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Home Inspectors Committed to Helping You Make Informed Choices
Should I buy THIS Home?”
Our home inspection will provide you with the information and tools you need to make this important decision.
Lengthy, Thorough Inspections
Our typical inspection takes 2-3 hours, depending on the size and condition of the home. We recommend that you, the hopeful homeowner, walk with us during the inspection. Why? Because through the process, we’ll provide you with valuable information on home ownership and maintenance. We’ll answer your questions and concerns, and educate you about this home.
Comprehensive, Easy-to-Understand Home Reports
During the inspection, we take digital photos that will document specific problems and concerns. After we’re done with your inspection, we’ll outline issues clearly in our easy-to-read report. We categorize findings into groups including major, repair/replace, safety. Read more about our reports, click here. Whenever possible, your inspection report will be available to you for both online viewing and downloading within 24 hours of the inspection.
With this report in hand, you’ll be able to make quick and informed choices. You’ll be able to make the BIG decision: to buy, to negotiate a lower price, to generate a seller’s to-do list… or even to walk away from the sale, if the problems are too extensive.
CTR Home Inspections services Rockland County, Orange County, Westchester County and the Rockaways in NY, and Bergen County and Passaic County in NJ. Call or text us to schedule your inspection.
Grounds
Sometimes the grounds of a home can enhance the home’s value. Other times, they can be a problem. Dead or dying trees, tree limbs that need to be pruned for safety reasons, overgrown ivy encroaching on a home and drainage issues all negatively impact a home’s value. We will review the grounds of your home to be sure you know its condition and any issues.
CTR Inspections Include:
Driveway, walkways, porches, patios, decks, stoops, steps, railings, fences, landscaping, retaining walls, outbuildings, drainage, grading.
Roof
Your roof is your defense against moisture, rain, cold, heat, ice, snow and wind. So the roof is examined carefully from above and from below, in the attic, whenever we can. We physically inspect your roof by directly walking on the roof, whenever that’s possible and safe. Many other firms never go on the roof. We know this is essential to conduct be thorough and complete roof inspection.
CTR Inspections Include:
Shingles, providing the approximate age of roof, soffits, fascia, chimneys, skylights, vents, flashing, gutters, downspouts.
Exterior
Our exterior inspection assesses the external section of your home. During our inspection, we’ll look for issues that could cause unexpected and/or costly repairs. Homes built before 1978 should be tested for lead paint before any painting or repairs are performed.
CTR Inspections Include:
Chimney, gutters and downspouts, siding, trim/soffit/fascia, caulking
windows and screens, foundation, doors, weatherstripping
Interior
We thoroughly inspect each room and make sure they function properly.
CTR Inspections Include:
Windows, doors, interior walls, fireplaces/stoves, floors, cabinets, fixtures, electrical receptacles, lights, stairs and railing, heating source for each room, safety features including the presence of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
Plumbing: Kitchen, Bath, Laundry
You’ll spend a lot of time in your kitchen, bathrooms and laundry, so a thorough inspection/evaluation is important. We check electricity, water, and venting to ensure that appliances and fixtures are working properly, for everyday use and safety. We’ll examine the water heater, the temperature-pressure-relief-valve and associated extension pipe.
CTR Inspections Include:
Gas, electric, GFCI receptacles, major appliances, plumbing, drains, hot/cold water, floor, wall and ceiling condition, windows, exhaust & ventilation, fixtures, sinks, cabinetry. We examine pipes, supply lines, drains, faucets, toilets, tubs, showers.
Attic
Proper insulation keeps air where it should be. During summer, we want cool air inside the living space, in the winter we want warm air inside the homes living space. Without proper insulation, many problems arise. While we are in the attic, we also inspect whether the roof is structurally sound.
CTR Inspections Include:
Insulation, structure of the roof, framing members, sheathing, any signs of leaks, ventilation, electrical connections, flashing and venting and any issues from the roof above.
Garage
We inspect garages for proper firewalls and safety features on the garage doors.
CTR Inspections Include:
Concrete slab, drainage, electrical, garage door, garage door opener, door tracks, doors, windows, safety devices for kids and pets, fire protection.
Heating, Ventilation & Cooling
We evaluate your Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning systems (HVAC) against their documented temperature ranges. Various systems, whether they are gas-fired, oil or electric are inspected and reviewed.
CTR Inspections Include:
HVAC systems, electrical panels, hot water systems, plumbing, distribution pipes, waste and venting systems.
Electrical System
A thorough inspection of all available receptacles/outlets, switches and panel/s are tested to ensure operability and safety.
CTR Inspections Include:
Main electrical panel, sub panels, grounding / bonding, service wire branch wire, receptacles, switches
STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS
Your foundation literally supports the entire home. Even seemingly small cracks can be signs of future, and often expensive issues.
CTR Inspections Include:
The foundation, floor structure, wall structure, ceiling structure, roof structure.