CLICK ON ANY QUESTION FOR THE ANSWER
CLICK ON ANY QUESTION FOR THE ANSWER
Although there are many personal answers to this question, here are the top 4:
1) Obtain a professional evaluation of the property.
2) Discover any issues that may become costly repairs BEFORE purchasing the home.
3) Learn about potential hazards such as contaminated water, presence of radon gas, faulty electrical wiring, or other safety and/or health risks that may be present.
4) Many banks and lending institutions sometimes require a licensed home inspection.
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Every home is different but the average price of an average detailed inspection can range from $400 to $750. Prices are determined strickly by the size and age of the structure....not the APPRAISED VALUE! An inspection on a 2,500 square foot home that is APPRAISED at $475,000 in one neighborhood will cost the same as a simular 2,500 square foot home APPRAISED at $875,000 in a different neighborhood.
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Radon is an invisible and odorless gas that is the second leading cause of lung cancer behind cigarette smoking in the United States, it is also quite prevalent in our area and in fact probably the majority of homes (without a mitigation system installed), in the Hudson Valley has some amount of radon exposure during the course of the year (especially in the colder months).
Radon is measured in "picocuries per liter" or pCi/L. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), has what they call an "action level" of 4pCi/L which means that anything above this level you should act to mitigate your home. These levels can only be detected by proper testing.
So what does this 4pCi/L mean? One of the best analogies that we have come across in our own research on this subject is a 24 hour exposure to 4pCi/L of radon gas is equivalent to smoking 8 cigarettes ( think about that over the course of year(s) ).
We definitely encourage you to test for radon at least during your inspection.
What if the home fails a radon test?
DON'T PANIC
Radon mitigation in most cases is not a major project, is relatively inexpensive, and if installed correctly should eliminate dangerous radon levels.
Call us for more details.
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The inspector should review what she or he is going to do at the start of the inspection. Most inspections last on average about 3 hours....mind you there are variables to this.... is the home occupied?....are the utilities on?....has the house been vacant for a long period of time?....what obstacles will the inspector encounter that may prevent them from fully inspecting certain areas (stored furniture, clutter in and around basement areas, snow build up around the structure or on the roof, etc.). After inspecting the home top to bottom we will refine our report back at our office and you will receive your report via E-mail within 24 hours, (note radon test kits need to remain on site for 72 hours which then the results are usually available the following day after they have been shipped to the lab....and water testing results are usually available 5-7 BUSINESS DAYS after the sample has been brought to the lab).
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ABSOLUTELY!!! We strongly encourage our clients to follow us through the inspection process to not only see what we are doing but also to gain a great education on how the house is performing and gain a better understanding of the report once it is generated. Although we follow up with every client usually within a week of the report being published, if you are there and witnessed what was inspected, the comments on the report are much more easier to comprehend and hopefully will help with your decision on the purchase.
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Okay here's the question everyone askes....because everybody has that father-in-law or uncle or someone that just knows EVERYTHING.....you hired a licensed realtor to not only represent you in this major purchase, but also to look out for your best interest....they are bound by their code of ethics (as well as home inspectors are.), to provide you with the upmost, transparent situation and they are there to PROTECT YOU on this major purchase.....so YES if your realtor recommends a home inspector that "THEY HAVE WORKED WITH IN THE PAST" and trust them....then why not...it doesn't have to be Homestead Inspections LLC...but God only knows what you'll find on the internet. So by all means don't go into this blind......ask the experts.
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If you have a well (not public water supply), then there are many factors that may affect the water quality . Water testing has become quite complex as well as expensive in the past couple of years (depending on what is required by your lender and the local town officials), however that being aside you have to consider the health and welfare of not only you but your family ..... we strongly suggest at least a bacteria test but there are many more specific tests available (depending on your area). Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns you may have regarding this .