Home Inspection, Structural Home Evaluation, Relocation Home Inspection
Like many real estate professionals, we recommend having an inspection done before purchasing any home. There are many home inspectors out there who can accomplish this for you and they vary in quality and expertise. Unlike a licensed engineer, however, the average inspector is limited in the degree to which they can comment on any perceived structural defects. Oftentimes, if a home inspector suspects a structural issue exists, they will merely point it out and recommend further investigation by a licensed engineer. Most home inspectors will not (and shouldn’t) comment on the severity of the structural issue nor what an appropriate structural solution should be to remedy said issue.
A licensed engineer has the experience, training and legal authority to do just this. We can perform a full or partial home inspection to give you the piece of mind on whether a foundation crack should be worrisome or a product of normal aging. Furthermore, should a defect be truly alarming, we can offer a range of repair plans should you want to continue with the real estate transaction. If a defect is undesirable but not quite alarming, we can offer recommendations to contain the defect and prevent it from worsening over time.
Since we are not a repair contractor, we will never try to sell you a certain product or system nor use fear to overstate the work required. You can expect us to discuss possible risks and what action will reduce those risks. Additionally, we will be clear what is required to ensure minimum building safety. Lastly, we will discuss the limitations of any recommendations we may make (i.e. even a licensed engineer cannot guarantee whether settlement will continue or if the underlying soil has reached a stable state. Be wary of anyone who asserts otherwise) and how you can monitor the situation to know when further action may be necessary.
