Sample Report

Inspection Overview and Limitations

Please read the following carefully and ensure that you fully understand it. If you have any questions or if anything is unclear please feel free to ask.

For the fee paid, the Inspection Company and client agree the purpose of the inspection is to identify readily visible and material defects or conditions of the major systems that, in the sole opinion and judgment of the inspector adversely affect the function or integrity of those systems. The report only pertains to the visible and readily accessible areas of the included systems at the time and date of inspection. For the purpose of our reporting system a “Major Concern” is one that has a serious detrimental effect on the operation of included systems. A significant “Safety Concern” is one that is a clear and present danger at the time and date of inspection versus a risk or health affect that may or may not develop over time. A “Maintenance Item” is something that needs attention before it becomes a problem or routine maintenance such as painting or cleaning.

The client acknowledges and agrees that the inspection WILL NOT detect and list every defect present, and it is agreed that if such an inspection is desired, it is beyond the scope of a “Basic Inspection” and would require both additional time and additional fee(s). Cosmetic defects or those defects that would be considered fairly obvious to a casual observer may not be included in the report. Although it is possible the inspection may address some of the minor or more obvious deficiencies present, it is agreed the report WILL NOT be an all inclusive list of every type of defect, cosmetic concern, or routine maintenance issue at the property.

It is understood and agreed to by all parties that the Inspection Company is NOT an insurer and is NOT insuring the property against defects or the future condition of the structural components, or its various plumbing, mechanical, and/or electrical systems. The client agrees that every property will have flaws or defects NOT observed or identified in the report; property ownership brings risks. We can help reduce your risk in purchasing, but we CAN NOT eliminate the risk, NOR are we assuming the risk.

The client agrees the Inspection Company, inspection, or report IS NOT a warranty or guarantee, but 3rd party extended warranties are available and can be purchased thru realtors at an extra cost to them. The client agrees to buy a home warranty plan, if one is desired.

If the client fails to get further repairs or evaluations of any problems or conditions noted in the report, the client agrees to assume full responsibility and liability for such action.

If the property has a 3rd party warranty, any claim must be filed on the warranty NOT the Inspection Company. Any “claims for concealed conditions” (intentional or otherwise) must be made against the seller of the property or the warranty company, not against the Inspection Company.

Any repairs recommended are understood to be performed by a licensed and insured professional who is experienced and capable of performing the repair. Re-inspections of any defects are limited to verification that the work was performed, not that it was performed to any standard or that the defect was corrected. The professional who performed the work should warrant their repairs and are responsible for anything related to the work performed.

As part of the inspection agreement, the client agrees to do a “pre-closing walk-through examination” 24-72 hours prior to closing to insure all systems or components are functional. If a problem is later discovered, a copy of the “pre-closing walk-through checklist” must accompany the client's written correspondence to us detailing the problem. The clients failure to do a “pre-closing examination” and return a copy of the “pre-closing checklist” to our office within 10 days of closing voids any further responsibility or consideration by the Inspection Company.

LIMITED DISTRIBUTION: This report is for your use only. We will not share or discuss this report, it’s findings, or anything about the inspections unless instructed otherwise in writing, with real estate agents, owners, repair persons, or others as instructed by you. The inspection company will be the sole owner of the report and all rights to it. We are not responsible or have any liability for use or misinterpretation by third parties, and third parties who rely on this report in any way. If you or any person acting on your behalf provide the report to a third party who then sues you and/or us, you release us from any liability and agree to pay our costs and legal fees in defending any action naming us. Our inspection and report are in no way a guarantee or warranty, expressed or implied, regarding the future use, operability, habitability or suitability of the home/building or its components. We disclaim all warranties, express or implied, to the fullest extent allowed by law.

Summary

This report evaluates the conditions of key home components as per the relevant inspection standards. It outlines findings across 11 critical sections. Each section is labeled using the following system:

Term	Meaning
Serviceable	Meets the needs and ready to use without major issue
Unserviceable	Not ready to use for various reasons
Safety	Dangerous in some way or could cause harm or injury
Maintenance	Needs routine or ongoing maintenance
NA	Not applicable

These terms are for the summary only and anything found defective will have a detailed explanation as well as pictures in the appropriate section.

Site, Grounds, and Grading	Serviceable
Structure Foundation	Serviceable
Exterior	Safety
Roof	Serviceable
Garage	Serviceable
Attic and Insulation	Maintenance
System Plumbing	Maintenance
System Electrical	Safety
Heating and Cooling	Maintenance
Interior Living Areas	Serviceable
Kitchen and Appliances	Maintenance

Inspection Details

The home was built in 1954, it is a ranch style house, has a partially finished basement, a CMU block foundation, brick veneer siding, and a hip roof with asphalt shingles covering it. At the time of inspection, the weather was overcast with a temperature of about 65 degrees Fahrenheit with calm winds. The water main was found at the bottom of the hill beside the road about 30 feet west of the driveway. The electrical service entrance is a 200 amp overhead service which was found in the rear of the house to the left of the back door. The gas service entrance was found on the northeast corner of the house near the front. The house faces northeast and is near the entrance to a cul-de-sac near the top of the hill. The back of the property abuts Dry Ridge Road and has a right of way for electricity. It has approximately 2200 square feet of living area and an attached garage of approximately 250 square feet. It is currently occupied and furnished with all utilities turned on.

Site, Grounds, and Grading

Site was built on a hillside, the basement is mostly underground and the garage is partially underground. There are four retaining walls, one in the front near the street, one in the rear about twenty (20) feet away from the house, and one on each side of the driveway. There are two basins with drain pipes leading to the street, one on each side of the patio. There was positive grading in the front and both sides, neutral grading for the first ten (10) feet in the rear, with extreme negative grading past the retaining wall in a small wooded area. This wooded area had an electrical right of way bisecting it on a north - south line near the road.

There were signs of erosion as well as signs of former trees in the front. There was a large shrub on the north side of the house, a small tree on the west side, and several large trees on the south side wooded area, including several which have fallen. Retaining wall in the front was leaning as was part of the wall on the east side of the driveway while the retaining wall in the rear appeared relatively straight. All of the retaining walls showed signs of cracking as well as repairs of various ages. There was a raised flower bed in the front of the house which has cracks and other signs of movement and is in need of attention soon by a qualified licensed professional.

The steps and sidewalk leading up to the house were cracked in places. One handrail support was broken and the spacing of the balusters was greater than four (4) inches, both of which are safety concerns. The driveway had a very steep angle and is heated. The heating system was not operated at the time of inspection and it is recommended to be evaluated by a qualified licensed professional before first use. Spalling, cracks, and separation from the garage were all observed at the time of inspection. The lamp post in the front yard near the retaining wall was leaning approximately eight (8) inches from vertical. I recommend further evaluation by a qualified licensed professional.

Structure Foundation, Basement

The basement is partially finished and was mostly obstructed by stored personal items. The foundation is made from CMU blocks which had been painted on the inside. The circuits were not protected by Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters (AFCIs), and although this is a modern standard and was not in effect at the time of construction, it is a good idea to bring the house up to modern safety standards. The floor covering was tile laid on concrete which has been painted. Cuts in the floor were observed where a drain appears to have been replaced and/or worked on. There was a grid ceiling with tiles which prevented inspection of the underside of the floor system but there were a few tiles not in place which allowed for a limited view. Wire nuts which were not in a junction box were observed, as well as a notch cut in the middle of a floor joist, both of which are safety items and need further evaluation from a qualified licensed professional and corrective action taken as deemed necessary. The door to the garage was not self-closing nor was it fire rated for 20 minutes as required by modern safety standards.

Exterior

At the time of inspection, cracks in mortar joints and broken bricks throughout the home were observed, particularly on the front with hardly any on the rear, with the exception of some cracks in the patio. A qualified licensed professional is recommended to evaluate them further and corrective action taken as needed. Any time cracks are observed on the exterior, special attention must be paid to the interior to look for signs of structural failure which need to be further evaluated. A home inspection cannot tell you if a crack is moving or getting worse, just that it exists.

The front storm door had a broken latch, the back door had a deadbolt that is operated by a key on both sides, and locks should be changed or re-keyed when moving into a new home. All of these actions should be evaluated by a qualified licensed professional and their recommendations acted upon as needed.

Roof

The roof was inspected by walking on it. The roof covering was asphalt shingles which appear to be fairly new. It was reported that the roof had been replaced two years ago. The gutters had gutter guards installed which appeared to be installed correctly and working as intended. The downspouts were in good shape, secured to the wall properly, and fed into underground drain pipes. There were box vents as well as a ridge vent and soffit vents which make up the ventilation system. The roof felt solid while the inspection took place and it appeared to have no major issues at the time of inspection. All of the flashing was observed to be in place and properly installed including the cricket on the chimney. Regular maintenance and inspections are recommended in order to have debris and leaves removed from the roof at regular intervals and after severe weather events. This should be performed by a qualified licensed professional.

Garage

The inspection of the garage was limited due to personal items preventing access to most of the garage. The insulation was improperly installed. The vapor barrier is designed to be facing the conditioned room, not the unconditioned room. In this case it should be against the floor. The floor was concrete and appeared to have the correct slope. The door leading into the basement was not fire-rated nor automatically closing as mentioned in the previous section. These are modern standards and were not in effect at the time of construction; but this is a safety issue and should be evaluated further by a qualified licensed professional. The vehicle door has an automatic opener and the safety reverse and safety stop both worked as intended at the time of inspection.

Attic and Insulation

The attic had a stairway installed for access in the hallway. It was a stick built hip roof with very few collar ties. The insulation has been installed upside down. Normally it would be recommend to be turned over, however in this case most of the attic has been covered with wood planks presumably for storage and most of it is inaccessible. There were signs of prior water damage on the rafters. This could be left over from before the roof was replaced but there is no way to tell at this time. It is recommended to be kept under observation and further evaluation performed as needed by a qualified licensed professional. There were bare bulbs in fixtures in the attic which is a safety concern. Covers should be installed by a qualified licensed professional.

System Plumbing

The water supply into the house is from the Saint Albans municipal source and enters the house via a 3/4" metal line from a meter on the street. There was a shutoff valve near the hot water tank. The water lines were copper and original to the house. They showed signs of corrosion and seepage in multiple locations throughout the house. The drain lines were cast iron and also original to the house. The water tank had rigid supply lines which showed signs of corrosion and a previous leak but were not wet or damp at this time. It is recommended they be replaced with flexible steel lines and a shutoff installed on each line by a qualified licensed professional. The dishwasher could not be operated because it was in use at the time of the inspection. The toilet in the upstairs bathroom was not properly secured to the floor and should be repaired by a qualified licensed professional. The functional flow in the bathroom was adequate, however the functional drainage was insufficient in the bathtub and left standing water. The garbage disposal was inoperative.

System Electrical

The house has a 200 amp overhead service which enters on a mast on the rear of the house to the left of the back door. The GE panel in the basement had mixed neutral and ground wires on the same bar and a splice with a wire nut on a hot wire. Aluminum wiring was found inside the panel feeding the circuit and although it appeared to be of the correct size, it should be evaluated by a qualified licensed professional.

Open grounds were observed throughout the house and there were no AFCIs in the basement at all. Although that is a newer requirement that was not in effect at the time of construction, it is a good idea to have them installed. There were open junction boxes and wire splices not in boxes in several locations throughout the house. This is also a safety issue and should be addressed by a qualified licensed professional.

Several of the switches were not fully functional and several surface mount boxes were not secured to the wall. There is one unidentified cable going into the ground on the west side of the house. These things should also be addressed by a qualified licensed professional.

Heating and Cooling

The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system consisted of a York air conditioner and furnace installed in 2007 and a whole house fan that appeared to be original to the house. When the air conditioner was tested, it was not lowering the temperature sufficiently and should be evaluated by a qualified licensed professional. Some of the ductwork had insulation that needs repaired, but even though this is a maintenance item it should be performed by a qualified licensed professional. The furnace was a gas forced air system which was operational and there is a heat source in all rooms except the one half of the upstairs bathroom. There was a fireplace downstairs and the fireplace upstairs has been converted to gas. At least a level 2 inspection of the chimney is recommended by a qualified licensed professional before using either.

Interior Living Areas

The floor was sloping toward the front of the house, possibly due to the foundation settling. There were cracks which have been repaired in the living room, dining room, and kitchen. All accessible windows and doors were operated and tested all accessible receptacles were tested. One window in the living room would not stay up when unlocked. There were multiple open grounds on receptacles throughout the house. The doorways had cracks in the corners which usually indicate settling. The door from the master bedroom to the bathroom was coming apart. The upstairs bathroom had stained glass windows, one of which had some small cracks in it. There were two smoke detectors and no carbon monoxide detectors. In a house with an attached garage, carbon monoxide detectors should be used at least in areas adjacent to the garage for safety.

Kitchen and Appliances

The garbage disposal was inoperable. The oven was a double oven and is missing the door to the bottom oven but was otherwise operational. There were eight broken tiles on the floor. The water supply lines to the sink were corroded and the shutoffs were not operated at this time due to poor condition. There were signs of a previous water leak but everything was dry at the time of the inspection and no leaks were observed. Several of the outlets should be GFCIs but were not. Although this was not required when the home was built it should be upgraded for safety. The light fixture over the sink was not securely mounted. All of these items should be evaluated further by a qualified licensed professional and their recommendations acted upon as needed.

Feedback

At KITS Home Inspection, our goal is to provide you with an inspection you can use, not one you have to figure out. If you have any questions about anything at all please do not hesitate to call, text, or email. The SD card provided contains all of the pictures taken as well as the body camera footage. These, along with all notes taken and reports written are kept on file for four years from the date of inspection, and can be provided to you if requested within this time frame. If you have any comments or suggestions, including improvements or things you think would benefit other clients, please leave them on our website here: https://kitswv.com/homes/feedback.html, or by visiting here: