Inspection Services
Korey Robertson REQUEST AN INSPECTION
Professional Home Inspector
TREC#0009136, Certified Federal Disaster Inspector # 29998
Texas Dept. of Insurance VIP# 12102071074
Korey Robertson REQUEST AN INSPECTION Professional Home Inspector TREC#0009136, Certified Federal Disaster Inspector # 29998 Texas Dept. of Insurance VIP# 12102071074
|
|
|
Q: How much do you charge for an inspection? A: This is usually one of the first questions asked by my clients. Inspectors fees vary widely. Some inspectors charge a flat rate, some based on the size of the home, some based on hourly rates, some based on the age of home, location of the home, etc. At Lake Cities Inspection Services our fees are based on many factors. For full details, visit our Price and Fees page. We consider the age, location, type of foundation, extra's such as sprinkler systems, outbuildings, swimming pools, etc, and size of the home. This way you only pay for the services you receive. When requesting a quote, please have available answers to the following questions:
Q: I have the report, now what? A: Many home buyers make one very common mistake, they fail to read the reports. Sometimes they will read the summary only or assume that all deficiencies have been discussed verbally. Your next step should be to take the time to read the report in its entirety. It contains very helpful information that will help you in final negotiations as well as tips on maintenance. You paid for the report, make the most of it and read it. If you ever have any questions about your report, terminology, situations, or anything, please call us. We would be happy to answer all questions.
Q: I'm building a new house, do I need an inspection? A: YES! When building a house it is strongly recommended you have several inspections. While it is true that most cities and counties require multiple phases of code inspections be performed by city inspectors, they only check for a few specific codes. LCIS will check for quality to make sure properly building procedures are followed. For example, certain types of plumbing systems have specific installation requirements to insure stability and long life. Code inspectors do not check this and 5, 10, or 15 years down the road, the structure could obtain major damage from improperly installed plumbing. You want to make sure all aspects of the building is performed properly to insure long life, safety, and maintained value of your new home. Don't take my word for it, read this home buyer's report.
Q: Can a home fail an inspection? A: No. There are few if any homes that are perfect. You should expect some defects to be noted in the report, but this is normal. The purpose of a home inspection is not to pass or fail, it's to identify defects before you close, so you know exactly what you are buying or selling. If you are the buyer, you can sometimes negotiate repairs of major items with the seller to save hundreds in future repair costs. If you are the seller, you can have major items repaired before you list the home which will allow you to factor in the repair costs into the price of the home and again save you hundreds or even thousands at closing.
Q: I'm selling a home, why would I pay for the inspection when the buyer will pay for it anyway? A: This is a good and frequent question. Unfortunately, Real Estate Agents generally do not always understand the full benefits of a Sellers Inspection and may guide you to not having it done. They are not doing you justice when they do. Let's say you have some foundation problems of which you are unaware. This will be discovered on a Buyers inspection and the Buyer is going to hire the highest priced foundation repair company to bid the repairs, then they will want and expect you to give them that much either up front or off the selling price. Let's say the repair company quotes $10,000 for the repair. But if you know about it in advance, you can bid out the repairs find a company that will do the same work for $5,000, give you lifetime transferable warranty, then up your selling price by $10,000 because you have a guaranty on your foundation! Now, put that into profit/loss - You originally list the house for $100K, if the buyer finds the problems you are now selling for $90K, you find the problem and resolve the issue, you are now selling for $110K, that's $20K additional selling price that cost you $5K so you in fact profited additional $15K by knowing about the issue first! Seller inspections are very POWERFUL Tools!
Q: Do I have to be there during the inspection? A: Yes and No. While we never "Require" you to be at the inspection, it is STRONGLY recommended. If you are a buyer, this allows you the opportunity to communicate with the inspector. We don't charge hourly rates, so ask as many questions as you want and keep asking until you fully understand the answer. If you are not there at the inspection, you are loosing a valuable opportunity to learn about the home you are buying, maintenance information, and about half of what you are actually paying for.
Q: If I'm there during the inspection and asking questions, doesn't this bother the inspector and keep him from doing his job? A: Absolutely NOT. We want an firm dialog during the inspection. Follow the inspector around watch everything he does, ask as many questions as you want. If it takes the inspector an additional 2-3 hours that it would have otherwise, and you are are more satisfied, we are more satisfied about our performance. You are our client and our job is to inform you. What better way to inform you than keeping an open and active dialog during the inspection. We love the questions! Ask away!
Q: My Realtor says not to hire an inspector who isn't a member of _____ organization. Are you a member? A: Currently, the inspector is a "member" of Independent Home Inspectors of North America (IHINA). The inspector has passed the tests required for membership to ASHI and NACHI but has chosen to not join these organizations because of the very high fees for membership. These fees would have to be passed on to our clients in the form of higher prices and we choose to keep our prices down as much as possible. The inspector obtains a minimum of 24 hours per year of continued education (only 16 hours are required by TREC). NACHI does have options for free membership if you agree to sell other companies products such as Brinks, during the inspection process. This goes against our core values and we will not sell you anything other than our own services. Our inspector does frequently attend meetings and training sessions from ASHI, NACHI, and TAREI the same as members do.
|
|
Copyright © 2006 LC Inspection Services
|
