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Inspection Basics

What are Walk and Talk Inspections?

By May 4, 2022January 6th, 2023No Comments
Happy home owners

The Basics

The first thing to know, is we call this service our Walk and Talk Consultations. Essentially, this service is a purely educational and verbal consultation. The biggest difference between our Walk and Talk consultations and conventional inspections are the lack of reports for the Consultations. We will describe in detail essentially how our inspectors conduct out consultations, and we highly recommend that you read the whole blog. However, if you would like to skip the details, there is a summary at the bottom.

What to Expect

The consultation is conducted as a strictly visual style inspection. This means that appliances and systems that are normally tested in the traditional inspection, will not be tested during a consultation. Expect to be walked through the property and have the systems explained to the buyers.

What we Check

Exterior

Walking around the exterior of the house, our inspectors look at the condition and maintenance requirements of siding and trim. Along with the windows and doors throughout the property, the inspectors also look at the drainage systems of the exterior. Correct exterior drainage is important for the health and longevity of the house, check out our other post for more information.

Roof

Roofing material will be visually assessed, though our inspectors will not be climbing ladders up to the roof line. We will be using a telescopic pole or binoculars to take close up video and pictures of the roofing materials in order to determine general condition.

HVAC

Visual identification of systems and of the age of both the A/C and the Heating appliance. Our inspectors look at the exposed refrigerant lines and the evaporator coils for the A/C. If the heating system is easily accessible, and easily opened, our inspectors will assess the interior of the furnace cabinet.

Plumbing

Our inspectors typically test the plumbing systems, both drainage and supply, by running water. However, in the consultation, our inspectors are limited to visual assessment only. The inspectors check for the general condition of exposed piping, the materials of the piping, and any visually related defects.

Electrical

Our inspectors will not remove the cover for electrical panels. Instead, they look at the type of breakers and panel, and assess for any known manufacturing defects. Any exposed wiring is also noted and addressed.

Structure

All exposed structural components are inspected for movement and improper installation. Cracking and deteriorated systems can often lead to large expenses, so our inspectors will notify the buyers of any visual defects.

Basement

As our inspectors proceed through the basement, they look for signs of moisture penetration, leaks, and mold growth.

Conclusion

Walk and Talk Consultations are for when conventional inspections are waved to stay competitive within the buying process. When an approved showing time is scheduled, the inspector arrives and provides a quick visual assessment of the house’s major systems. It is by no means a replacement for conventional inspections as there is a lack of traditional testing of systems.

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