Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a home inspection take?

The time it takes to inspect a house varies depending on its age, size (square footage), type of foundation (slab, crawlspace or elevated/park underneath), condition (original condition-old home, updated/renovated or newly built) and if you attend the full inspection (factoring in time for questions and discussion about repair needs). For a typical home built from 2000 to present with 1500 square feet on a slab foundation, a home inspection should take an average of 2 hours or so.

Should I attend my home inspection?

Our home inspection will be 'interactive' which means our Certified Home Inspector Stephen Houmard will go through the house with you top to bottom, inside and out. He'll show you all the parts of pieces of the home and how all the equipment and appliances work. Then, if there are any repair needs, he'll explain what's going on and what needs to be done to make the repairs. As a result, we highly recommend that you attend the home inspection if you can. And our interactive inspection is especially helpful if you're a first-time home buyer, if you're buying a brand new house, if you're buying an older or historic house or, if you're moving to Charleston from out-of-state.

What if I live out-of-town and can't attend my home inspection?

If you can't be at your home inspection, no worries :) Just let us know and we can have your home inspector give you a call at a convenient time to review the findings with you by phone. Or, your inspector will be happy to talk with you during the inspection via facetime -- just ask your Realtor to see if he/she can dial you in! Also, we take plenty of photos and videos that will be included in your inspection report as well.
If you'll be coming into town sometime after the inspection and would like to meet with the inspector at the house to discuss any repair needs in person, just let us know and we'll schedule a time for you (there is a small fee for an 'After-Inspection Walk-Through').

What does your home inspection cover?

As part of our comprehensive inspection, we'll assess the roof covering, exterior, structural system (foundation/roof structure/floor/wall/ceiling), insulation and ventilation, interior (walls / ceilings / floors / doors / cabinets / counters / fixtures, etc.), kitchen appliances, plumbing, electrical, HVAC and garage. Additionally, we'll perform an infrared thermal image scan of the house top-to-bottom to ensure there is no moisture where it shouldn't be, or electrical hot spots or missing insulation.
For an extra fee, we can also perform a sewer line inspection via our video-cam which is inserted into an exterior access on the sewer line. With our sewer scope, the home inspector will be able to see the condition of the sewer line as it travels underground from the house out to where it connects with the city sewer lines to identify clogs or damage to the line which can lead to a sewage back-up inside house.
If you have specific area of concern about the house you're buying, please let us know so your home inspector can pay particular attention to it during the inspection. If you're able to attend your inspection in person, simply bring any concerns to the inspector's attention and he'll discuss them with you as the inspection proceeds.

What does a Pre-Drywall Inspection cover?

The pre-drywall inspection is a unique chance to see all the components/systems before the interior walls and ceilings are installed. Specifically, we’ll assess the framing, foundation, plumbing, electrical and HVAC systems before insulation and drywall are installed.
Then, once your house is complete, we can conduct a pre-closing inspection just before your final walkthrough with the builder -– this is the same inspection you’d receive if you were buying an existing house. For your newly constructed house, this is when we’ll assess the roof and siding along with installation of all interior finishes (walls / ceilings / floors / doors / cabinets / counters / fixtures, etc.) and test all the systems (plumbing / electrical / HVAC / kitchen appliances) to ensure everything is working as it should. The fee for the final inspection will be $450 or $550 with sewer line inspection (this is a video-camera of underground sewer line and is recommended, but optional, for new construction to ensure there is no construction debris in the line and that its properly installed).

Can I ask my inspector -- "Would you buy this house?"

While we can't make the purchase decision for you, our goal is to give you as much objective information about the home's condition as we can so you can determine if this is the right house for you — the same information we would tell our own family members if they were buying the home. Simply ask our home inspector Stephen if he'd "move his wife and child in" or what specific repairs are needed before he'd move his family in :)

What happens if my home fails the inspection?"

Is there an extra charge to complete insurance forms after my home inspection?

If you have one or more forms from your insurance company that we can complete with information collected from your home inspection and which may provide you with valuable discounts on your homeowners insurance, we are happy to complete these at no extra charge :) Simply bring a print out of the form(s) to your home inspection and ask your inspector to fill it out when he's completed your inspection. Or, you can email the forms to our office at erika@solidgroundinspections.com and we'll have your inspector complete them and get them back to you within 48 hours.

Is a 'Wind Mitigation' inspection included?"

A wind mitigation is a separate specialty inspection that can help lower homeowner insurance premiums. As a result, we have a dedicated referral partner (a licensed roofing contractor and former home inspector) that we trust to handle wind mitigation inspections for our clients, ensuring you get the specific documentation insurers require.