Find a home inspector you can trust with Copeland Home Inspections
Find answers to common questions.
The short answer is yes. Buying a new home is an expensive investment, possibly the largest one you'll ever make. A home inspection brings more clarity to what it is that you're buying and will help to mitigate the risk involved in such a purchase.
There are many potential problems that could either go unnoticed, or could lead to bigger problems, that a home inspector is trained to uncover.
We very strongly advise against attempting to perform the property inspection yourself, for a number of reasons. Even if you do have a lot of experience with the systems of a home, it is still advised to hire a professional home inspector.
A home inspection typically takes between 2 and 3 hours, depending on the size of the home and number of issues discovered. A home inspection that takes less than 2 hours is generally not thorough enough to be useful.
When you request your inspection, we can give you a better idea as to how long the process will take.
Absolutely! While your presence is not required, we strongly encourage you to come along for the inspection. You'll have a much better idea of the condition of the home when you can see any issues first-hand.
You'll be able to benefit a lot more from the inspector's experience and expertise if you are present at the inspection. You can ask questions and receive home maintenance tips — especially helpful for first-time home buyers.
You're more likely to have a quick sale if the house has already been properly inspected. You can opt to provide potential buyers with a copy of the inspection report, or you can address any issues before listing the house for sale.
Major problems discovered during a home inspection may result in serious transaction delays. If you know about these problems ahead of time, you'll be in a better position for a smooth transaction.
The health and safety of our families and community is our greatest concern. Based on current guidance from health officials, we are taking the following steps to ensure that we continue to serve you during these unprecedented times:
🏡 We are temporarily asking that you NOT accompany us during the inspection. This is a departure from our normal recommendation, but is based on CDC advice to maintain a distance of 6 feet between individuals. We are happy to follow up by phone immediately following the inspection. If you must attend, please limit attendance to one representative and their agent.
🏡 We understand that individuals may be unexpectedly occupying the home during this time due to school closures and remote work situations. If at all possible, we ask that all occupants relocate to an outdoor or alternate space during the inspection.
🏡 We will have gloves, soap, hand sanitizer, and paper towels with us at all times. We will not schedule inspections when we are sick. We are happy to wear a mask if the homeowner requests that we do so.
It is up to all of us to stop the spread of this disease. With the few adjustments we mentioned above, we believe it is safe to continue inspecting properties at this time. Please know that we continue to monitor emerging developments and will update these guidelines as appropriate. Wishing you all good health!
Thank you,
Copeland Home Inspections