FAQ's
Frequently Asked Questions
A home around 2,000 sq ft takes a couple of hours to inspect from start to finish. Most inspections are completed within three hours.
The report is the property of the buyer. A home inspector cannot share the report with anyone unless permission from the client is given.
The State of Washington does not permit the cost of repairs to be included in inspection reports. However, if repairs are needed, our team has a long list of reputable contractors that we can recommend.
No, it’s not required. Attendance is encouraged as the inspection is a great time for you to ask any questions you may have. For clients that are unable to attend an inspection a phone call at the end of the inspection can be done to give them a heads up on any serious issues.
There are some repairs that a seller may be required to do before closing. The house should be safe and essential systems must be functional, examples are having the septic system inspected and serviced, adding smoke and CO2 detectors, fixing a broken furnace, a leaking pipe, etc.
Typically agents recommend inspectors that are competent as it is a reflection on them. Here at In Depth Home Inspection we recommend reading reviews of home inspectors before selecting one to hire.
Every house should have a sewer inspection, even if the house is new. A lot can go wrong during the construction process. A sewer pipe can sag or be crushed during backfill, an installer may forget to glue the joints in the pipe, an unqualified contractor may install the pipe incorrectly, the pipe may be clogged with construction debris, or the sewer pipe may not even be hooked up to the city main line (yes, that does happen).
A home inspector will need access to the electrical panel, water heater, furnace, attic, crawlspace, and water shut off. An inspector will want to inspect kitchen appliances, under sinks and around bathing areas. These areas should be cleared of personal items.
Dogs should be confined to a room if possible. If a dog has a history of aggression we advise that it’s not present during the inspection.
We include recommendations for all issues listed in the report. Inspector recommended contractors are listed on the website. They have been carefully selected and vetted.
The base home inspection is $500. That is for a house 2,000 sq ft or under. There is a price reduction for townhomes, condos, warranty inspections, and new construction inspections. Fees for houses that are larger than 2,000 sq ft are increased $50 for each additional 500 sq ft.
Hiring an inspector that has construction experience is certainly a plus. Look for an inspector that received their training through ASHI as this training program is regarded to be the best. Home inspectors are required to have an active business license in the State of Washington. You can also look at online reviews to get a general idea of their qualifications. If an inspector is offering deeply discounted pricing it may be an indication of poor qualifications or sub-par work.
For a pre-listing inspection - the earlier the better. This will give the seller adequate time to repair any issues that may help the house sell easier and for a better price. For buyers, a home inspection can proceed as soon as their offer has been accepted. There is usually a limited time to do the inspection, so scheduling should be done as soon as possible.
It is extremely rare for an inspector to recommend against buying a house. This will happen when the condition of the house is unsafe or in a state of deterioration where it doesn’t make sense financially to purchase the house. All houses will have issues, even new ones. Almost all issues can be repaired, for a price. Really it's the buyer and their agent who decide if the house is a fail/pass, based on the findings of the inspection.
The short answer is no. There is a lot of training that goes into a home inspection. Home inspectors are not invested in the house and will perform an inspection without bias. Buying a home is a big deal - it’s important to know the condition of the house and extent of repairs that may need to be performed. A typical homeowner may approach the house with bias and have little knowledge on how to properly identify issues and understand the cause and extent of any underlying issues.
The State of Washington requires agents to be present for buyers or prospective buyers inspections. The agents are there for the inspectors safety and to ensure that the house is secure during the inspection. With the hot real estate market, agents can get a firsthand idea of the condition of the house and quickly decide with the client if an offer should be made.
ASHI is an organization of and for home inspectors. An inspector must go through ASHI training to join. ASHI provides some of the best training in the US and Canada. ASHI equires that inspectors take continuing education classes. Many of these classes are taught in person by experts in their perspective fields.
Absolutely! It’s certainly a good idea for a buyer to look through the home and identify any concerns they may have and bring those up to the inspector. It is a good idea to do this at the start and/or end of the inspection and not mid-stream. If questions arise after the inspection, our team is happy to address those too.
Seller's are required to have their system inspected by a certified on-site system maintainer. That inspection is only for the septic system. It does not include an inspection of the waste line from the house to the septic system. There may be a clog or leak in the waste pipe and the septic system inspector would have no idea.
Well water can become contaminated with fecal coliforms, nitrates, VOC's, lead, and other germs or chemical compounds. The CDC recommends that well water be tested every year. If a house is supplied by a public utility and has older supply pipes the drinking water should be tested as there may be lead in the solder used to join the pipes. Lead solder was banned by the EPA in 1986. Galvanized pipes can also have high lead levels.
