PURPOSE OF INSPECTION

A real estate inspection is a visual survey of a structure and a basic performance evaluation of the systems and components of a building. It provides information regarding the general condition of a residence at the time the inspection was conducted. It is important that you carefully read ALL of this information. Ask the inspector to clarify any items or comments that are unclear.

RESPONSIBILITY OF THE INSPECTOR

This inspection is governed by the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) Standards of Practice (SOPs), which dictates the minim um requirements for a real estate inspection.

The inspector IS required to:

• use this Property Inspection Report form for the inspection;
• inspect only those components and conditions that are present, visible, and accessible at the time of the inspection;
• indicate whether each item was inspected, not inspected, or not present;
• indicate an item as Deficient (D) if a condition exists that adversely and materially affects the performance of a system or component OR constitutes a hazard to life, limb or property as specified by the SOPs; and
• explain the inspector’s findings in the corresponding section in the body of the report form.

The inspector IS NOT required to:

• identify all potential hazards;
• turn on decommissioned equipment, systems, utilities, or apply an open flame or light a pilot to operate any appliance;
• climb over obstacles, move furnishings or stored items;
• prioritize or emphasize the importance of one deficiency over another;
• provide follow-up services to verify that proper repairs have been made; or
• inspect system or component listed under the optional section of the SOPs (22 TAC 535.233).

RESPONSIBILTY OF THE CLIENT

While items identified as Deficient (D) in an inspection report DO NOT obligate any party to make repairs or take other actions, in the event that any further evaluations are needed, it is the responsibility of the client to obtain further evaluations and/or cost estimates from qualified service professionals regarding any items reported as Deficient (D). It is recommended that any further evaluations and/or cost estimates take place prior to the expiration of any contractual time limitations, such as option periods.

Please Note: Evaluations performed by service professionals in response to items reported as Deficient (D) on the report may lead to the discovery of additional deficiencies that were not present, visible, or accessible at the time of the inspection. Any repairs made after the date of the inspection may render information contained in this report obsolete or invalid.

REPORT LIMITATIONS

This report is provided for the benefit of the named client and is based on observations made by the named inspector on the date the inspection was performed (indicated above).

ONLY those items specifically noted as being inspected on the report were inspected.

This inspection IS NOT:

• a technically exhaustive inspection of the structure, its systems, or its components and may not reveal all deficiencies;
• an inspection to verify compliance with any building codes;
• an inspection to verify compliance with manufacturer’s installation instructions for any system or component and DOES NOT imply insurability or warrantability of the structure or its components.

NOTICE CONCERNING HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS, DEFICIENCIES, AND CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENTS

Conditions may be present in your home that did not violate building codes or common practices in effect when the home was constructed but are considered hazardous by today’s standards. Such conditions that were part of the home prior to the adoption of any current codes prohibiting them may not be required to be updated to meet current code requirements. However, if it can be reasonably determined that they are present at the time of the inspection, the potential for injury or property loss from these conditions is significant enough to require inspectors to report them as Deficient (D). Examples of such hazardous conditions include:

• malfunctioning, improperly installed, or missing ground fault circuit protection (GFCI) devices and arc-fault (AFCI) devices;
• ordinary glass in locations where modern construction techniques call for safety glass;  malfunctioning or lack of fire safety features such as smoke alarms, fire-rated doors in certain locations, and functional emergency escape and rescue openings in bedrooms;
• malfunctioning carbon monoxide alarms;
• excessive spacing between balusters on stairways and porches;
• improperly installed appliances;
• improperly installed or defective safety devices;
• lack of electrical bonding and grounding; and
• lack of bonding on gas piping, including corrugated stainless steel tubing (CSST).

Please Note: items identified as Deficient (D) in an inspection report DO NOT obligate any party to make repairs or take other actions. The decision to correct a hazard or any deficiency identified in an inspection report is left up to the parties to the contract for the sale or purchase of the home.

This property inspection report may include an inspection agreement (contract), addenda, and other information related to property conditions.

INFORMATION INCLUDED UNDER “ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PROVIDED BY INSPECTOR”, OR PROVIDED AS AN ATTACHMENT WITH THE STANDARD FORM, IS NOT REQUIRED BY THE COMMISSION AND MAY CONTAIN CONTRACTUAL TERMS BETWEEN THE INSPECTOR AND YOU, AS THE CLIENT. THE COMMISSION DOES NOT REGULATE CONTRACTUAL TERMS BETWEEN PARTIES. IF YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE EFFECT OF ANY CONTRACTUAL TERM CONTAINED IN THIS SECTION OR ANY ATTACHMENTS, CONSULT AN ATTORNEY.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PROVIDED BY INSPECTOR

The Scope and Purpose of a Home Inspection

We appreciate the opportunity to conduct this consultation for you! Please carefully read your entire consultation report. Call us after you have reviewed your report so we can go over any questions you may have. Remember, when the consultation is completed and the report is delivered, we are still available to you for any questions you may have.

Properties being assessed do not "Pass" or "Fail." - The following consultation is based on the visible and accessible portion of the structure. The consultation may be limited by access, vegetation, and personal possessions. Depending upon the age of the property, some items like GFCI outlets may not be installed. This report will focus on safety and function, not current code. This report identifies specific non-code, non-cosmetic concerns that the consultant feels may need further investigation or repair.

For your safety and liability purposes, we recommend that licensed contractors evaluate and repair any critical concerns and defects. Note that all appliances are tested in a normal mode only for a limited time for proper operation at time of consultation. Appliances 10 years of age and older have a limited life and could fail at any time. If there are concerns about appliances, we recommend that you have them checked by a specialist for the condition and possible life expectancy of the appliance.

Exterior Notes: Proper drainage and soil moisture contents should be maintained around the foundation to help minimize future foundation problems. Grading and drainage are probably the most significant aspects of a property, simply because of the direct and indirect damage that moisture can have on structures. More damage has probably resulted from moisture and expansive soil than from most natural disasters. There should be gutters and downspouts with splash blocks installed that discharge water away from the building. In the past, we have discovered evidence of moisture intrusion inside structures when it was raining that would not have been apparent otherwise. Minor settlement or “hairline” cracks in driveways, walkways or even foundations are normal to properties of any age. They should, however, be monitored for expansion and sealed as necessary. Tripping hazards may occur from uneven surfaces or gaps in pavement and should be addressed as needed. As with all areas of the house, we recommend that if further evaluation of the roof covering is suggested that you have the roof further evaluated by a qualified roofer.

Note that although most roofs are walked by the consultant, some roofs may not be walked due to conditions existing which could be dangerous, such as too high, or too steep a roofing pitch. Rain could make the surfaces of the roof too slippery to walk on safely. This may require the roof to be observed with the aid of a drone, from lower portions of the roof, the edge of the roof or the ground with binoculars. As such, this may be considered limited with observations and conclusions drawn from what was visible using a limited view of the roofing materials.

Interior Notes: Interior areas consist of bedrooms, baths, kitchen, laundry, hallways, foyer, and other open areas. All exposed walls, ceilings and floors will be reviewed. Doors and windows will also be investigated for damage and normal operation. Please realize that they are not always visible, due to temperature, humidity, window coverings, light source, etc. Your consultant will report visible damage, wear and tear, and moisture problems if seen. Personal items in the structure may prevent the consultant from viewing all areas as the consultant does not move personal items. Note that cosmetic settlement cracks may not be noted in the report.

Electrical Notes: Note that only accessible GFCI outlets are tested and tripped. Some bathrooms may have non-GFCI outlets which are protected by a GFCI outlet in a remote area (garage, another bath, etc.). Also, note that most electricians agree that smoke detectors are good for about 5 years, and the breakers in your panel box have an expected life of about 20 years. Therefore, if this home was built more than 20 years previous, we encourage you to consider having the panel box and breakers evaluated by a licensed electrician, as an overheated breaker can result in a structural fire. If your home does not have a carbon monoxide detector (few do!), we recommend making that investment. Any home that has a Bulldog PushMatic, Sylvania, Zinsco or Federal Pacific Electric panel should have it evaluated by a licensed electrician, as these older types of panels and breakers have been recalled for various reason and are known to overheat and cause house fires.

Heating / Air Conditioning Notes: The heating, ventilation, air conditioning and cooling system (often referred to as HVAC) is the climate control system for the structure. The goal of these systems is to keep the occupants at a comfortable level while maintaining indoor air quality and ventilation while keeping maintenance costs at a minimum. The HVAC system is usually powered by electricity and natural gas but can also be powered by other sources such as butane, oil, propane, solar panels, or wood. The consultant will test the heating and air conditioning system using the thermostat or other controls. Units are not checked for cleanliness and/or rust. We recommend proper maintenance of the unit and filter. Units are not checked for proper size or efficiency but are checked for functionality only. A more thorough investigation of the system, including the heat (“firebox”) exchanger, should be conducted by a licensed HVAC service person every year. Failure to do so may result in carbon monoxide escaping through cracks in a heat exchanger or flue pipe, resulting in death.

Plumbing Notes: Bathrooms can consist of many features from hydrotherapy tubs and showers to toilets and bidets. Because of the extensive plumbing involved it is an important area of the house to look over. Moisture in the air and leaks in the plumbing system can cause mildew, wallpaper and paint to peel, and other problems. The consultant will identify as many issues as possible, but some problems may be undetectable due to problems within the walls or under the flooring.

Consultants are unable to detect issues within the washer utility drains when appliances are connected. Sinks and tub overflow drains are not checked for leaks during consultation. Water heaters are not tested for recovery rates or temperature. If a large tub is present, we recommend that the system be tested for the volume of hot water being supplied to tub. A 40-gallon water heater may not supply enough hot water to larger tubs.

Optional Devices Notes: Sprinkler controls are tested in manual mode only. Sprinkler rain/anti-freeze sensor is not tested. Pool equipment is checked in manual mode only. A pools shell should be considered a visual overview only. Pool coatings are considered cosmetic and may not be noted unless conditions are severe. Ancillary equipment such as computer controls, chlorinators or other chemical dispensers, water ionization devices or conditioners are not components the consultant will render an opinion on.

A home inspection is not an insurance policy

This report does not substitute for or serve as a warranty or guarantee of any kind. Home warranties can be purchased separately from insuring firms that provide this service.

A home inspection is visual and not destructive

The descriptions and observations in this report are based on a visual inspection of the structure. We inspect the aspects of the structure that can be viewed without dismantling, damaging or disfiguring the structure and without moving furniture and interior furnishings. Areas that are concealed, hidden or inaccessible to view are not covered by this inspection. Some systems cannot be tested during this inspection as testing risks damaging the building. For example, overflow drains on bathtubs are generally not tested because if they were found to be leaking they could damage the finishes below. Our procedures involve non-invasive investigation and non-destructive testing which will limit the scope of the inspection.

This is not an inspection for code compliance

This inspection and report are not intended for city / local code compliance. During the construction process structures are inspected for code compliance by municipal inspectors. Framing is open at this time and conditions can be fully viewed. Framing is not open during inspections of finished homes, and this limits the inspection. All houses fall out of code compliance shortly after they are built, as the codes continually change. National codes are augmented at least every three years for all of the varying disciplines. Municipalities can choose to adopt and phase in sections of the codes on their own timetables. There are generally no requirements to bring older homes into compliance unless substantial renovation is being done.

This is just our opinion

Construction techniques and standards vary. There is no one way to build a house or install a system in a house. The observations in this report are the opinions of the home inspector. Other inspectors and contractors are likely to have some differing opinions. You are welcome to seek opinions from other professionals.

The scope of this inspection

This inspection will include the following systems: exterior, roof, structure, drainage, foundation, attic, interior, plumbing, electrical and heating. The evaluation will be based on limited observations that are primarily visual and non-invasive. This inspection and report are not intended to be technically exhaustive.

Your expectations

The overall goal of a home inspection is to help ensure that your expectations are appropriate with the house you are proposing to buy. To this end we assist with discovery by showing and documenting observations during the home inspection. This should not be mistaken for a technically exhaustive inspection designed to uncover every defect with a building. Such inspections are available but they are generally cost-prohibitive to most homebuyers.

How to Read This Report

Getting the Information to You

This report is designed to deliver important and technical information in a way that is easy for anyone to access and understand. If you are in a hurry, you can take a quick look at our "Summary Page” and quickly get critical information for important decision making. However, we strongly recommend that you take the time to read the full Report, which includes digital photographs, captions, diagrams, descriptions, videos and hot links to additional information.

The best way to get the layers of information that are presented in this report is to read your report online (the HTML version), which will allow you to expand your learning about your house. You will notice some words or series of words highlighted in blue and underlined – clicking on these will provide you with a link to additional information. The HTML version of this report also contains streaming videos. Short video clips often contain important information and critical context and sounds that can be difficult to capture in words and still pictures.

For the most reliable viewing experience, I recommend viewing the report on as large a screen as practical, as much detail can be lost on small devices like smart phones. For similar reasons, reports should only be printed in color to retain as much detail as possible and minimize misinterpretation of photographs.

This report can also be printed on paper or to a PDF document.

Chapters and Sections

This report is divided into chapters that parcel the home into logical inspection components. Each chapter is broken into sections that relate to a specific system or component of the home. You can navigate between chapters with the click of a button on the left side margin.

Most sections will contain some descriptive information done in black font. Observation narrative, done in colored boxes, will be included if a system or component is found to be significantly deficient in some way or if we wish to provide helpful additional information about the system or the scope of our inspection. If a system or component of the home was deemed to be in satisfactory or serviceable condition, there may be no narrative observation comments in that section and it may simply say “tested,” or “inspected.”

Observation Labels

All narrative observations are colored, numbered and labeled to help you find, refer to, and understand the severity of the observation. Observation colors and labels used in this report are:

• Overview Photos:
  Overview Photos
• Manufacturer's Tag:
  Manufacture's Tag
• Description:
  Detailed description of various aspects of the property noted during the inspection.
• Operating as Intended:
  The appliance was operating as intended at the time of the inspection, however, deficiencies may still be present.
• Note:
  Refers to aside information and /or any comments elaborating on descriptions of systems in the home or limitations to the home inspection.
• Recommended Repair:
  Repair and maintenance items noted during inspection. Please note that some repair items can be expensive to correct such as re-finishing hardwood floors, but are considered simply repair items due to their cosmetic nature.
• Recommended Maintenance:
  These are maintenance items that should be considered "routine home ownership items," such as servicing the furnace, cleaning the gutters or changing the air filters in the furnace.
• Recommended Improvements:
  Observations that are not necessarily defects, but which could be improved for safety, efficiency, or reliability reasons.
• Due Diligence:
  Observation of various items that may require further investigation to determine the severity and / or urgency of repair.

Summary Page

The Summary Page is designed as a bulleted overview of all the observations noted during inspection. This helpful overview is not a substitution for reading the entire inspection report. The entire report must be read to get a complete understanding of this inspection report as the Summary Page may not include all photographs or photo captions.

Moisture Meter Testing

Where moisture meter testing is indicated in this report a dual function moisture meter was used.