins with an initial walkthrough which resembles a home inspection. From there we move to the feasibility analysis where we couple our estimated repair costs with the home’s purchase price and compare it to the client’s pre-approved lending amount. If the project is found to be feasible, we will complete a work write-up which is a highly detailed list of materials and methodologies to be sent to prospective contractors. We will work together through the process and make your dream home a reality. To get this process started, contact a HUD-approved, 203(k) Real Estate agent or broker today and let them know you want to consult with Integrity.

Manufactured Home Inspections

We carry a certification specifically for manufactured homes as well. While the evaluation of the home is conducted in the same manner as our comprehensive home inspections, we have the training necessary to determine a few remaining factors such as the adequacy of the home’s structural strapping and anchoring systems. We will produce a report with color photos of notable defects and our recommendations for repairs or mitigation. This report will be available within 24 hours of completing the inspection and can be sent to anyone, anywhere in the world.

Walk-Through Services

The Final Walk-Through

For Real Estate transactions, buyers often hire us to return to the subject property to verify repairs made by the seller, as promised during negotiations. As always, we will report to our client the nature and adequacy of the repairs made. We are typically furnished with an itemized list and check things off as we go or note the absence of a repair.

Homeowners Insurance Post-Claim

At times, insurance providers or lenders will hire us to evaluate the adequacy of repairs made to a property where a homeowners insurance claim was filed. This protects all interested parties and serves as a final and qualitative check before the issuance of any monies. We are typically furnished with a materials list and an invoice from the contractor(s) and we move line-item by line-item through the process to verify this work was completed as promised.

Radon Gas Testing

Contrary to popular assumption, the presence of radon gas is not dependent on the age of the home, the location of the home nor whether the home has gas service for heat or appliances. Radon is a naturally occurring, colorless, odorless, carcinogenic gas which permeates into the home from the ground. These viaducts include loose soils, fractured bedrock, ground water, etc. and can enter your home from under the basement slab, through cracks in the foundation and even through a water source. Radon is the number one lung cancer causing agent with the exception of smoking. The USEPA estimates that 26,000 Americans die each year from long-term radon gas inhalation. We are licensed through the OH Dept. of Health to conduct radon gas testing as a standalone service or coupled with a home inspection. We use active radon monitors which produce instant results at the end of the test period versus passive testing which requires the involvement of a lab to determine radon levels. Our software generates a handsome report with timetables, graphs, test-specific and property-specific details. The monitor and its test software use USEPA standards for exposure and make recommendations should elevated levels be found. Our 48-hour test period is friendly for Real Estate transactions and our monitors have an antitampering device in the instance we have a dishonest seller. This device will communicate tampering to our office should any be sensed so we can restart the test.