Batten To Beam Inspections, LLC
Serving Philadelphia, Delaware County, Chester County, Montgomery County and New Castle County Delaware
The Home Inspection
Buying or selling your home or condo is a big undertaking, and it is important that you cover every base before continuing with the purchase of or listing your home for sale. An inspection by Batten To Beam inspections LLC, will provide you with a detailed assessment of your homes readily accessible areas, provide a list of defects and needed repairs including safety issues. The process will insure you get the best value for your new home or increase the likelihood of a smooth and successful negotiation. Do not neglect considering additional services such as radon testing or sewer lateral video inspections as these can help you determine if there are any health risks or expensive hidden repairs in your future.
New Construction Inspection
A new construction inspection is ideal for home buyers who are purchasing a newly constructed home or are undertaking a spec home and require phased inspections. If you need a final new construction inspection or a pre-drywall inspection, Batten To Beam Inspections LLC, will provide you the documentation of how your home is constructed and the peace of mind knowing that it is built without defects in materials, workmanship or safety hazards. The final construction inspection helps you manage the final builders punch list and we also offer a 1 years builders warranty inspection to help you document the final repairs your builder may be responsible to complete.
Note: Discounts may apply when bundling, Pre-Drywall, Pre-Settlement and 1 Year Warranty Inspections
Sewer lateral Video Inspection
Did you know that the homeowner is responsible for the sewer lateral drain line after it leaves the home up to the location that it connects to the utilities main sewer drain? Settlement and aging of the materials can result in cracks and openings in the drain lines can result in root balls, sediment build up or erosion that causes yard, driveway, or street sink holes. Older materials such as terracotta clay pipe may be crumbling, and older cast iron pipe may be corroded to the point of imminent failure.
The cost of these repairs can run from $3000 on the low end to upwards of $20,000 when there is significant concrete walkways or streets that require excavating. A video sewer lateral inspection can show the condition of the lateral drain line letting you know if there may be expensive repairs in the future.
WDI (Wood Destroying Insect)
The WDI inspection, commonly known as a termite inspection, looks for evidence of past and present issues due to termite, carpenter ant and other wood damaging insects such as carpenter bees or powder post beetles. Left undetected and untreated these insects can cause major damage to the wood structure of the home. Early detection and treatment are important to maintaining a safe home and Identification of past damage during the inspection process can give you the opportunity to negotiate the appropriate repairs with the seller.
Your home inspector will note any visible signs of damage due to WDI activity and recommend a course of action. If a separate WDI inspection report is required by your lender, a NPMA-33 Certification can be prepared for a fee.
Radon testing & your health
Radon is a colorless and odorless gas that enters your home through cracks in the foundation and slab. It attaches to dust and when you breath it, it may cause damage to DNA in your cells and resulting in lung cancer. Fortunately, we can test for radon and a Radon mitigation system can be installed to protect you and your family. Having a radon test done during your inspection period may provide you with the documentation to successfully negotiate all or part of the installation cost of a mitigation system. The average system can cost from $750 to $2000, which can be a significant amount of savings to you the buyer.
Repair Lists, Budgeting & Re-Inspections
BATTEN TO BEAM INSPECTIONS uses Spectora, a powerful inspection reporting software package to prepare and publish your home inspection report. Utilizing the power of Spectora with the “Repair Request Builder” feature allows you and your realtor to prepare clear and organized repair lists to provide the seller and their agent.
Your report will include estimated budget pricing, for items that have significant material defect considerations and costs associated with them. These estimates are researched on the web at sites like Fixr.com, although you should always obtain 3 or more quotes from contractors for accurate estimating, you do not always have time for this, and they can help you decide if this house is for your budget or not.
Once your requests are accepted by the seller, repairs done by the seller before settlement can be re-inspected. I provide one re-inspection at no cost prior to settlement to verify any seller completed repairs that you and your relator are not comfortable reviewing on your own.
Well, Water and Septic Inspection
If your property is one of the many homes in the area that is supplied by well water and/or a septic drainage system, equipment testing, and water testing are important to consider. You should always ask for any recent copies of water tests and well service and repair documents. Depending on their age or if they are not available a water test additional testing and inspection may be necessary to help you understand if the well is performing satisfactorily and the well water is safe for your family to drink. A well inspection will document the condition and age of equipment where possible and a pressure/flow test will help to determine if the well is of sufficient size for your use. Water testing is available at varying levels and can satisfy most mortgage requirements.
Septic systems are expensive to install and repair, often in the tens of thousands of dollars. Having your septic system inspected will let you understand what condition the systems are in and how repairs may affect your purchasing decision. Batten To Beam inspections, LLC will refer you to a reputable septic system inspection company in your area, or you can schedule with a company of your choosing.
The Pool Inspection
Your pool is a central gathering place in the summer and a source of play and entertainment for your children. A happy experience starts with a properly installed and running pool. Your pool inspection includes the filtering and heating equipment, safety features and the condition of the pool decking and surfaces. Pools can be expensive to repair and understanding its condition is important to negotiating with the seller and managing your repair budget.
Stucco & Veneer Sidings
Stucco and veneer sidings such as stone and brick are susceptible to moisture damage due to poor installation and application processes. Moisture gets trapped behind the materials and causes wood rot damaging the structure of the home, poor window and doorway flashing compounds the problem.
Do not let anyone tell you that you can use thermal scanning or a visual inspection to determine if the home you are considering does or does not currently exhibit moisture damage. I can document if the correct flashing and installation features are present, but only a certified stucco inspector can determine, through invasive moisture testing what the conditions of sheathing, framing and insulation materials are behind the stucco or veneer siding.
I have taken various stucco inspection courses in order that I may understand the construction process and visual inspection, however a thorough stucco inspection can take multiple hours to conduct which takes time away from the home inspection process. For this reason, Batten To Beam Inspections, LLC, partners with a local leading stucco and veneer applications inspector that will take moisture and core samples and provide a detailed report of the condition of the home. We have saved our clients hundreds of thousands of dollars just in the past year.
Environmental Issues
Environmental issues include Lead, Asbestos and Mold, depending on the age of the home and moisture conditions one or more of these may be present in the home.
Typically homes that are younger than the late 1970’s to early 1980’s will NOT have lead or asbestos building materials as these components started being banned from construction in the 1970’s. Older homes may have lead water pipes or paint and asbestos building materials such as installation and flooring. While in most cases, these materials can be “encapsulated” rendering them relatively harmless, in some cases removal may be necessary. I will help you identify these materials in older homes so you can decide what is the best course of action for you and your family.
Click here for the EPA website regarding Lead https://www.epa.gov/lead
Click here for the EPA website regarding Asbestos https://www.epa.gov/asbestos
Mold is a health concern that is dependent on the presence of moisture, any areas where visible signs of mold exist or conditions conducive to mold growth will be identified and a course of action will be recommended. First and foremost, reducing moisture is the primary goal. If moisture issues are NOT solved first, any remediation will likely result in mold blooms returning.
Mold testing is available for those that feel it is important to know what kind of mold and at what levels they are present in the home. This may be important for immune compromised occupants or someone that has a known allergy to a specific mold. We can discuss what mold testing can and cannot accomplish, so you can decide if it is right for you and your family.
Click here for the EPA website regarding Mold https://www.epa.gov/mold