What is a Home Inspection?
An inspection report presents 10 distinct home systems with components under each system. Licensed contractors specialize in these specific systems while Inspectors are licensed generalists with general knowledge of all the systems. A broad knowledge base enables inspectors to discover, report, and refer the appropriate specialist if one is needed. To fully understand what is and is not inspected, you may want to read the Standards of Practice set by the state of Oregon.
In summary, the Oregon standards require a visual-only report, meaning the inspector does not move objects in the home, probe, or disassemble anything not intended to be readily accessed. An inspection is not a home warranty or insurance policy, but is intended to report problems of material significance at the time of inspection. The reporting objective is to provide information that will help you make a wise purchase. A Rausch inspection will clearly and concisely tell you if each of the systems and their components are in satisfactory condition.
I carefully examine roofs, make my way through crawl spaces, and observe structural components to create a photo-rich report of areas not normally seen. I use an industry-leading report software called HomeGauge to describe and report on plumbing, ventilation, duct-work, insulation, electricity, and structural components throughout the home and condense the report into a summary listing safety issues, deferred costs, repair items, and items to monitor. The software allows the buyer and realtor to easily select issues in the home to help create a request of seller report. Review a sample report to see how information about your home will be investigated and concisely presented. I look forward to providing you a similar report so you can make that final offer with confidence!
Click here to see sample reports
Reporting limitations Under Each System:
- Structural Components
- Structural components concealed behind finished surfaces, furniture, or storage are not inspected.
- Only a representative sampling of visible structural components is inspected.
- Engineering or architectural services such as calculation of structural capacities, adequacy, or integrity are not part of a home inspection.
- Roofing
- Roof coverings can appear to be leak proof and still leak under certain weather conditions.
- Exterior/site
- Components requiring regular maintenance such as storm windows or doors, screening, shutters, awnings, fences, or presence of safety glazing in doors and windows may be not be considered material to the report objective.
- Garage
- Typical shrinkage cracks in concrete that are not egregious trip hazards
- Testing of wireless garage door controls
- Interior
- Furniture, storage, appliances, or wall hangings are not moved and may hide defects of interior finishes.
- Window treatments, central vacuum systems, household appliances, recreational facilities, paint, wallpaper, and other finish treatments are not inspected.
- Electrical
- Electrical components concealed behind finished surfaces, furniture, or storage are not inspected.
- Only a representative sampling of outlets and light fixtures are tested.
- The inspection does not include remote control devices, alarm systems and components, low voltage wiring systems, ancillary wiring systems, or other components which are not part of the primary electrical power distribution system.
- Heating/AC
- The adequacy of heat or cooling supply and distribution balance is not inspected.
- The interior of flues or chimneys are not inspected.
- The furnace heat exchanger, humidifier, dehumidifier, or electronic filters are not inspected.
- Plumbing
- Portions of the plumbing system concealed by finishes, storage below sinks, below the structure, or beneath the ground surface are not inspected.
- Water quantity and quality are not tested unless explicitly contracted.
- Clothes washing machine connections and interiors of flues or chimneys are not inspected.