Bob has been a licensed Austin Texas Home Inspector for 15 years. A certification through Exterior Design Institute to inspect hard coat & EIFS stucco has made Bob one of the sought after Austin home inspectors to inform clients of the stucco’s condition. A certified home inspector in Austin, Texas & surrounding cities is hard to find. Don’t save a few dollars trying to find the cheapest Austin home inspector, know that you get what you pay for. You would not trust your body to the cheapest doctor without checking his credentials, then why would you trust a home inspector in Austin that is the cheapest to deliver the same findings that a more experienced Austin Texas home inspector would who has earned & acquired the certifications that put him far above his competition?

You want the best for your home investment, so choose the best home inspector in Round Rock or Cedar Park. Don’t settle for the Austin home inspector that your realtor suggested, do your home work to know that you found the best Round Rock home inspector in for you. Know that your realtor wants to close the deal & may not give the most experienced Round Rock/Cedar Park home inspector. It is your job to find the home inspector in Round Rock/Cedar Park that will most suit your expectations.

My expectations for my clients that hire an Austin Texas home inspector are simple: Treat them fairly as though they are family, give my clients the most accurate information of the homes condition & answer their questions in concise detail to their satisfaction: Guaranteed! Do you want an Austin home inspector that looks out for your best interest or a home inspector in Austin Texas that only cares about volume home inspections & getting to the next appointment?

Choosing a Builder is like trying to find the choice piece of straw in a haystack. That is why you need an ASHI home inspector in Austin Texas that is knowledgeable of the different builders & to know of their quality or short comings. The Austin home inspector you hire will give you necessary insights to the Builder & what you need to watch for. Don’t hire a home inspector from Austin that performs third party inspections for Builders, they only have the Builders interest. Hire the Austin home inspector that has your interest at heart.
“Why inspect a New Home during construction?

Unfortunately, the City of Austin allows the builder to hire and pay a third-party inspector at the crucial Pre-Drywall stage; this is like letting students grade their own exams.

An over-worked city inspector later double-checks random jobs with only a quick glance. The Austin American Statesman reports that city inspectors must sign off an average of 22 jobs a day; that’s less than 20 minutes a house, ignoring office & travel time.

An informed buyer should hire a Professional Real Estate Inspector who is also “IRC/ICC 2000 Code Certified” to conduct a Pre-Drywall inspection. This structural inspection is conducted after the Framing is completed and before the home is insulated, preferably before exterior masonry is put in place. The Plumbing, Electrical, and Heating & Air Conditioning rough installations are also inspected at this time.

This is the best opportunity to spot defects that might otherwise go unseen and to suggest improvements that could prevent major headaches later.

Please note: All work must be complete and Blueprints, engineered component drawings and truss manufacturer layout sheets must be on site at time of inspection or a re-inspection fee will apply. I need this information to do my job.

“When should I call you to schedule a pre-drywall inspection?”

The builder’s superintendent will know when the city framing inspector should be called; you should schedule me to come the same day so we don’t cause delays in the building schedule. The supt. will know about 3 days ahead of this time; get the supt. to update you as this time nears, & then please call to update me as well.

“Why inspect a recently completed home ?”

Defects exist in all homes, including brand-new homes. Homes are built by people, & since people are not perfect, their handiwork is not perfect either.

Therefore, it is very important for a buyer’s home inspector to examine a newly completed home, while the builder and subcontractors are still willing to honor the warranty.

Most of the problems I find in 5-year old homes are due to latent construction defects that have simply gotten bad enough over time to become readily apparent.

A small leak, over time, causes a lot of damage. Obviously, it is better to find it BEFORE the damage occurs.

However, finding a small leak before subsequent damage occurs is HARDER than finding it AFTER the damage occurs. There is less visible evidence.

How do you improve your chances of finding it in time?

Hire an ASHI home inspector, but not just ANY inspector. (”ASHI speaks house”.)

You need an inspector who knows:
what problems to look for,
where to look for them, and
how to find them.

Anyone can find obvious problems, but recognizing where hidden problems tend to lurk comes only from experience.

Inspectors who are recent community-college graduates, with no field experience and no construction experience, charge less than Brent does. There is a reason for this; they can’t charge for what they don’t do, & they can’t do what they don’t know.

Fact is, they simply haven’t been around long enough to see the same problems happen over & over, so they don’t know where to look. Nor do they know what to look for.

Unfortunately, if they miss even one leaking flashing, a small cost-savings now will be offset by repair costs later (usually by a factor of ten) when the damage becomes bad enough to be apparent.
“Why does the Builder require me to attend a Buyer’s Acceptance Inspection?”

Most local builders will conduct a Buyer’s Acceptance Inspection with the buyer, then immediately require the buyer to sign an agreement stating that the home is accepted in its present condition, with the sole exception of the items on the walk-through list.

The following clause is excerpted from a Builder Sales Contract as an example:

“B. ACCEPTANCE OF PROPERTY CONDITION: Buyer accepts the Property in its present condition; provided Seller, at Seller’s expense, shall complete the following specific repairs and treatments; and make the following improvements: _”
Once you sign this statement, the builder doesn’t have to allow any additions to the list. Too late is too late.

“When should I call you to schedule a New Home Inspection?”

An informed buyer should hire an independent TREC licensed Professional Real Estate Inspector to prepare a TREC regulated Real Estate Inspection Report 48 hours before the “buyer’s acceptance inspection” and attach the TREC Real Estate Inspection Report as an addendum to the acceptance list.

This inspection should occur after:
The heating & air conditioning contractor completes the “heat & air startup” (the supt. will understand)
All appliances are installed
Gas water heater pilot is lit
Water in water heater is hot

Remember, this TREC regulated Real Estate Inspection should occur no less 48 hours before the “buyer’s acceptance inspection”.

Call me to schedule this inspection about 3 to 5 business days ahead of time if possible. Call me to discuss your options at any time.

Bob has been a licensed Austin Home Inspector that serves Cedar Park, Leander, Round Rock, Georgetown, Taylor, Buda, Kyle, Lakeway, Lago Vista, Marble Falls. A certification through Exterior Design Institute to inspect hard coat & EIFS stucco has made Bob one of the sought after Austin home inspectors to inform clients of the stucco’s condition. A certified home inspector in Austin & surrounding cities is hard to find. Don’t save a few dollars trying to find the cheapest Austin home inspector, know that you get what you pay for. You would not trust your body to the cheapest doctor without checking his credentials, then why would you trust a home inspector in Austin that is the cheapest to deliver the same findings that a more experienced Austin home inspector would who has earned & acquired the certifications that put him far above his competition?

My expectations for my clients that hire an Austin home inspector are simple: Treat them fairly as though they are family, give my clients the most accurate information of the homes condition & answer their questions in concise detail to their satisfaction: Guaranteed! Do you want an Austin home inspector that looks out for your best interest or a home inspector in Austin that only cares about volume home inspections & getting to the next appointment?

Does your Austin home inspector travel to surrounding cities like Georgetown, Lakeway, Dripping Springs & Buda? Or does home inspector from Cedar Park only stay near Leander, Round Rock & North Austin? Your Georgetown home inspector should be familiar with the surrounding cities & the different types of Builders & their quality or lack of.

Choosing a Builder is like trying to find the choice piece of straw in a haystack. That is why you need an Austin home inspector that is knowledgeable of the different builders & to know of their quality or short comings. The home inspector in Austin you hire will give you necessary insights to the Builder & what you need to watch for. Don’t hire an inspector from Austin that performs third party inspections for Builders, they only have the Builders interest. Hire the Austin home inspector that has your interest at heart.Information on TRCC

Reprinted from “Texas Monthly”, August 2005:

Home Buyer Beware
By PATRICIA KILDAY HART, Texas Monthly 8/2005

How a new state agency of the builders, by the builders, and for the builders makes it harder for you to sue, yes, your builder.

IN THE GOOD OLD DAYS, if you scrimped and saved and bought your dream home in Texas, you could sleep easy at night knowing that the roof over your head was protected by a common-sense legal doctrine. Known as an implied warranty of habitability, in layman’s terms it meant that—whether or not anything was put in writing—the courts would hold the builder to a guarantee that your home was fit to live in and constructed with care. If your foundation sagged or your windows leaked or your roof caved in, you could demand that the builder fix the defect and take him to court if he didn’t.

That option is no longer available. In 2003, after spreading around $9 million in campaign contributions, the powerful home builders’ lobby got the Legislature to agree with its contention that implied warranties were too darn vague and that the lawsuits they produced were too damaging to the industry. Instead, it asked lawmakers to create a new state agency to protect builders from legal retribution. It was one of the most blatant power plays in recent years, made possible by an anti-lawsuit fervor that swept through the new Republican-controlled Legislature and by the influence of two politically active builders: the biggest individual contributor, Bob Perry (no relation to Governor Rick Perry but lots of political ties), and the co-founder of Texans for Lawsuit Reform, Dick Weekley. Thus was born the Texas Residential Construction Commission (TRCC), which in its short life has served as the classic case study of what can happen when a public agency is captured by the industry it is supposed to regulate.

With four building-industry representatives among its nine members (several other members have livelihoods that at times relate to homebuilding as well), the TRCC has adopted a torturous process for dissatisfied buyers with complaints against builders. The new agency has also adopted “performance standards” that form the basis of judging homeowners’ complaints, which, to chagrined but not especially surprised consumer advocates, permit significant flaws after the first year of ownership like cracks in the walls, roof leaks, and the separation of tile from a floor.

All this took place in relative obscurity during the tumultuous 2003 session and its aftermath, when battles over a $10 billion budget shortfall, tort reform, and congressional redistricting forced other issues out of the spotlight. Not until the end of the 2005 session did the actions of the commission come into public view, when a fight in the Senate over confirming three gubernatorial appointments to the TRCC highlighted the simmering discontent of consumers and lawmakers in both parties over the change in Texas law that puts at risk the biggest investment most families will make.

One of Rick Perry’s first appointments to the commission was John Krugh, the general counsel for Bob Perry’s Houston-based homebuilding company. Among the $3 million Bob Perry contributed to politicians in the 2003—2004 election cycle was $100,000 to the governor a month before Krugh’s appointment. Krugh was a principal architect of the legislation creating the TRCC and this year opposed legislation that would have improved the agency’s ability to act on behalf of consumers. Such cozy dealing led Mark McQuality, a Dallas lawyer who has been practicing in the area of consumer protection law for 28 years, to offer in an academic paper on the new law a concise analysis of why homebuyers now face an uphill battle to have their grievances addressed: “Money talks.”

Loud and clear. In the confirmation fight, the homebuilders’ lobby would again prevail, but not before the flaws in the TRCC were exposed for all to see. Consider these excerpts from an exchange at a committee hearing between Krugh and Robert Duncan, a Republican state senator from Lubbock, about Duncan’s bill proposing reforms of the agency:

Duncan: “Did you object to the legislation . . .?”

Krugh: “[A]bout 30 percent of that as a builder [emphasis added] I found objectionable.”

Duncan: “I’m asking you to take off your builder hat. When you are sitting on this commission, you are sitting in a fiduciary [capacity] for the State of Texas. You have to make decisions based on what’s fair and balanced, not on what’s in the best interests of the builder. Taking off that builder hat, do you not think that it’s a good thing for consumers to know that their house hasn’t been inspected?”

Krugh: “Once you put it that way, I agree with you. Yes, sir. My involvement with the legislation was not as a member of the commission.”

There you have it. Although a member of a commission that is supposed to be concerned with protecting the public, Krugh was concerned mainly with protecting his boss from lawsuits. No wonder a pro-builder mentality has permeated the agency’s actions. Consider the mandatory process for dispute resolution: Blocked from going straight to the courthouse, an unhappy homeowner must now file a complaint with the TRCC, pay a minimum fee of $350 for a state inspection, and present his evidence. Even if the agency rules in his favor, it lacks the power to take any action against the builder. The only effect of a favorable ruling is that it allows the homeowner to use the commission’s findings as evidence. The homeowner can still sue after an unfavorable ruling, but the agency’s findings can be used against him.

Another hurdle for the homeowner is the agency’s rules, which often favor builders. For instance, a consumer must list all known defects associated with the home; if others are discovered later, he must start the process anew with a second complaint. The homeowner must name any inspector he has hired to examine the defects or lose the right to use that inspector as an expert witness. If the commission’s inspector notices additional problems with the home not cited in the official complaint, he cannot reveal them to the homeowner.

While the agency touts that it has found in favor of the consumer in 92 percent of its cases, the statistic is phony. It applies only to cases that the commission determines are eligible for review. In fact, 814 consumers have contacted the agency with complaints, but only 186 cases were accepted as eligible. Homeowner advocate Janet Ahmad points out that the agency refuses to hear cases involving incomplete construction, even though one of the most common complaints against homebuilders involves those who disappear and leave behind half-finished projects. Ahmad conducted telephone interviews and found overwhelmingly that the consumers who had “won” their cases at the agency felt it did no good because they still had to pursue action in court against their builders.

Builders do have to register with the TRCC, at a cost scheduled to rise to a maximum fee of $500, but, as Duncan pointed out during a committee hearing, the commission conducts no screening of builders, nor does it require them to meet any standards in order to appear as registered on the agency’s Web site. “We’re giving them a badge that gives them elevated credibility with the public,” Duncan said. His legislation would have required the agency to make available to the public any court judgments or bankruptcy filings involving a builder. A bill by state representative Jessica Farrar, a Houston Democrat, that required registered builders to carry insurance also died this session after fierce opposition from the building industry.

Even the performance standards adopted by the TRCC, providing the first uniform definition of what should be covered under homebuilding warranties in Texas, have generated criticism. According to Mark Eberwine, a San Antonio home inspector, the standards—which are based on input from professional engineers and Texas A&M Construction Sciences Department—allow, among other things, a significant tilt in foundations, one-eighth-inch cracks in brick mortar, deficient water pressure, and dips and cracks in driveways. “The state has now sanctioned poor builder behavior,” he said. TRCC member Paulo Flores, a lawyer who has represented homeowners against builders, voted for the standards because they gave consumers some predictability. “Prior to what we’ve done, there was nothing,” said Flores. “As a lawyer, you never knew where you stood.” But Mickey Redwine, an East Texas cable construction company owner who was appointed to represent the public, abstained from voting, indicating, he said, his “personal belief that we could have stronger consumer protections.”

It is ironic that Duncan has become the TRCC’s chief critic, because he co-sponsored and later fine-tuned the bill that created the agency in 2003. The argument that he found persuasive was that lawsuits were a costly and time-consuming way to resolve homeowners’ disputes and that administrative findings against builders could lead to quick settlements. But that was before the governor saw to it that the commission would be so builder-friendly. During the 2005 session, Duncan proposed legislation that would have made the complaint process more attuned to consumers and forced builders to disclose possible defects. One draft was made available to Krugh, who responded by marking through pages to indicate his disagreement. “No counteroffers or suggestions,” Duncan said.

After losing the fight over the bill, Duncan decided to “send a message” to the TRCC by attempting to block Krugh’s confirmation. At one point, Duncan said, he had the necessary votes, but his efforts unraveled after an intensive lobby effort. “Nobody wanted to take on Bob Perry,” he said. The Senate ultimately confirmed Krugh, but not before long speeches by Duncan and Royce West, a Democrat from Dallas, harshly criticizing the TRCC.

In an interview at Perry Homes’ headquarters on Houston’s Gulf Freeway, Krugh called the controversy “both embarrassing and humbling.” A soft-spoken man who seemed honestly perplexed by the uproar, Krugh said that his years in the trenches with emotional homeowner lawsuits led him to seek the creation of an agency to help resolve disputes. “On the one hand, I saw lawsuits coming at builders based on criteria that would vacillate depending on whatever an expert had to say, as opposed to something uniform,” he told me. “On the other side, I saw consumers who had problems with their houses and, I thought, basically wanted to get them fixed. The old system drove them to their lawyers and their experts, and they got caught up in what I call this vortex of litigation, and they couldn’t get out. The third-party-intervention method at least gives the homeowners some control over what goes on before they get caught up in that vortex.”

Krugh said he believed the commission would adopt rules that would accomplish a lot of what Duncan hoped to achieve with his legislation and would “look at the methods by which consumers could obtain information about builders’ lawsuits and bankruptcy filings.” He also noted that the agency recently changed its rules to require the builder to communicate with the agency after it has inspected a home for a consumer complaint to let the agency know “what goes on between homeowners and builders with regards to resolution.” If a builder fails to do that, “it will be considered grounds for a potential fine, suspension, or revocation,” Krugh added. “If a builder does not respond at all, we’re going to take that into consideration.”

Clearly, the battle this session got Krugh’s attention. But did it get Rick Perry’s? The effectiveness of the agency depends upon the governor’s willingness to appoint commissioners who will not wear their builder’s hats when deciding how to protect the public against unscrupulous or careless action. With an announced Republican primary opponent, Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn, already lambasting him, Perry might want to blunt an issue that would be easy to turn into an effective television spot. After all, bad foundations affect Republicans and Democrats alike”".

All of Central Texas is in a predominate area for expansive clay soils. These expansive soils act like a sponge. As they absorb water they swell and as they lose water they shrink. Soils tend to dry out (and shrink) during the summer and to absorb water (and swell) during the winter and spring. As this occurs your house and foundation will move up and down. So long as the foundation movement is not great enough to damage the house and/or foundation, it is not a problem.

By keeping the moisture content of the soil under the foundation constant, foundation movement can often be minimized or even stopped. Please note that this is only a simple foundation preventive maintenance recommendation. Should you be concerned about the possibility of future movement or potential for movement or structural damage then a licensed structural engineer should be consulted for further evaluation and recommendations.

The goal of a foundation watering program is to maintain a constant level of moisture in the soil under the house and foundation. The best way to water a foundation is to install a buried foundation watering system. If you do not want to go to the expense of installing a buried watering system, soaker hoses will provide you with many of the same benefits. The best way to use a soaker hose is to bury a soaker hose three inches deep, one foot from the edge of your foundation. Placing the hose a short distance from the foundation allows the water to soak into the soil evenly.

The hose should not be placed against the foundation. When soil has dried and cracked, water can travel along the cracks for several feet in all directions. If the soil around your foundation is dried and cracked, then water placed next to the foundation will run through the cracks and accumulate at the bottom of the grade beam (the thick portion of the foundation that is under the exterior walls). In some cases, an accumulation of water in the soil at the base of a foundation can cause the soil to loose some of its load bearing capacity. If the soil loses enough load bearing capacity, the house will sink into the ground.

Obviously, it is necessary to water more during hot, dry weather and less during cold, damp weather. The amount of water required to keep a foundation stable during the summer can be surprisingly large. A single large tree can remove as much as 150 gallons of water, or almost 20 cubic feet of water, from the soil each day. Shrubs and other plants can also remove large quantities of water. During persistent hot dry weather, it may be necessary to water a foundation daily. Watering should supply enough water to keep the moisture content in the soil under the foundation constant. If the amount of water applied is only enough to keep the surface damp, the watering program will not work. Obviously, the homeowner is the only one who can weight the benefits of controlling foundation movement versus the increased size of the water bill.

Some notes about Texas slab foundations

Slab foundations in the Greater Central Texas Area are designed for some movement. They are sometimes referred to as “floating slabs”. The use of rebar and post tension cables allows for minimal movement without causing serious damage to the foundation or the structure of the home.

Many times you will notice cracks along the corners of a home. These are very common and are more cosmetic in nature and do not affect the performance of the foundation. Common expansion and contraction of materials places undue stress at the corners of the home and the result is this minor chipping or cracking of the mortar coating over the foundation wall.

Many years of experience has taught me that if you consult with a foundation repair company about the movement of your home’s foundation, you will more than likely be given an estimate of repairs which could easily run into the thousands of dollars. Get a second opinion!

Some repair companies may recommend the addition of foundation piers or supports. These act as an extra support level for the foundation to help prevent future movement. And they are sometimes warranted. My advice is to first consult with a State Licensed Structural Engineer before moving forward with ANY foundation repairs. You may save yourself thousands of dollars in repairs that are not needed. Often, a simple watering plan may be all that is needed to correct your foundation problems.

Bob has been a licensed Austin Home Inspector that serves Cedar Park, Leander, Round Rock, Georgetown, Taylor, Buda, Kyle, Lakeway, Lago Vista, Marble Falls.  A certification through Exterior Design Institute to inspect hard coat & EIFS stucco has made Bob one of the sought after Austin home inspectors to inform clients of the stucco’s condition.  A certified home inspector in Austin & surrounding cities is hard to find.  Don’t save a few dollars trying to find the cheapest Austin home inspector, know that you get what you pay for.  You would not trust your body to the cheapest doctor without checking his credentials, then why would you trust a  home inspector in Austin that is the cheapest to deliver the same findings that a more experienced Austin home inspector would who has earned & acquired the certifications that put him far above his competition?

You want the best for your home investment, so choose the best home inspector in Round Rock or Cedar Park.  Don’t settle for the Austin home inspector that your realtor suggested, do your home work to know that you found the best Round Rock home inspector in for you.  Know that your realtor wants to close the deal & may not give the most experienced Round Rock/Cedar Park home inspector.  It is your job to find the home inspector in Round Rock/Cedar Park that will most suit your expectations.

My expectations for my clients that hire an Austin home inspector are simple:  Treat them fairly as though they are family, give my clients the most accurate information of the homes condition & answer their questions in concise detail to their satisfaction:  Guaranteed!  Do you want an Austin home inspector that looks out for your best interest or a home inspector in Austin that only cares about volume home inspections & getting to the next appointment?

Does your Austin home inspector travel to surrounding cities like Georgetown, Lakeway, Dripping Springs & Buda?  Or does home inspector from Cedar Park only stay near Leander, Round Rock & North Austin?  Your Georgetown home inspector should be familiar with the surrounding cities & the different types of Builders & their quality or lack of.

Choosing a Builder is like trying to find the choice piece of straw in a haystack.  That is why you need an Austin home inspector that is knowledgeable of the different builders & to know of their quality or short comings.  The home inspector in Austin you hire will give you necessary insights to the Builder & what you need to watch for.  Don’t hire an inspector from Austin that performs third party inspections for Builders, they only have the Builders interest.  Hire the Austin home inspector that has your interest at heart.

Bob has been a licensed Austin Home Inspector that serves Cedar Park, Leander, Round Rock, Georgetown, Taylor, Buda, Kyle, Lakeway, Lago Vista, Marble Falls.  A certification through Exterior Design Institute to inspect hard coat & EIFS stucco has made Bob one of the sought after Austin home inspectors to inform clients of the stucco’s condition.  A certified home inspector in Austin & surrounding cities is hard to find.  Don’t save a few dollars trying to find the cheapest Austin home inspector, know that you get what you pay for.  You would not trust your body to the cheapest doctor without checking his credentials, then why would you trust a  home inspector in Austin that is the cheapest to deliver the same findings that a more experienced Austin home inspector would who has earned & acquired the certifications that put him far above his competition?

You want the best for your home investment, so choose the best home inspector in Round Rock or Cedar Park.  Don’t settle for the Austin home inspector that your realtor suggested, do your home work to know that you found the best Round Rock home inspector in for you.  Know that your realtor wants to close the deal & may not give the most experienced Round Rock/Cedar Park home inspector.  It is your job to find the home inspector in Round Rock/Cedar Park that will most suit your expectations.

My expectations for my clients that hire an Austin home inspector are simple:  Treat them fairly as though they are family, give my clients the most accurate information of the homes condition & answer their questions in concise detail to their satisfaction:  Guaranteed!  Do you want an Austin home inspector that looks out for your best interest or a home inspector in Austin that only cares about volume home inspections & getting to the next appointment?

Does your Austin home inspector travel to surrounding cities like Georgetown, Lakeway, Dripping Springs & Buda?  Or does home inspector from Cedar Park only stay near Leander, Round Rock & North Austin?  Your Georgetown home inspector should be familiar with the surrounding cities & the different types of Builders & their quality or lack of.

Choosing a Builder is like trying to find the choice piece of straw in a haystack.  That is why you need an Austin home inspector that is knowledgeable of the different builders & to know of their quality or short comings.  The home inspector in Austin you hire will give you necessary insights to the Builder & what you need to watch for.  Don’t hire an inspector from Austin that performs third party inspections for Builders, they only have the Builders interest.  Hire the Austin home inspector that has your interest at heart.Answers About the Home Inspection.

Q: How long will the Home Inspection take?
A: Most Inspections take about two to four hours in addition to report preparation time. These times may vary depending on the size, age & condition of the home.
Q: Should I be present during the Home Inspection?
A: We recommend that you be present, in most cases near the end of the Inspection, however you are welcome to be present from start to finish.

Q: Why use our Services?
A: The purchase of a new home is one of the single most costly investments that a family will make. Along with the extra stresses this will add, there is also the fear factor of, “Will This Home Stand The Test of Time?” It is also important to know what YOU, as the primary investor, are getting for your money.

A home inspection is an excellent tool for you, the home buyer, to help determine not only the condition of the home, but to also help foresee any immediate unnecessary additional cost that may go unnoticed without the help of a home inspection. Home inspections are not a prediction of future performance, but can pinpoint existing problem areas.

Q: Do I need an Engineer or a Home Inspector?
A: You need a home inspector. When you hire a home inspector, you are hiring an experienced professional who has training and experience in the building industry. It is the job of the home inspector to not only evaluate the condition of the house’s major systems and structural integrity, but also to evaluate how these systems are working together and identify areas that need to be watched, repaired or replaced.

Your home inspector gives you the “Big Picture” analysis of the house you are purchasing. If the home inspector identifies the need for a costly, detailed analysis of any of the houses’ systems or structures, the inspector will recommend the appropriate professional, which may be an experienced engineer with expertise analyzing that particular system or structure. The need for this kind of expensive, detailed analysis is rare.

Hiring a Professional Engineer on your own can be a disappointing experience. The term “Professional Engineer” does not mean that the individual has training or experience conducting home inspections. Additionally, a home inspection does not involve engineering analysis. Therefore, hiring a “Professional Engineer” to complete a home inspection undoubtedly costs more, but it may not give you the results you desire and deserve.

Q: Why can’t I have someone in my family who is very handy or a contractor, inspect my new home?
A: This is the biggest mistake many potential new homeowners make when purchasing a home. Although the person you are considering may be very skilled, they are not trained or experienced at professional home inspections. Professional home inspection is a unique skill like no other. Professional inspectors get what we call an inspector’s instinct for problems. That instinct takes extensive training and lots of experience doing inspections to develop. Many contractors, and other trades professionals hire a professional home inspector to inspect their homes when they make a purchase.

Q: Do I need a house inspection when my bank is having the house appraised?
A: Yes! A house appraisal is an independent evaluation of the current market value of a house or property. In general, the purpose of an appraisal is to set the current value of a house so that a lender may determine how much it can loan to the buyer. The appraiser looks at similar properties in the area and the prices at which they were sold to set the value of the house.

A house inspector conducts a thorough evaluation of the house’s major systems and structural integrity. Whereas the appraiser is typically working for the bank, the house inspector is working for you. The house inspector identifies items that need replacement or repair prior to closing, which can save you thousands of dollars.

U.S. Department Of Housing And Urban Development (HUD) requires buyers sign a “Consumer Notice” advising them to get a house inspection in addition to a house appraisal before purchasing a house with a FHA mortgage. Additionally, HUD now allows homebuyers to include the costs of appraisal and inspection in their FHA mortgage.

Q: What will the Home inspection cover?
A: A thorough Home Inspection covers everything from roof to the foundation. Your inspector is very thorough! Our home inspection check list covers:

Items that are included in the
Inspection are as follows:

Attic, Insulation, Ventilation, Roof & Flashings, Gutters, Basement, Crawlspace, Foundation, Grading, Retaining Walls
Siding & Trim, Driveways & Walks, Ceilings, Floors, Walls, Doors & Windows, Chimney, Fireplace, Major Appliances
Electrical System, Water Heater, Plumbing System, Air Conditioning, Heating

Q: Do you inspect septic systems also?
A: If you are buying a home with a septic tank, you should consider having it inspected by a professional septic contractor. Most home inspectors do not include this type of specialized, “intrusive” inspection. To properly inspect the system, the contractor will need to dig holes to access the underground parts of the system. This will include inspecting the tank, as well as the leach field.

It makes good sense to have the tank pumped at the time of this inspection. A professional septic contractor can perform both the inspection and pump the tank, killing two birds with one stone and assuring that you begin with an empty tank and a system that has been inspected. Often, you can negotiate with the seller to have them pay for the pumping.

Q: What if the Inspection uncovers problems?
A: Our report will tell you the condition of the house, including needed repairs. No house is going to be perfect. It is up to you to decide how any problems the inspection uncovers might affect your decision to purchase. If major problems are discovered, you may want to try negotiating with the seller to have them repaired before closing the deal. Or perhaps the seller will lower the price, or offer more favorable contract terms. In the end, the decision rests with you, but knowing about potential problems, before you buy, gives you the power to negotiate and make the best decisions.

Q: Will you fix the problems you find during the Inspection
A: No. The code of ethics of the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) prohibits its members from doing repair work on properties they inspect. This assures that there will never be any conflict of interest by the inspector. Our purpose is to provide an unbiased, objective third party report on the condition of the home.

Q: What if I have questions after the home inspection?
A: You can call us and discuss all the aspects of your new home whenever you like. Our service is a long-term investment.

Q: We just signed a contract on a home and our Realtor says we need an inspection “right now”. Can you help?
A: We understand the short turnaround time required sometimes and will do our best to accommodate your situation. We even have Saturday hours available to help meet your contract deadlines.

Q: Does the inspection warrant or guarantee the home?
A: No, the home inspection does not provide a warranty or guarantee. There are home warranty companies regulated by the Texas Real Estate Commission which sell such policies. Although somewhat limited, they usually prove to be a worthwhile expense. Please consult with your real estate agent for more information.

Bob is a licensed & certified ASHI home inspector in Austin through the TREC (Texas Real Estate Commission), ASHI (American Society of Home Inspectors) & EDI (Exterior Design Institute) to inspect & perform moisture intrusion on hard coat stucco & EIFS. His goal has always been to work to earn the clients trust & to put the clients interest ahead of his own. After years of business, Bob has had may happy clients that continually refer other inspections to family & friends. Bob has served as President of the CT TAREI chapter that helps to educate & promote better leadership with in the home inspection industry in Central Texas.

All home inspectors in Austin are not the same. TREC created the minimum standards of Practice, however the quality of the home inspector is dependent upon his knowledge, experience and time involved for each inspection. Experience is achieved by taking extra time to understand each item then knowing how to inspect the items & convey the information to the client. Our goal is to minimize your risk, but we can never eliminate it.

The home purchase will most likely be the most expensive investment in your lifetime. You should know the condition of the home prior to purchase. It is your responsibility as a buyer to hire the most qualified home inspector to determine the homes condition. A licensed ASHI home inspector can assist you by making unbiased evaluations of the functionality of each item inspected. The information you receive from your inspector is crucial to making a wise decision.

I found my company on a belief that attention to detail, a superior report & commitment to my client is never compromised. ASHI is the highest standard for a home inspector in Austin. You can trust us, we speak house. Select the inspector who will give careful attention to all items within the home. Is it worth saving a little on a cheaper inspector that may cost you much more after you move in or when you try to sell the home?

My inspection fees are base upon my experience, size & age of the home. The report is delivered the same day with digital photographs. I don’t short cut anything. Quality is always worth the price.

Should you be at the home inspection? Absolutely. Your investment is worth your full attention to what I have to tell you. Your presence at the inspection is your chance to ask questions, learn from the inspector how items work & understand the components of the house. What your inspector has to say should be of most importance in your investment decision.

Bob obtained his B.S. degree in Building Construction from Texas A & M University in 1985. He working in construction many years prior to joining his father Von Smith, a structural engineer/home inspector in 1993.
15 years experience & over 5,000 home inspections & cutting edge industry knowledge has made Bob one of Austin’s premier ASHI home inspectors. Bob completes over 40 hours of continuing education hours each year. The state required minimum is 16 hours.

Commercial Buildings up to five stories can be inspected with quick response in any location in Texas. Bob can assemble a team of the best qualified inspectors across Texas to assist in the inspection of the commercial structure.