HOME INSPECTION PREPARATION

  HOME BUYERS & HOME SELLERS

BUYER DO’S:

Schedule and allow an adequate amount of time for your inspection, if you’re planning on attending. For small condominium units and town homes where only your interior areas are being inspected, schedule one (1) to one and one-half (1.5) hours. For larger condominium and town home units, plan on one and one-half (1.5) to two (2) hours. For smaller homes, plan on a minimum of two (2) to two and one-half (2.5) hours. For larger three bedroom and most four bedroom homes, plan on two and one-half (2.5) to three (3) hours. Homes over 3,500 square feet and very old homes in marginal condition can be expected to take longer to thoroughly-inspect.

If the property is unoccupied or vacant, it is essential that you work with your representing Agent to insure that all utilities are turned-on prior to the inspection, including natural gas for home and water heating, electricity, and water supply. If these utilities are not turned-on, you will receive a less-than-comprehensive home inspection, or, a trip fee will be assessed and a re-scheduling of the inspection will be necessary. Utilities (fuel, electricity, water) which are shut-off, locked-out, tagged-out, weatherized or otherwise not operable cannot be activated by your inspector.

Pilot lights (boilers, furnaces and water heaters) must be on before the inspector arrives. Our insurance underwriters absolutely prohibit our inspectors from lighting appliance pilots or activating shut-down utilities.

Double-check with your representing Agent to insure that the Seller and the seller’s Agent know that the inspection is scheduled for a certain time and date. Almost universally, home sellers and their families will not be pleased if we show-up, unannounced and unexpectedly, at their home.

Inform your professional inspector of any particular concerns you have about the property being inspected. A copy of any pertinent Seller disclosures regarding the home’s condition may be useful, if one is available.

BUYER DON’TS:

If at all possible, leave the young ones, mom & dad, Uncle Fred, and grandma at home. There are several good reasons for this: most home sellers do NOT appreciate a crowd of folks they don’t know bustling through their home, unless by prior arrangement. Also, if you are preoccupied minding small or very active children, (or, for that matter, larger and very active adults) you’ll find it difficult to focus on items and topics your inspector may need to review with you. Finally, a crowd of people in a relatively small home will make it difficult for your inspector to get around, and may seriously distract the inspector from concentrating on providing you with the most thorough inspection possible.

Inspectors are traditionally paid-for their services, at the time of service. Don’t forget your checkbook. For your convenience, we accept most forms of payment, including cash, money orders, Visa, M/C, Amex, Discover, and bank/personal/business/Travelers checks. Billing terms are available by prior arrangement, only.

SELLER DO’S:

Allow an adequate amount of time for your buyer’s inspection. For small condominium units and town homes where only your interior areas are being inspected, allow one (1) to one and one-half (1.5) hours. For larger condominium and town home units, plan on allowing one and one-half (1.5) to two (2) hours. For smaller homes, plan on allowing a minimum of two (2) to two and one-half (2.5) hours. For larger three bedroom and most four bedroom homes, plan on two and one-half (2.5) to three (3) hours. Homes over 3,500 square feet and very old homes in marginal condition can be expected to take longer to thoroughly-inspect.

Leave. If you can, that is, at least for the duration of the inspection. Your circumstances may prevent you from being able to leave the house, and we understand this. Remember, however, that most home buyers do not wish their inspector to discuss a home’s deficiencies in-front of the home’s owner. Frankly, most home owners will also find this to be an uncomfortable situation.

Cage, crate, kennel or otherwise segregate your pets. It’s not that we don’t like pets (we love them), it’s just that we do NOT want to be responsible for Spot running away, or worse. Your inspector will be going in-and-out of the home’s main doors, and will be moving around the entire property.

Insure complete access to the home’s mechanical and structural spaces. We understand that you may have a lot of “stuff,” and it may be impractical to move a lot of the “stuff.” Nonetheless, your home buyer is expecting a thorough examination of THEIR prospective new home. The inspector will need unobstructed access to the home’s main electrical fuse or breaker panel, and any other electrical distribution panels or equipment; the home’s water heating equipment; the home’s heating equipment (furnace, boilers, stoves, fireplaces) and cooling equipment (compressor/condenser); the home’s attic(s), crawlspace, and other mechanical access areas, including the garage. We’re not lazy, and certainly don’t mind moving a few things to get the access we require. On the other hand, we’re NOT movers, and we have no desire to accidentally damage anything you hold dear.

SELLER DON’TS:

Illinois state law forbids your buyer’s home inspector from discussing anything about the home’s condition with YOU, unless the home buyer authorizes it in writing, or by clear verbal agreement. Please don’t ask the inspector if he or she thinks the home is in “O.K.” shape; please don’t ask the inspector if things are “wrong” with the home; please don’t ask the inspector if the home “passed” inspection (homes neither pass nor fail professional home inspections). We’re not being difficult…it’s the LAW. This is one more great reason to leave the home for the duration of the inspection, if possible. If the home buyer chooses to share all or part of their inspection Report with you, and authorizes us to discuss all or portions of our findings with you, we will gladly do-so upon request or direction.

Please do not schedule an open-house, get-together, birthday party, etc. during the scheduled inspection time. The inspector will strive to provide the most thorough inspection possible to your Buyer; filling the home with people during the scheduled inspection will not create conditions conducive to a thorough home inspection.

STEM TO STERN INSPECTION SERVICES

 LOCAL: (815) 521-1215

E-MAIL: inspect4me@sbcglobal.net