Your home is so much more than the brick and mortar that provides shelter from the elements. It is your sanctuary. From the pencil marks on the door frame to the fenced in backyard where you will train your new puppy it is and will be your everything. Understanding the magnitude of homeownership and how it is integral to one’s well being is woven into every single home inspection that I have ever performed. My inspections are far more than just a process and you are so much more than just a client.
A question that I seldom get asked but is very impactful to the overall quality of all inspections, is how many inspections do I perform per day?
While the question would be better phrased as how many per week, the answer is 7-10 per week on average. While that may not seem like a very large number, the annual total typically equals upwards of 330 residential inspections per year and has remained fairly constant with only small fluctuations year over year. This does not include the standalone services that I also perform which may not include or pertain to a whole home inspection; such as commercial building inspections, structural foundation inspections, radon, wood destroying insect inspections, water quality, or mold testing but my only objective is to deliver a very high quality service and product. I am not at all concerned with offering high quantity.
Each residential home inspection requires a five hour commitment, minimum. That is not a typo. The actual inspection averages 2- 2.5 hours (can take longer depending on the total square footage to be inspected) after which I meet and debrief the client for what usually averages one hour. The debriefing is equal parts presentation of the inspection findings and an in depth orientation featuring the nuances of the home. Factoring in the administrative components necessary to schedule, verifying that the home is readied for the inspection and will be vacated for the duration of the inspection and onsite debriefing process, commuting to the property, proofreading and editing of the final report for delivery within 24 hours post inspection; there is no physical means within my quality driven business model to exceed the current operational volume. Those 5 hours per inspection do not reflect the off peak hours required to keep the business engine running as new calls come in every day.
Before ordering your inspection, you should know and understand the nature of your inspection contingency window. If in doubt, review your purchase agreement for the home and be sure to call your Realtor, real estate professional, or whomever is helping you to navigate the home buying process. Any and all inspections must be carried out in a timely fashion and within a prescribed period of time. This is typically referred to as a period of due diligence and/or a contingency period and is clearly defined as a certain number of calendar days or business days. The clock is usually ticking once your offer has been accepted and the purchase agreement bottom lined. Here again, if you are not certain consult with your trusted professional. In all matters of real estate there is one constantly recurring concept guiding the process. That is “time is of the essence.” In life the old adage is “he or she who hesitates is lost.” These two maxims nicely dovetail the sense of urgency necessary to meet one’s goals as they relate perfectly to the process at hand.