Frequently Asked Questions About Home Inspections

• As a retired detective, I take my inspections seriously and conduct them with integrity.
• I have great Google reviews and often exceed the minimum inspection standard. 
• I have an Oklahoma structural pest license.
• You will support a Norman small business owner and his family. I am not a "franchisee" or employee of a large inspection corporation.
• I offer sewer scopes, upload the video to YouTube, and send you a link.
• I am a member of InterNACHI®, the world's leading organization of certified inspectors. I am a Certified Professional Inspector CPI®. I enroll in many hours of Continuing Education every year to maintain my certification as a home inspector. I am certified in numerous other types of inspections. 
• I use advanced tools when needed such as a drone, moisture detectors, gas leak detectors, an infrared camera, and many others. I walk roofs, crawl under homes ,and walk atttics when safe to do so. 
• My reports are simple to read and have lots of photos. 

• I inspect everything according to the Oklahoma Home Inspection Standards of Practice which includes systems and components from the foundation to the roof. I also check for indications of moisture intrusion, plumbig leaks, safety hazards, and material defects.  If I find anything wrong, I'll show it to you, explain what the problem is, and why it should be corrected. 
• I exceed the standards of practice when possible.
• I also conduct termite inspections, sewer scopes, septic evaluations, water quality testing, inspect pools, and inspect commercial properties. 

Buying a home? The process can be stressful.  A home inspection is supposed to give you peace of mind, but often has the opposite effect.  You will be asked to absorb a lot of information in a short time.  This often includes a written report, a checklist, photographs, environmental reports, and what the inspector himself says during the inspection.  All this, combined with the seller's disclosure and what you notice yourself, makes the experience even more overwhelming.  What should you do?

Relax. The issues that really matter will fall into four categories:

1. major defects.  An example of this would be a structural failure;
2. things that lead to major defects, such as a small roof-flashing leak, for example;
3. things that may hinder your ability to finance, legally occupy, or insure the home; and
4. safety hazards, such as an exposed, live buss bar at the electrical panel.

Anything in these categories should be addressed.  Often, a serious problem can be corrected inexpensively to protect both life and property (especially in categories 2 and 4) . Most sellers are honest and are often surprised to learn of defects uncovered during an inspection.  Realize that sellers are under no obligation to repair everything mentioned in the report.  No home is perfect.  Keep things in perspective.  Do not kill your deal over things that do not matter.  It is inappropriate to demand that a seller address deferred maintenance, conditions already listed on the seller's disclosure, or nit-picky items.

I recommend that you read and understand the entire inspection report and ask question about anything you find in the report. I am responsible for writing in the inspection report the defects that I both observe during the inspection and deem (or consider) to be material. A material defect is very serious and must be further evaluated and corrected immediately by a qualified contractor or professional. I will put those material defects into the summary report. The summary report is not the entire inspection report. 

 Walk and Talk with Your Inspector: I invite you to walk with me during your inspection. I will show you everything about your house that's important for you to know. Feel free to ask me questions while we walk around the property. If you have any concerns or questions, feel free to ask me while we're moving through the inspection process.  will work for you during the inspection until you're happy. Don't pay me until after we complete the inspection to your satisfaction. 

Read the Standards, Agreement, Report, and Book : Please read the Oklahoma Home Inspection Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics, the home inspection agreement that you will sign before the home inspection, the entire inspection report(s) and not just the summary, and the InterNACHI® home maintenance book that I will give you at the end of the inspection. 

Understand the Inspector's Responsibility: A home inspector is not an expert but a generalist. The home inspector can inspect a home and report upon the home’s condition as it was at the time of the inspection. That is the main responsibility of the home inspector. The most important thing for a homeowner to understand is that things will break. As time goes on, parts of the house will wear out, break down, deteriorate, leak, or simply stop working. A home inspection does not include predictions of future events, house warranties, or guarantees that nothing will ever go wrong. Future events (such as roof leaks, water intrusion, plumbing leaks, and heating failures) are not within the scope of a home inspection and are not the responsibility of the home inspector. Who’s responsible? The homeowner. 

The home inspection and report are based on the observations made on the date of the inspection, and not a prediction of future conditions. The home inspection will not reveal every issue that exists or ever could exist, but only those material defects observed on the date of the inspection. 

No. A home inspection is a snapshot in time, no warranties or guarantees can be provided. I have researched the "warranties" that some home inspectors offer and have found them lacking. They sound good for marketing purposes, however in practice, they do not provide enough coverage for homeowners. If you would like a better home warranty than what a home inspector can offer, please ask your agent for suggestions.

Yes, I encourage all homebuyers to attend the last hour of the inspection. 

Most homes take around 3 hours to inspect. Please arrive 2 hours after the scheduled start time. 

To limit distractions, please only bring your immediate family. Talk to your agent too because some sellers may not want a large group of strangers in their home all at once. If you want other professionals to evaluate the home, have them arrive after the home inspection.