You may be wondering…What is a pre-sale inspection? Although a home inspection in years past has been synonymous with being performed during the sale of the home by the buyer, it is now an industry norm and experts recommend for the seller to have an inspection conducted prior to listing their home.
What is inspected during a standard home inspection? See the below examples. Need more than what is on this list? See our Additional Services page. Our Additional Services include Wood Destroying Insect Inspections (Termite) (at no additional charge) and Radon Testing (at an additional charge).
*Structure: including but not limited to:
Foundation
Floors
Walls
Ceilings
Roof
*Exterior: including but not limited to:
Exterior doors
Windows
Decks, balconies, porches, steps, stoops and railings
Patios & driveways
Garage Doors
Vegetation
Exterior wall type surface
*Roofing: including but not limited to:
Roofing surface
Roof drainage systems
Flashing
Skylights
Chimney exterior
*Plumbing: including but not limited to:
Drain, waste and vent systems
Water Heating systems
Interior water supply & distribution systems
Drainage sumps
*Electrical: including but not limited to:
Service entrance system
Main disconnects, panel and sub panels
Service grounding
Wiring
Lighting fixtures, switches and receptacles
Ground fault circuit interrupters
*Heating: including but not limited to:
Heating equipment & distribution type
Energy Sources
*Cooling: including but not limited to: (weather permitted)
Cooling equipment & distribution type
Energy sources
*Interior Components: including but not limited to
Walls, ceilings & floors (excluding paint, wallpaper and other finish treaments)
Steps, stairways & railings
Kitchen cabinet securing
At least one interior passage door and operate one window per room
Household appliances limited to: range & oven, dishwasher, garbage disposer
*Insulation: including but not limited to:
Insulation in unfinished spaces adjacent to heated areas
Evidence of inadequate attic & crawlspace ventilation
*Fireplaces & Solid Fuel Burning Appliances
Describe types of fireplaces & solid fuel burning appliances
Energy source description
Visible evidence of draft characteristics
What are some examples of what is not covered and should not be expected in a home inspection?
*Pools
*Radon Testing (this is an additional service)
*Wood Destroying Insect Inspections aka Termite Inspections (this is an additional service that is bundled in)
*Fencing
*Sheds / Outbuildings
*Screenings, shutters, awnings and similar seasonal accessories
*Geological, geotechnical or hydrological conditions
*Recreational facilities
*Seawalls, break-walls and docks
*Erosion control and earth stabilization measures
*Enter any area or perform any procedure which is, in the opinion of the home inspector or associate home inspector, unsafe and likely to be dangerous to the inspector or other persons.
*Enter any area or perform any procedure which will, in the opinion of the home inspector or associate home inspector, likely damage the property or its systems or components.
*Enter any area which does not have at least 24 inches of unobstructed vertical clearance and at least 30 inches of unobstructed horizontal clearance.
*Identify concealed conditions and latent defects.
*Determine life expectancy of any system or components.
*Determine the cause of any condition or deficiency.
*Determine future conditions that may occur including the failure of systems and components including consequential damages.
*Determine the operating costs of systems or components.
*Determine the suitability of the property for any specialized use.
*Determine compliance with codes, regulations and/or ordinances.
*Determine market value of the property or its marketability.
*Determine advisability of purchase of the property.
*Determine the presence of any potentially hazardous plants, animals or diseases or the presence of any suspected hazardous substances or adverse conditions such as mold, fungus, toxins, carcinogens, noise, and contaminants in soil, water, and air.
*Determine the effectiveness of any system installed or method utilized to control or remove suspected hazardous substances.
*Operate any system or component which is shut down or otherwise inoperable.
*Operate any system or component which does not respond to normal operating controls.
*Operate shut-off valves.
*Determine whether water supply and waste disposal systems are public or private.
*Insert any tool, probe or testing device inside electrical panels.
*Dismantle any electrical device or control other than to remove the covers of main and sub panels
*Walk on unfloored sections of attics
*Light pilot flames or ignite or extinguish fires
Once the inspection is completed, pursuant to NJ Standards of practice, a home inspection report is then produced. Want to see sample JLC Home Inspections Reports? Click Here
Want to know more about what is covered during an inspection? Reach out!