Our Services

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• Ensure all Utilities are turned on
• If there are pets, plan a place for them for about 3-4 hours
• Repair any minor leaks and drips
• Sinks, showers, and bathtubs clean and clear of personal items and dishes
• Appliances are accessible and free of stored items
• Repair or replace any damaged screens and windows
• Replace any burnt out light bulbs 
• Repair or replace and missing or loose switches, cover plates, and sockets
• Check batteries in smoke alarms and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
• Remove locks from gates, closets, panels, and attic access (if applicable)
• Pilot lights are lit
• Electrical panels are accessible
• Clean or replace HVAC filters
• Ensure access to the Water Heater and Heater/Air Conditioning units
• Replace downspouts and gutter splash blocks as needed
• Clean gutters and remove roof debris
• All areas that are to be inspected are accessible and free of clutter

• Remove pool cover
• Ensure Skimmers are clean
• Gates and enclosures to pool and pumps unlocked
• Pool at proper fill level

 When you buy an old house worn down by time and climate, it's a no-brainer to hire an inspector to check what shape it's in—before you commit to your purchase. But should you hire a home inspector for a new house, even if it hasn't been finished yet?

As odd as it may seem, the answer is yes. Here's why new houses should get inspected, too, and the best way to go about it.

Sure, a new home may look flawless, but that's because no one has lived in it to see if anything's amiss. Ever notice how new products can be riddled with flaws that are caught only after they've been tried out by consumers?

We know what you're wondering: Don’t county building inspectors make sure construction on a new home is up to snuff? They should, but that doesn't always happen in reality. County inspectors work for the municipality and make sure new construction lives up to a minimum building code—repeat, minimum—plus these public servants don’t work for you. And unless you’re a general contractor or know nailed drywall as opposed to screwed, well, you just might be screwed yourself.

Reuben Saltzman, president of Structure Tech Home Inspections in Minneapolis, MN, says he’s found “egregious defects with every trade in new construction.” In one new house, he discovered that a contractor had failed to install attic insulation—not a good thing in a state that regularly sees below-zero temperatures in winter.

“The code inspectors missed it,” Saltzman says. “It paid off for this buyer to have a home inspection performed.”

In fact, if you’re buying a home under construction, you should hire an inspector twice. The first time is so he can look over the home before the walls are closed, and inspect framing and systems installation. The second should be after the home is complete, so he can inspect everything else.

Once construction is complete, ask your inspector to review the house a few days before your final walk-through with the builder. The inspector is trained to notice details that escape the unpracticed eye. Add these issues to your final punch list, and don't fork over the final payment until each problem is solved.

If you’re not part of the construction process and buy a spec house after it's completed, add a home inspection contingency to your sales contract and hire an inspector to review the property before closing. Not only will an inspector make sure the house and systems are sound, but if you accompany him on his rounds, he’ll also teach you how to operate and maintain your new home.