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Buy Smart with Home IQ
Certified Home Inspection Services
Home IQ : Home Inspections
So purchasing a home is in your near future, CONGRATULATIONS!
You’ve likely spent considerable time and effort finding the right home and negotiating an acceptable purchase price. Now that you have a written purchase agreement and are counting down the days until closing, there is still one very important step you must take to ensure this really IS your dream home. You need a Qualified and Experienced Professional working on your behalf to perform a Home Inspection and help you solidify whether buying this home is truly a smart investment.
Certified Inspection Services
A general home inspection is a non-invasive, visual examination of the accessible areas of a residential property (as delineated below), performed for a fee, which is designed to identify defects within specific systems and components defined by these Standards that are both observed and deemed material by the inspector. The scope of work may be modified by the Client and Inspector prior to the inspection process.
Certified Electrical Inspector
Electrical panels, including identifying common electrical violations, defects and concerns
Certified Plumbing Inspector
Leaks, inadequate water supplies, water contamination, and incorrect installations of components
Certified Deck Inspector
Residential wood deck inspections and a review of all common deck defects
Certified Roofing Inspector
Roof-covering system of a home
Certified Structural and Foundation Inspector
Foundation walls and piers, including new innovations in the foundation and concrete industries
Certified Wood Destroying Organisms Inspector
Indications of infestation of wood-destroying organisms that may exist in a building using a visual-only examination
Certified Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Inspector
Visual inspections of HVAC systems in homes
Certified Moisture Intrusion Inspector
Identify and report on moisture intrusion in homes
Certified Fireplace and Stove Inspector
Fireplaces, stoves and chimneys
Certified Crawlspace Inspector
Underfloor crawlspace structure of a residential building
Certified Exterior Inspector
Exterior of a home
Certified Garage Inspector
Residential garage including a review of common defects found
Why do I need a home inspection?
Buying a home is one of the most important investments you will ever make and a home inspection is an inexpensive way to discover the overall condition of the home. It is important to conduct a home inspection to avoid a costly mistake by purchasing a property in need of major repairs.
Hiring a Certified Home Inspector will help you learn a great deal about your potential home. A certified home inspector will look things over from top to bottom both inside and out. The findings will then be assembled in a detailed yet easy to understand home inspection report. Upon reviewing the report with your certified inspector, you’ll be able to evaluate whether there are any potential deal-breakers, such as a serious structural defect. If no deal breakers are found, you’ll then want to determine if there are major issues that should be negotiated with the seller prior to closing. Finally, you’ll be able to identify any minor repairs needed that you choose to handle yourself to avoid “nitpicking” the seller. This knowledge will also help you prepare and plan for any upcoming repairs that you were previously unaware of.
What is involved in a home inspection?
Most buyers only visit a home a couple times before they place an offer and the visits are mainly spent looking at space and cosmetic aspects of the home. When you hire Home IQ to inspect your potential home, we’ll look at over 1,600 different items in and around the home including but not limited to the home's heating system; central air conditioning system (temperature permitting); interior plumbing and electrical systems; the roof, attic and visible insulation; walls, ceilings, floors, windows and doors; the foundation, basement, structural components, decks, siding and much more. A home inspection is a non-invasive, visual examination of the accessible areas of the property which means the inspector is not permitted to move personal items or other obstructions nor is the inspector permitted to dismantle or damage the property for the sake of the inspection.
What makes a good home inspector?
Unfortunately, the state of Iowa does not require any State governed certification to be a home inspector which makes it even more important that you select an inspector with the right credentials.
Here are a few things to look for:
- Is the inspector currently certified and in good standing with a national home inspector association such as InterNachi (International Association of Certified Home Inspectors)
- Do they carry the proper E&O (Errors and Omissions) Insurance? This insurance protects both the homebuyer and inspector.
- Does the home inspector have a working knowledge of each aspect of the home, not just a specialized person such as a carpenter or electrician?
- Is Home Inspection their primary occupation or is this simply a side practice?
Home inspection is a full-time profession that requires extensive education and experience in both building and inspecting. Hiring an inspector with an understanding of every component of your home and how they work together is key to ensuring a good inspection.
We caution against having your “handyman brother-in- law” perform an inspection for you. Using a non-professional is like hiring an amateur to perform heart surgery.