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FAQs
At Acuity Home Inspection Services we do our best to answer all of your questions. Below you will find a list of what we believe are the most frequently asked questions. If you have any questions that have not been answered below, do not hesitate to call or email us.
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We take our time with our inspections, as we want to be as thorough as possible. A typical inspection will take us 3 to 4 hours to complete. This can vary, given the current condition and size of the home, the accessibility of mechanical systems, and so on. As a courtesy to sellers, we recommend that they be informed of the timeframe in a pre-purchase home inspection situation.
We inspect the major systems of the house. These include the Roof, Exterior, Structure, Electrical, Heating, Cooling, Plumbing, Insulation, and Interior. Our goal is to identify any existing major problems that would affect a typical buyer's decision to purchase.
In cases where a wood-destroying insect or mold inspection has been requested, we inspect for those items as well.
When conducting energy audits and thermal imaging evaluations, we look at things such as building envelope integrity, insulating values, r-value ratings, U-values, energy-consuming equipment, electrical loads, as well as other factors to determine an overall energy profile of the home and develop recommended areas of improvement.
Before you ever purchase an inspection from us, you will be given a detailed pre-inspection agreement that clearly defines the scope of the inspection and any items not covered.
Pricing will vary based on a number of factors including the age, size and complexity of the house and whether you choose any additional services such as wood-destroying insect inspections, mold inspections, or thermal imaging analysis. If you are comparing home inspection firms, the fee charged should not be the deciding factor unless the level of service and inspection offered is identical. Remember, you are considering a major purchase and your choice of home inspector should be based on getting the best value, not just the best price. Most home inspector's fees don't vary by more than $50-$100 for similar services. Acuity strives to be competitive in our pricing and will match any written quotation from a licensed home inspection agency in our service territory for comparable services.
For a standard home inspection:
- Complete home inspection conducted by an experienced professional. The scope of the inspection will be clearly defined in a pre-inspection agreement and conducted following Ohio's Standards of Practice for a home inspection, which can be found HERE.
- Comprehensive written home inspection report with annotated photographs, informational links, and video links when applicable.
- Technical support for as long as you own your home.
Definitely. We encourage you to attend, if desired. The inspection is a valuable learning experience for most homebuyers. Your inspector will usually go onto the roof of the house, into the attic, and into the crawlspace (if the home has one, and it is accessible) unless when deemed unsafe to do so. We ask that our customers don't attempt to follow us in those areas for reasons of safety. We will ask that you maintain a safe distance when we are doing things such as opening electrical panels or equipment as well.
You don't have to take notes during the inspection. We will document everything in a written report. It's much better to follow the inspector through, listening to his comments to make sure you understand. It's also a great opportunity to ask questions and to clarify anything that confuses you.
Absolutely! You may want to bring some questions that you have regarding the home. You should also feel free to stop the inspector and ask questions as you go. If the inspector's comments or explanations are not clear, please ask for clarification.
You should dress comfortably. Since the inspection will take place both inside of the home and outdoors, dress with that in mind during seasonal weather. Your inspector will wear disposable shoe coverings in the house to avoid tracking in dirt from outside the home, and would offer those to you as well.
You do receive a written report. It would be unfair to ask you to remember all the things we cover during a home inspection. The report includes a summary of the condition of the home and details on all the major systems of the home. It is delivered within 24 hours after the inspection, at maximum, but usually sooner.
No. Our goal is to report on the condition of the house, indicating potential repairs and expenses. Ultimately, it is your decision whether you buy the house. The home inspection is very important, but it is only one piece of the puzzle. Only you know all the factors at play. Your real estate professional can help you here.
A home inspection is a professional opinion based on less-than-complete information. It's a little like getting a check-up from your doctor. It improves your odds of good health, but there is no guarantee or warranty. Some problems can only be discovered by living in a house; they cannot be discovered during a home inspection. For example, some shower stalls leak when people use the shower but don't leak when you simply turn on the shower. Some roofs and basements only leak when specific weather conditions exist. Some problems will only be discovered when carpets are lifted, furniture is moved or finishes are removed. As such, we cannot and do not offer a warranty on the house. Home warranty programs are available from others. We would be happy to help you contact a warranty company.
I am licensed through the Ohio Department of Commerce Division of Real Estate and Professional Licensing (#2021004664) and also licensed through the Kentucky Board of Home Inspectors (#293102).
I am licensed through the Ohio Department of Agriculture as a registered business operator and pesticide applicator to conduct inspections for wood-destroying insects (including termites, carpenter bees, carpenter ants, and wood-boring beetles).
Furthermore, I am certified through the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors to conduct mold and thermal imaging inspections.
I have been involved in the building industry in various capacities for over 20 years, ranging from residential construction to project management on multi-million dollar commercial projects. I have been criminally background checked and am fully insured.
I am a Certified Professional Inspector with the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors. I am also a member of the Southern Ohio Realtors Association, the Cincinnati MLS/CABR, the Better Business Bureau, the Brown County Chamber of Commerce, the Adams County Chamber of Commerce, and the Ohio Association of Radon Professionals.
I am ready to serve you quickly. Because the sale of a home is often conditional upon having an inspection, I strive to be available with a few days notice.
Realtors are licensed professionals who are typically a home buyer's guide through the complicated home purchase process. In Ohio, they are required by law to provide the buyer of a home the name and address of three licensed home inspection agencies. You can generally count on them to provide trusted referrals to you. Those referrals are often based upon professional relationships they have developed with individual firms in their line of work, and they wouldn't recommend them if they didn't have full confidence in those firms to offer you good service. That being said, there are often other inspection firms beyond the ones they refer that can offer you exceptional service as well. Acuity encourages you to consider their recommendation, but you are under no obligation to use one of their referrals. You are free to compare multiple inspection agencies beyond their referrals and evaluate which one represents the best value for you. Make sure that you are comparing equal services offered, that the firm is licensed, insured, reputable, and well reviewed, then make your best choice. Obviously, we would like to be that choice, and your realtor would be more than welcome to reach out to us with any questions as well.