Services
What is included in our building inspection reports:
- Roof and Accessories (we will walk all accessible roofs)
- Chimneys and Fireplaces (many defects are only visible from the rooftop)
- Roof Drainage System (especially pertaining to foundation water entry)
- Siding and other Exterior Building Elements (decks/balconies, trim, window, door defects)
- Flatwork (injury and safety concerns with walks, patios, steps, stoops, driveway and aprons)
- Grading (slopes impacting the foundation, soil erosion property damage, retaining walls)
- Garage (structure, operational doors, safety concerns)
- Kitchen, Bathrooms, Laundry (water damage, safety concerns, hazards)
- Interiors (structural framing concerns, finish damage, with a focus on water entry)
- Attic (we enter all accessible attic areas to evaluate roof framing condition, insulation, ventilation, fire concerns)
- Foundations (basements, crawl spaces- we enter all accessible crawl spaces, slabs, structural wall and framing concerns)
- Cooling/Heating (Is it operational? Is it reliable equipment?)
- Electrical (focus on fire and safety hazards)
- Plumbing (hot water, water flow, waste/soil/vent pipes, water distribution pipe, health and safety concerns)
- Household Pests (vermin including mice, squirrels, snakes, household pests ,insects)
- WDI (wood destroying insects with focus on their building damage)
With a Shelterworks report, we strike a balance between writing in general building industry language and clear layman’s terms that are easy to understand and discuss with your attorney, family, friends, and contractors. We have years of experience refining our reports to address our client’s needs and who have given our reports high compliments for clear content. Our custom narrative written reports are usually available online with a customer ID and password within three (3) business days following the inspection date. The report will reflect our professional opinion of the conditions at the time of the inspection.
We routinely report on more than just the building condition required by regulation. Our reports also include observable building hazards that can result in trip and fall injuries, fire, and life and safety concerns. We take a systems approach to building evaluations knowing that systems are interrelated and one system can negatively impact another in a remote building area. This insight only comes with years of building inspection experience and observing common patterns of damage or defects.
When we encounter significant system defects, our reports will clearly direct the reader to repair or replace defective components and systems that do not operate, are obsolete or unreliable. We make the distinction between a major repair and routine service or maintenance work.
Many times, it is important to define the scope of a building problem. When we encounter significant building damage, Shelterworks reports will recommend further investigations completed by qualified contractors to determine the full scope of repair and to determine the limits of building areas impacted by damage. This information is important in making a clear decision in the purchase process. We find that buildings are routinely damaged by water entry and neglected maintenance, closely followed by termites and other wood destroying insects (WDI’s).
Our inspection reports will always provide a clear path of recommendations supported with clear descriptive photographs, to do additional testing, destructive building investigations, demolish or tear-off and replace, versus routine maintenance concerns. You will not have to guess at what the intent of the report means.