Once you have decided to get a home inspection you need to first schedule a home inspection by calling the company. When scheduling you should take in to consideration the current home owners schedule, your schedule and your timeline for house closing. You will want to get your home inspection scheduled as early as possible in the purchase process just in case there are major deficiencies found that would need repairs prior to closing.
After your home inspection is scheduled, I will contact the listing real estate agent and schedule the inspection with the home owner. If the house is a "For Sale By Owner" you will need to notify the current homeowner of the date and time to ensure they can have the house open and prepared for inspection. Things the homeowner could do to help with the inspection process would be as follows:
*Be on time to open the house and be prepared to leave, or deal with the home inspector's presence in the home for a period of at least four hours. The home inspector works for the person who hired him. The home inspector will not answer questions or argue with home owners over deficiencies discovered during the inspection, although the home inspector may ask homeowner (if available) questions regarding suspicious items identified during the inspection. The inspection process is an unbiased evaluation of the home and its systems condition.
*Move as many items as possible away from walls. A home inspector will not move items away from walls because of the liability associated with breaking someone's personal property.
*Secure pets in areas that are not to be inspected. Home inspectors will not inspect areas occupied by pets. There is too great a risk of a homeowner's pet escaping to the outdoors, or the pet becoming violent and injuring the pet or home inspector.
*Trim the vegetation around the house so that the home inspector can get a good look at the foundation from the outside and ensure proper drainage.
*Keep the utilities on. Major operating systems can not be properly tested without utilities.
*Remove items from around the furnace, water heater, circuit breaker boxes, and air conditioner to provide plenty of work space for the home inspector to properly inspect them.
*Remove dishes from the dishwasher or prepare the dishwasher with soap. The dishwasher will be operated through a full cycle.
*Make sure the access to the attic and crawl space is clear so that the inspector can gain access.
When I arrive on the day of the inspection, I will get right to work conducting the inspection. You are welcome to come at that time or wait until the inspection is complete. You may walk around with me if you would like, or just explore your prospective new home. Be advised if you are planning to walk through with me, you must maintain a safe distance. I will be dealing with high voltage and working on ladders which you will not be allowed to climb on. The inspection process takes about four hours on average. When the inspection is complete, I will finalize the home inspection report on the computer and print it out with color photos attached to anything found that is marginal or defective. Before the report will be released, I must have the Pre-Inspection Contract completed including signature, in my posession. I will also collect payment and provide you with an invoice. Then I will review the report with you and do a walk-through to show you my findings. This generally takes about an hour. You will be the only person to receive a copy of the home inspection report. If you want others to have a copy, you must provide them with a copy, or sign an authorization form allowing me to email it to others that you list.