Other Types Of Inspections

Commercial Property Inspections

I perform commercial property inspections for owners and buyers of businesses and income producing properties. I have an extensive commercial property background: I worked maintenance in public buildings; was employed as an assistant plant engineer at a food production facility; did commercial concrete construction in college; and I worked as a project manager doing commercial property construction and restoration after college. Since 1999 I've been inspecting commercial properties in conjunction with my home inspection business. I've inspected office buildings, grocery stores, restaurants, warehouses, food production facilities, agricultural production / farms, medical offices, multi-family dwellings / apartments / condos, retirement homes / assisted care facilities, schools, bars / taverns, and retail stores. I pride myself on being a person that's got a grasp on the various rules and regulations applicable to commercial buildings relative to their age and use, and also as someone who can help evaluate the condition and durability of a property's components, which is important when inspecting commercial properties because income vs. cost is the #1 consideration when investing in commercial property.

Pre-Listing Inspections

I'm often contacted by homeowners to do inspections on homes that are going to be sold but not yet put on the market; these types of inspections are called "pre-listing inspections." Prelisting inspections are a point of conflict for me because often the consequences for the parties involved are negative: 1) I usually find problems that homeowners don't want to know about; 2) homeowners are required to disclose the problems I discover to a buyer before the buyer makes an offer; 3) I've discovered that some home sellers will alter pre-listing inspection reports to deceive buyers into believing a home is in better condition than it is; 4) some buyers wrongly assume a pre-listing inspection could be a substitute for a warranty, or think the inspector could be liable for problems that might arise subsequent to a home's sale; 5) it is my opinion a home purchaser should have a thorough home inspection when buying a home whether or not a home was inspected prior to the purchaser making an offer, but if I've already inspected the property they'll be less likely to hire an inspector, thus by doing pre-listing inspections I'm knowingly acting in a way that will affect the decisions of buyers to have their own inspection done; 6) there are likely to be some problems that occur with a home at some point between when the pre-listing inspection was conducted and when the home is purchased, and; 7) inevitably there will be problems with a home - I want my clients to call me when these occur so I am aware of the problems, and so perhaps I can help them resolve the issues, but I don't want to be obligated to provide the same service to a non-client who moved into a house I inspected for a different party. My typical whole home inspections are also an opportunity for me to point out to buyers important things they should be aware of, such as seasonal maintenance, safety issues, and energy efficiency. Pre-listing inspections take away my opportunity to share that information one-on-one with the future homeowners, which is one of the most important parts of the inspection process.

Every time I've inspected a home that had a pre-listing inspection I found major problems that were overlooked by the other inspectors. How can I make homebuyers aware of the need to have their own inspection done if I'm doing pre-listing inspections all over town?

My solution to these dilemmas is to provide a "pre-listing consultation" to home sellers in which I perform a typical whole home inspection as I would for a buyer, and walk the seller(s) through the property pointing out all my observations and providing an oral report, but not providing a written report. This allows a seller to be aware of what problems are likely to come up during a typical home inspection or affect a home's sale, but the lack of a written report ensures a buyer won't be relying on me, as a third-party contractor, to verify the home is in better or worse condition than it actually is. A buyer should always get their own home inspection, even if a home had a pre-listing inspection.

Common Residential Specialty Inspections Include:

In addition to standard pre-purchase whole home inspections, I provide the following inspection services

· Roof

· Foundation

· Air Quality and / or Odor

· Water / Moisture Damage

· Home Repairs and Remodeling

· Contractor Dispute Resolution

· House Warranty Review

Home Inspections are not just for homebuyers. I often do home inspections for existing homeowners who need consulting regarding repairs, remodeling, existing problems or just general information.

I provide advice and review plans for persons planning home construction in an effort to make their future homes efficient and problem free. All too often I am asked to inspect a brand new house that has problems that could have been prevented had there been an independent party review the plans or doing just minimal consultation through the planning and building process.

A home inspector is a good option if an independent opinion is needed between homeowners and contractors that may be in disagreement. I have testified in legal hearings as an expert witness and I have been referred by various government agencies including the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services regarding air quality issues based on my training and experience as a water, smoke and fire restoration contractor.

While I consider myself very knowledgeable on all aspects of a home, I refer more specialized inspections to the specialists. If you have specific concerns regarding mechanical systems (plumbing, electrical, HVAC), fireplace / chimney, wood destroying insects, mold, carbon monoxide, lead, asbestos, etc.), I would recommend you call a professional contractor that specializes in these fields. They can provide a more qualified opinion, plus they should be able provide an estimate if any repairs are required.

I do not provide hazardous materials / gasses testing, such as radon, lead, asbestos, mold or natural gas. I do however inspect for indicators of such hazards and will advise accordingly.