What is an Inspection?

A home inspection is a visual examination of accessible major components of a residential property. The Inspection process is designed for the inspector to identify defects within specific systems and components of the property as defined by published Standards. Home inspections are based on the observations made on the date of the inspection, and not a prediction of future conditions.

Home inspections are non-invasive and not technically exhaustive because home inspectors are not experts in every system of the home. Home Inspectors are trained to recognize conditions that should be further evaluated by a specialist (if any). For example, if the inspector suspects something wrong with a furnace, they will not disassemble the furnace, but instead recommend a HVAC pro come and investigate the issue.

Since home inspections are visual inspections, parts of the home hidden behind floor, wall and ceiling coverings, to personal belongings can not be inspected. The official home inspection report should also disclaim, or call out, portions of the home not inspected. 

Standards of Practice (SOP) are created and published by national home inspection organizations. In the case of Wholesome Homes Co, we use InterNACHI's SOP. These standards are designed to identify both the requirements of a home inspection and the limitations of an inspection. Inspections are reported using narratives that include:

1. Description. Describing a condition of concern;
2. Impact. A sentence or paragraph describing how serious the condition is, and the potential ramifications,
3. Recommendation. Recommendations may be for specific actions to be taken, or for further evaluation, but they should address problems in such a way that the reader of the report will understand how to proceed.

To get the most out of your inspection, we recommend you:

• Read the Standards of Practice 
• read the our Standard Inspection Agreement
• view a sample Inspection Report
• Join us at the Inspection!

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