Blue Sky Home Inspections, LLC
Superior Home , Termite and Pest Inspections in Albuquerque and Rio Rancho, New Mexico

• I walked through the house, it looks fine. Why should I get a home inspection?

One of the single most expensive and important purchases you will ever make in your entire life will be your home. However, unlike the guarantee a buyer receives with most purchases, there's NO money-back guarantee or return policy if you're NOT satisfied with your recently purchased home. Once you buy a home, you're on your own to maintain it, repairing it, anticipate problems and pay bills. This is why it's best to know as much as you can about potential problems before you make the commitment to buy.

• Can I do the Home Inspection myself?
  

It is absolutely fine, if you would like to do the home inspection yourself. But remember, you must be able to open the electric service panel and determine whether there are any wiring violations. You must be able to walk the roof surfaces to determine the condition of the roofing material, flashing and drains, while noting defective conditions and faulty methods of installation. You must also crawl under the building and through the attic, searching for and recognizing a vast number of potential construction defects. You must inspect the heating system to determine its functional condition and identify any of a long list of safety problems. A complete list of likely problems could easily fill a book.

A home inspection is the process of investigative discovery. It involves a serious observation with a trained eye, recognition and conclusive evaluation of countless related and seemingly unrelated conditions. It requires numerous judgments and decisions as to degrees of severity, proposed means of correction, advisements for further evaluation when necessary, warnings of inherent risks to Life and property and the likelihood of future problems.

I can recognize and identify defects in every imaginable situation within the realm of modern and not-so-modern housing. When buying a home, it is best to engage the services of an experienced home inspector such as myself.

• The house is newly constructed, and was just inspected by the municipal inspector. Shouldn't this inspection be adequate?

No one can build something as large and complex as a house without committing a few errors as various states of the process. Throughout my years of inspecting, I have learned that all new homes will have their defects of one kind or another, regardless of the quality of construction or the integrity of the builder.

The belief that any new product is FREE of defects and necessarily flawless runs contrary to common sense and experience. The Return Counter at any department store provides ample evidence of this fact. When applied to new homes, the belief that new means perfect can lead to very costly mistakes.

• Can a house FAIL a home inspection?

NO. A professional home inspection is an examination of the current condition of the house. It is NOT an appraisal, which determines market value. It is NOT a municipal inspection that verifies local code compliance. A home inspector, therefore, will NOT Pass or Fail a house, but rather describe its physical condition and indicate what components and systems may need major repair or replacement.

• What if the Inspection Report reveals problems?

NO house is perfect. If the inspector identifies problems, it doesn't mean you should or shouldn't buy the house, only that you will know in advance what to expect. If your budget is tight, or if you don't want to become involved in future repair work, this information will be important to you. If major problems are found, a seller may agree to make repairs.

So the choice is yours. If you still would like to take chances on waiving your home inspection, I seriously think you're making a big mistake and I honestly wish you the best of luck. There is a lot of shoddy construction out there and the construction errors I find on a daily basis are absolutely astonishing.

Tree Growing Through Roof of House!

Carpenter Ant Colony is growing...these are their eggs that they are caring for.

Double Tapped Wires on Breakers - a no-no!

TPRV drain line is running uphill, against code.

Kim checking GFCI electrical receptacles in a kitchen.

Mike Inspecting a furnace.