Home Inspection
What is a 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 problems that could become costly surprises down the road.
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The Home Inspection is an unbiased, professional assessment of the condition of the house. It provides you an expert opinion and 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 youll ever make.
In order to prepare the report, an inspector must conduct a visual inspection of the house. The inspection process typically takes about 3 hours to complete. This of course may vary, according to the size and condition of the home. We strongly encourage you to accompany the inspector during the inspection. This will give you a chance to ask questions and become familiar with the systems of the home.
We will inspect all the structural elements and systems of the home. Items that will typically be included in an inspection are:
- Framing (structure)
- Roof and attic
- Foundation
- Walls
- Electrical system
- Plumbing system
- Heating and air conditioning systems
- Kitchen
- Bathrooms
Additional items and systems unique to a particular home can also be inspected.
When the inspection is complete, we’ll tell you of any problems that were discovered and discuss them with you. 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.
Our goal is to discover and inform you of anything we find that might affect your purchase decision. We’ll tell you about any problems we find, and make repair recommendations. We’ll also inform you of what maintenance tasks are required to keep the home and its systems in top condition.
Appraisal
A home purchase is the largest, single investment most people will ever make. Whether it’s a primary residence, a second vacation home or an investment, the purchase of real property is a complex financial transaction that requires multiple parties to pull it all off.
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Home Inspection | CL-100 | Radon | Indoor Air Quality
Professional Measurement
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Home Inspection | CL-100 | Radon | Indoor Air Quality
What Is a Professional Measurement?
At Carolina RES we concentrate on making sure that the square footage is calculated correctly and complies with Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and FHA requirements. We follow American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard which was first introduced in 1996 in conjunction with the National Association of Home Builders Research Center and was updated in 2002. This defines gross living area (GLA) as continuous finished living area. If finished living area is separated from the main dwelling, or can only be accessed by going outside, then it is not counted in the total heated and air-conditioned square footage. However, this area would be included in the gross building area (GBA). Fireplaces on the exterior of the dwelling are not included in GLA and a bay window is counted only if it has a floor underneath and a ceiling height of at least seven feet. Stairs are included on the floor where they are located and subtracted from the floor where they end going up. This prevents them from being counted twice. The upper level’s GLA should include only walkable, finished space.
| The importance of accurate Square Footage
Bedrooms and baths and square footage are some of the most important considerations a home buyer contemplates when purchasing a home. Square footage, in many cases, lays the foundation to a seller’s pricing strategy as well as gives the buyer a starting point when making an offer. The importance of accurate square footage can’t be underestimated. Per the insurance industry, inaccurate square footage is one of the main reasons real estate agents are named in law suits. In fact, square footage problems have become such a huge concern for the real estate insurance industry, that some insurers have started marketing campaigns educating realtors on how to accurately calculate square footage. |
Radon Testing
Radon can be found all over the U.S.
Radon comes from the natural (radioactive) breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water and gets into the air you breathe. Radon can be found all over the U.S. It can get into any type of building — homes, offices, and schools — and result in a high indoor radon level. But you and your family are most likely to get your greatest exposure at home, where you spend most of your time.
You should test for radon.
Testing is the only way to know if you and your family are at risk from radon. EPA and the Surgeon General recommend testing all homes below the third floor for radon. EPA also recommends testing in schools.
Testing is inexpensive and easy — it should only take a few minutes of your time. Millions of Americans have already tested their homes for radon (see How to Test Your Home).
You can fix a radon problem.
Radon reduction systems work and they are not too costly. Some radon reduction systems can reduce radon levels in your home by up to 99%. Even very high levels can be reduced to acceptable levels.
New homes can be built with radon-resistant features.
Radon-resistant construction techniques can be effective in preventing radon entry. When installed properly and completely, these simple and inexpensive techniques can help reduce indoor radon levels in homes. In addition, installing them at the time of construction makes it easier and less expensive to reduce radon levels further if these passive techniques don’t reduce radon levels to below 4 pCi/L. Every new home should be tested after occupancy, even if it was built radon-resistant. If radon levels are still in excess of 4 pCi/L, the passive system should be activated by having a qualified mitigator install a vent fan. For more explanation of radon resistant construction techniques, refer to EPA publication, Building Radon Out: A Step-by-Step Guide on How to Build Radon-Resistant Homes (see www.epa.gov/radon/rrnc).
Radon is a cancer-causing, radioactive gas.
You can’t see radon. And you can’t smell it or taste it. But it may be a problem in your home.
Radon is estimated to cause many thousands of deaths each year. That’s because when you breathe air containing radon, you can get lung cancer. In fact, the Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today. Only smoking causes more lung cancer deaths. If you smoke and your home has high radon levels, your risk of lung cancer is especially high.
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Home Inspection | CL-100 | Radon | Indoor Air Quality