Types of Home Inspections

STANDARD HOME INSPECTION or PRE-PURCHASE (Buyer's) INSPECTIONS

A Pre-purchase Massachusetts inspection is usually performed after a property has been put on the Real Estate market by a Seller, but before a potential Buyer has taken possession of the property prior to the closing contract. The Buyer will usually sign a contingency agreement with the Seller prior to ordering this type of home inspection. If a property fails to meet the Buyer's expectations as a result of the home inspection, then the sale of the home could be jeopardized. In many cases, a Buyer's Inspection will help both the Buyer and the Seller to identify damages or other issues that may exist with a property so that both parties can either renegotiate the selling price or the Seller has the option of taking the responsibility of repairing the property at the Seller's expense, prior to close of escrow.

Even if the Seller has already performed a Seller's Inspection and has a report from another home inspector, Buyers should always perform their own home inspection to prevent "Seller's bias" in any way, shape or form. I will perform a complete inspection of your prospective home, which includes evaluating over 400 items throughout the home. It normally takes me approximately 2 ½ to 3 ½ hours to complete the home inspection, depending on the size and the existing condition of the home. I will then produce your report in my office, which will contain every bit of detailed information about the home. What Do I Inspect?

PRE-LISTING (Seller's) HOME INSPECTIONS

Pre-Listing or "Seller" Massachusetts Inspections are normally performed by the Seller prior to listing their home on the real estate market, but it can also be performed while the home is actually listed. The earlier the Seller has this inspection performed, the more time they will have to make needed or wanted repairs. This will decrease the likelihood of a long list of repair requests from the Buyer's side, which in turn, will speed up the sale and the closing process. All Pre-Listing inspection reports are completed in my office. Once the Pre-Listing inspection is complete, I will email your home inspection report to you the same day.

POST HOME INSPECTIONS

At times the Massachusetts Real Estate market can become very HOT and require you to purchase your dream home while waiving your home inspection. If you are in this position then I highly recommend you hire me to walk you through your property immediately after you close and before you move in. You will walk alongside me while I inspect your new property and confirm that there are no major defects or health and safety hazards within the property. I will also teach you how your home works and show you what to do in order to properly maintain your dream home. I will then document all my findings into a comprehensive electronic report (with images) and email it to you by the end of the day. Do yourself a favor and allow me to walk you through your new home and go over every little detail about your home.

INFRARED (THERMAL) INSPECTIONS - VIDEO

An infrared inspection in Massachusetts is a non-invasive predictive maintenance technique that uses an infrared imaging and measurement camera to "see" and "measure" thermal energy emitted from surfaces within a building. Infrared cameras see "heat" (our eyes see "light"), and therefore infrared cameras (by definition) can see what our eyes cannot see. I utilize this infrared camera to locate an array of building conditions. Combined with my traditional home inspection techniques, the infrared inspection method reveals substantially more of the house than can be perceived by the naked eye and many conventional inspection tools. Don't settle for a standard visual home inspection that may overlook hidden problems! Thermal imaging exposes potential problems in living color.

MY INFRARED IMAGING WEBSITE

NEW CONSTRUCTION (BUILDER) INSPECTIONS

New Construction inspections in Massachusetts are usually performed immediately after your new home has been built and is considered "ready" for occupancy by the builder and appropriate legal authorities (such as a zoning or code inspector). I will perform a complete inspection of the new home and components. Even though the components are brand new, my inspection procedures are the same as they are in the older homes. It will include evaluating hundreds of items throughout the home. It normally takes me approximately 2 ½ to 3 ½ hours to complete a typical inspection, depending on the size of the home and the builder’s workmanship. I will then produce your inspection report off-site which will contain all the detailed information about your prospective home. All inspection reports are completed in my office and emailed the same day.

BARNS, HORSE STABLES and HORSE ARENAS

I have a trained eye for farm structures as I have inspected many equestrian related structures throughout our rural towns in Massachusetts. I will always start on the exterior of these very large structures to inspect the siding, wall penetrations, roofing material and all installed components. The exterior shell will tell me alot about how this building is standing. Then onto the interior where all the long structural members, beams and their supports and stall perimeters will be thoroughly inspected. I start with the lower structural sills, then onto the wall structure and then on up to the long-spanned roof framing that hold our very heavy snow-loads. Then I will inspect the entire electrical system that powers the structure to confirm that all wiring is safe to you and the animals on-site. And if there are mechanicals on-site such as heating and plumbing, these will also be included in my inspection. As we walk through your farm structures together I'll be looking for compromised components and safety and support issues that may cause harm to people and animals.

CHURCH INSPECTIONS - SEE IMAGES

I've performed many Massachusetts church and rectory inspections over the years, so you can feel confident that your entire church will be inspected properly. Your church inspection will be performed in the same manner as any other commercial building with the only difference being the steeple, the alter, the seating area for the parishioners and the kitchen (if equipped). These areas of the church will also be thoroughly inspected. I will also access the upper belfry cavity and inspect the functioning condition of the existing bell and its supports and the structural integrity of the entire steeple structure. Please allow me to walk you through your building(s) to point out existing issues and at the same time I'll show you how to properly maintain this property so it will last another 100 years.

FIRST ANNUAL WARRANTY INSPECTIONS

New Homes in Massachusetts - A warranty inspection is performed prior to the 1-year expiration of your newly built home warranty that was provided to you by your builder at your closing. A warranty inspection is used to take advantage of the features and benefits of your home warranty to assure that necessary repairs that are guaranteed under your builder’s warranty are executed, should I discover any existing issues or problems. I will perform a complete inspection of your new home, which includes evaluating over 400 items throughout your home. All Warranty inspection reports are completed and sent to your smart phone the same day.

COMMERCIAL BUILDING INSPECTIONS

Office Buildings
Retail Space
Medical Facilities
Multi-Family Housing
Apartment Buildings
Condominium Complexes
Churches
Hotels/motels
Restaurants
Industrial Warehouses
Shopping Malls and Strip Malls

A Commercial inspection in Massachusetts is a detailed visual inspection of the building's structure (inside and out), the roof and the mechanical systems and components within. I will be performing an objective examination of your prospective building and property to assure you that its existing condition meets your approval. Knowing the condition of a commercial building will allow you to budget more accurately and provide for expenditures down the road -- whether it's a new roof, replacing an HVAC system or simple maintenance or safety related items.

Chances are you've either already made a large investment or you're about to…and if you didn't have the commercial building inspected before you close on escrow, you may have to dig further into your pocket later, in order to bring the building back up to today’s standards. I fully understand that you have a business to run and the last thing you need (as a Buyer or property manager) is surprises. Whether you own, are about to lease, or, are purchasing a commercial building, don't wait until you take ownership to find out what condition the building's systems (and components) are really in.

I will slowly walk you through any size commercial property and show you what you are actually getting into. No one likes last minute surprises, especially on such a huge investment. That's why an inspection is intended to show you the actual condition of the building and property, which reduces your risk. It is possible that I may dispel your beliefs about the condition of your commercial building. If this is not the case, and I confirm your beliefs about its condition, then you can take comfort in knowing that too. All Commercial inspection reports are completed in my office and emailed the same day.

PERIODIC MAINTENANCE INSPECTIONS

Periodic Maintenance Inspections in Massachusetts are best if performed every two years, to assure the health and safety of you and your family and to protect the security of your real estate investment. All New England structures will get weathered and worn down over time from our heavy seasonal rains, and the windy blizzards, so Periodic Maintenance Inspections are necessary in order to assure the integrity of your structure. While performing your maintenance inspection, I can also identify possible indoor pollutants such as Radon, dangerous Carbon monoxide levels, and Mold build-up. I will also evaluate your building's integrity by inspecting crucial components that could be compromised by cracked or stressed beams or one of many foundation issues. I can also visually inspect for Termites or other wood-destroying insects that can destroy your home without you even knowing it. Any of these situations can contribute to a decrease in your home’s value and can pose a significant physical risk to you and your family if not identified in a timely manner. All Periodic Maintenance Reports are completed in my office and emailed to you the same day.

INVESTIGATIVE INSPECTIONS

Investigative Inspections are most-often used when a Massachusetts homeowner feels that a problem may exist on their property. For example, you may want to engage in an Investigative Inspection after a hurricane with heavy winds and rain or a blizzard, if you experience an odd smell in your home that cannot be identified, or if you notice unusual pest and insect activity. In many cases, Investigative Inspections can help homeowners to catch problems before they become an expensive or irreversible liability. All Investigative inspection reports are completed on-site the same day. Once the investigative inspection is complete, Ill be emailing your report to you the same day.

BANK LOAN (DRAW) INSPECTIONS

Bank Loan Inspections are required by all Massachusetts Lending Institutions to determine the amount of work that has been completed at a construction site so that the Borrower (a Construction Company or Home Builder) can draw on their loan. I provide this inspection service to construction lenders throughout the United States. I act as the eyes and ears for Lending institutions that are prepared to commence on a partial payment of a construction loan for residential and commercial buildings. I basically report on the current state of a construction site by providing Lenders with an accurate snapshot of the building that is under construction or ready for renovation. When bank draw inspections are performed, the reports are submitted to the Lending institution within hours of being requested.

RENTAL PROPERTY INSPECTIONS

A Massachusetts rental property inspection is performed when property owners have tenants moving in or out of their rental apartments or homes and they would like to document the existing condition of their property from negligence. I act as the eyes and ears for the Landlord and report my honest, independent and unbiased views of the living areas of the home. I will be reporting on safety issues, fire issues, holes in walls/ceilings, missing appliances, inoperative or unsafe electrical, etc. All Rental Property inspection reports are completed in my office and emailed to you the same day.

WOOD BORING INSECT INSPECTIONS

This is one very important inspection that I highly recommend every Massachusetts home Buyer has performed during my home inspection. I will inspect and carefully probe all visible areas of the home for Termites, Powder Post Beetles and Carpenter Ants. Additional information

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Dave had an impressive website that seemed to be too thorough to be anything but genuine. The thing that seemed to sell me was that he says right on his website that you may pay a little more for his service, but that his quality is higher. So I decided to give him a try even though I had no reference from another person hoping for someone of top quality. I was not disappointed. He was at the home early as promised and had done an inspection of the exterior and was writing up notes so that when I arrived, he walked me through the exterior first. Even with his early arrival, we were still there for about 3 hours looking through every little corner and cubby. He would occasionally stop and fill out his inspection forms which were easy to follow and read; he gives you a full folder of his notes that are well organized.

Dave was open to all questions and concerns so every time I saw something that was potentially concerning to me, he would look, give his opinion and often shared other experiences with similar circumstances. He also had a good sense of humor which helped to lighten what can be a stressful experience (having someone pointing out problem items that you didn't see). I would highly recommend Massachusetts Home Inspections.

Michael