What is a General Inspection?

What does a general inspection cover? Should you get additional inspections? All that and more in this video.

Hello everyone, my name is Cameron Stephens, the entertainment industry’s real estate agent and the owner of Stephens Real Estate, a real estate experience tailored to the creative client.

Today we are going to talk about everything in a general inspection. The general inspection is part of the three major inspections we get on almost every property that also includes termite and dry rot inspection, and main line sewer inspection.

Ok so let’s go over what a general inspection will cover. The inspector will check the interior, exterior, windows, doors, the entire HVAC system, any basement or crawlspaces, the fireplace, the roof, the electric system, and the visible plumbing systems. Let’s get into each of these.

For the interior, the inspector will open and close doors and windows to test them, visually inspect walls, ceilings, stairs, railings, guards and handrails; and garage doors and the operation of garage vehicle door openers.

On the exterior, the inspector will look at ​​the exterior wall-covering material, the eaves, soffits and fascia, all exterior doors, flashing and trim; adjacent walkways and driveways; any exterior stairs, steps, stoops, and ramps; porches, patios, decks, balconies and carports; as well as any vegetation, surface drainage, retaining walls and grading of the property, where they may adversely affect the structure due to moisture intrusion.

They will look at the HVAC system, operate the controls, locate all the aspects of the system, and test for a proper range of heating and cooling.

With the foundation, the inspector will look at indications of wood in contact with or near soil, any indications of active water penetration; any indications of possible foundation movement, such as sheet-rock cracks, brick cracks, out-of-square door frames, and un-level floors; and observe any cutting, notching and boring of framing members that may present a structural or safety concern.

They will look at the fireplace, any lintels above the fireplace openings; check out the damper doors by opening and closing them and any cleanout doors and frames.

You’ll get a full rundown the roof as well, including a description the roof-covering materials and the state of the gutters; the downspouts; the vents, flashing, skylights, chimney, and other roof penetrations; and the general structure of the roof from the readily accessible panels, doors or stairs.

With the electric system, the inspector will look at the service drop, the electric meter, the panelboards and over-current protection devices including circuit breakers and fuses; electrical grounding, and switches, lighting fixtures as well as outlets that are in need of GFCIs using a GFCI tester, and finally for the presence of smoke and carbon-monoxide detectors.

With the plumbing system, they’ll look at the the main water supply shut-off valve; the main fuel supply shut-off valve; the water heating equipment, including the energy source, venting connections, temperature/pressure-relief valves, seismic bracing; interior water supply, including all fixtures and faucets, all toilets for proper operation all sinks, tubs and showers for functional drainage; the drain, waste and vent system; and any drainage sump pumps.

Wooo that’s a lot of stuff! Ok so what is NOT covered you might ask?

A general inspection does not cover mold. If the general inspector identifies a substance that may be mold, we will bring out a different specialist for that. An inspection will not cover appliances like a microwave or washer and dryer that is considered personal property. If there is a pool or spa, we will add on an inspection for that as well. If anything actively doesn’t work, we will get specialists for those things to get bids for repair.

Finally, the general inspection doesn’t cover termites, that’s a separate inspection, or the main sewer line, which is also a separate inspection where a camera is run down from the house all the way to the city sewer connection to look for cracks, roots, or other obstructions.

My buyers always get a general inspection, and it is free as a part of my program to pay for all of your inspections.

Ok there you have it! Thank you for watching, I hope you learned something about home inspections and everything they cover.

At Stephens Real Estate we specialize in working with creative professionals, entrepreneurs, and especially people in the entertainment industry because I spent 7 years of my life working in animation and visual effects. That is why I designed Stephens Real Estate to be tailored to the creative client.

I also designed a few value adding programs for both buyers and sellers that no one else is offering. For buyers, you get all of your inspections paid for, no questions asked.

Sellers, we maximize the price of your most valuable asset by giving you fresh paint, new floors, updated landscaping and full staging at no cost to you.

So, if you like my energy and personality, and think my expertise and the programs I offer would benefit you, it’s never too early to get the conversation started. Additionally, I have a fantastic referral program, so if you know someone that would benefit from connecting with me, I’d absolutely love an introduction.