Our Services
Our inspections are performed with great care and attention to detail.
Inspection Services
Buyer’s Inspections
A home buyer’s inspection is a crucial step taken before purchasing a property, aimed at identifying any issues requiring repair or attention. It is a widely utilized service where an Arizona State Certified Home Inspector, acting as a neutral third party, conducts a thorough examination of the home. Unlike other stakeholders in the transaction, the inspector has no financial interest in the outcome, ensuring unbiased reporting. This ensures that the home buyer receives comprehensive and impartial information about the home’s condition during the discovery period before closing the deal.
Pre-Listing Inspections
Selling your home is a significant milestone, and conducting a pre-listing inspection can be instrumental in this process. It allows you to assess the value of your home and aids in setting a competitive price.
Before listing your home for sale, a pre-listing inspection helps identify potential issues that could deter prospective buyers if left unaddressed. The home inspector will compile a deficiency report outlining any major deficiencies discovered during the inspection. Addressing these issues proactively can streamline the selling process and improve the appeal of your property to potential buyers. This proactive approach not only helps in setting a fair market price but also enhances the overall readiness of your home for sale.
New Construction / New Build Inspections
In the realm of new construction, builders can sometimes make mistakes or take shortcuts. At Hatch Home Inspections, we provide essential services including pre-drywall inspections and inspections just prior to the expiration of your home warranty.
Pre-drywall inspections offer a crucial opportunity to uncover any defects hidden behind walls, allowing for more cost-effective repairs while issues are still accessible. Most new home warranties typically last for 12 months. It’s advisable to schedule an inspection around the 11-month mark to identify any construction quality issues before the warranty expires. This ensures that any necessary fixes remain the responsibility of the builder rather than becoming your financial burden. Taking these proactive steps helps safeguard your investment in a new home and ensures peace of mind regarding its construction quality.
Inspection Add-ons
Mold Testing
If your home has experienced water damage from sources like roof leaks or plumbing issues, mold can quickly become a concern, beginning to grow within just 24 hours. Hatch Home Inspections offers comprehensive mold testing services to assess the presence and concentration of mold inside your home.
Samples collected during the inspection are sent to a lab for analysis. Lab technicians evaluate these samples and typically provide an electronic report within 1-2 business days of receiving them. This process ensures you receive accurate information about mold presence and type, helping you make informed decisions regarding remediation and ensuring a healthier indoor environment.
Thermal Imaging
This imaging test utilizes a thermal imaging camera to identify indications of water leaks within residential or commercial properties, including foundations, walls, attics, and other difficult-to-access areas.
Operating in the infrared spectrum, the thermal imaging camera detects variations in heat signatures. Warm areas appear as white or red, while cooler areas display as yellowish or blue. Water and moisture absorb heat differently than dry materials, resulting in distinct cool signatures. By detecting these thermal anomalies, the camera identifies potential water leaks even when they are not visible to the naked eye. This technology helps in pinpointing areas of concern early, facilitating timely intervention and maintenance to prevent further damage.
Water Testing
Water quality testing is a specialized yet straightforward assessment that examines a home’s water supply for various contaminants and pollutants. Common substances tested for include chlorine, lead, and coliform bacteria. Additionally, the testing can detect chemical imbalances such as pH levels and attributes like water hardness.
Ensuring the potability and safety of the home’s water for everyday use is the primary goal of water quality testing. This practice is beneficial in both urban and rural settings, where potential sources of contamination may arise from aging municipal plumbing systems, nearby industrial activities like fracking and mining, livestock farming, and natural events such as flooding, which can impact local aquifers or water tables.
Homeowners who rely on private wells or cisterns for their water supply particularly benefit from regular water quality testing to identify any potential risks and ensure the water meets health standards. Regular testing provides peace of mind and helps in maintaining the overall quality of life for residents dependent on these water sources.
Termite Inspections
Termite inspections play a crucial role for prospective homebuyers by highlighting existing damage or infestations, as well as areas prone to future termite activity. These inspections typically identify vulnerable spots such as open access points in the foundation or lower levels of a home, and areas with significant moisture accumulation.
Professional pest control companies can then address these concerns by recommending and implementing corrective measures to mitigate the risk of infestation. This proactive approach not only helps in protecting the property from termite damage but also provides peace of mind to homebuyers knowing that potential issues have been identified and addressed before completing the purchase.
Frequently Asked Questions
Buying or selling a home can be a stressful experience, but we’re here to ensure you know what to expect during your home inspection.
A home inspection includes checking for any structural issues such as foundation cracks, roof leaks, plumbing issues, electrical wiring, heating/cooling systems, insulation, windows, doors, chimneys, etc. Depending on how big the property is, a home inspection typically takes 2-3 hours.
Ensure all inspection points are free from clutter, including any closets that might lead to a crawlspace or attic, and clearing some space around your home’s perimeter. It’s also important to check the functionality of all built-in appliances, electric, and gas. If you don’t plan to attend the inspection, make sure your inspector has access to the home, and all pets are properly contained or moved.
A home doesn’t pass or fail an inspection. Instead, a home inspection is a thorough audit of your home’s components. In most cases, there will be concerns marked on your home inspection report, but these are strictly informative.
While you can legally skip a home inspection in many cases, doing so could mean you may end up buying a home that has major issues that need to be fixed.
While a home inspector may recommend some minor repairs, they are not qualified to make major repairs. He or she can provide information about what needs to be repaired — and it might be helpful to know that information — but the decision to actually do the work lies solely with the homeowner. Not only does this give you the freedom to choose your contractors, but it also helps prevent a conflict of interest.
A home inspection can affect appraisals for two reasons: 1) The inspector may find something wrong with the property that would lower the value of the home, 2) The inspector may find things that need repair which could increase the value of the home. If the inspection finds issues that require repairs, then the seller has to decide whether they want to fix them themselves, or hire someone else to do it. If the buyer wants to purchase the home, he/she must be willing to pay for those repairs.
