Frequently Asked Questions

---

A Home Inspection is a snapshot in time of the condition of the major systems and components of the house.

Systems such as the roof, exterior, plumbing, electrical, heating, cooling, attics, crawlspaces, garages, each room and the systems within them. For a full description of what is included, visit our Standards of Practice page.

The short answer is: Yes.

You are looking at a property to buy; you need someone with no emotional or financial attachment to it = Unbiased.

You are looking to sell your home; a professional Home Inspector may just reacquaint you with some of those things that have fallen into the "blind spot", which could send some potential buyers walking.

Pretty close to3,000 items checked or looked for, no matter the size of the house.

As a Certified Master Inspector®, I am on the lookout for what is missing, broken, damaged, inoperable, inadequate, insufficient, improper, unsafe, hazardous, dangerous... You get the idea?

You're about to make a purchase or sale for a substantial amount of funds that will be committed for many years to come. Ask yourself if you have the knowledge and experience of an InterNACHI® Certified Master Inspector®.  Let me ask you, do you perform all of the repairs on your current home, car, children?

Many people cannot make it on inspection day due to scheduling conflicts. Some people request a day when they can attend. Some agents insist on being present, others not. Personally, I work well either way, but I may get sidetracked and miss something if I'm interrupted. If you plan on attending, bring a notepad and pen to write down your questions, we can all get together at the end to discuss our findings.

Consider the Inspection Report as you would a tool. With it you will be informed about the condition of the house, its systems, its major components, items needing repair or correction, maybe replacement.

As a buyer, this can be a negotiation tool.

As a seller, you can determine what you will take care of and what will remain.

An average home inspection will take anywhere from a couple of hours to several hours; depending on the size of the home, your wants and needs, the condition of the home, and the age of the building. Some homes have been well maintained and kept up, leaving very little for the inspector to find. Some homes have been a little more neglected or "maintenance deferred",  requiring more observation & documentation. 

Each inspection report produced contains pictures or video (if possible) of the defects, or a graphic illustration or example photo to aid in a clearer understanding of the issue. Also included are photos of important system components like:

• Water meter & main shutoff valve
• Gas meter & shutoff valve
• Water heater & data label
• Furnace or Heater & data label
• Electric panel

At Highlander Inspections, we use Spectora reporting software which takes the hassle out of report viewing. Reports are unlocked in the system after the inspection agreement has been signed & payment has been delivered. When the report has been published, the link to it remains live for as long as it is present in the server. 

Only the party contracting for the inspection, and their agent, will receive the link to the inspection report.

Other agents and interested parties will not receive a copy unless authorized by the original purchaser of the inspection service. The report is the property of only those contracting with Highlander Inspections.

Each inspection and report is a snapshot in time in regards to the condition and state of the property.

Things change all of the time, often unbeknownst to us.

Relying on dated information instead of getting a current situation report may not expose a defect or costly repair expense.

In a best case scenario, the report will be ready the same evening as the inspection. Otherwise, it will normally be ready to view the next day. Timelines are tight during a home purchase, we don't want to be the bottleneck holding up your transaction. Thorough, accurate and timely reports is our product.

We start with a digital camera or two, an Infrared Camera, Moisture Meter, a Radio Controlled Crawler with a High Def video camera for the underfloor areas too tight to fit a body into, a Sewer Line Camera with a Sonde & Locator for the rarely investigated Sewer Lateral out to the City Tap, a Drone to view the roofs that are steep, or high, or not walkable for damage concerns, an Electrical Tester for the receptacles or outlets, a Combustible Gas and Carbon Monoxide Detector, Flashlights, Screwdrivers, a Water Shutoff Valve Wrench, a "master key" just in case we need to ask for permission to access  a locked space housing important system components, and a slew of other specialty tools of the trade.