Valley Home Inspectors
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"Helping to make a house a home"

What is a home inspection?

According to Internachi standards of practice a  home inspection is a non-invasive, visual examination of the accessible areas of a residential property, performed for a fee, which is designed to identify defects within specific systems and components defined by these Standards that are both observed and deemed material by the inspector. The scope of work may be modified by the Client and Inspector prior to the inspection process. 
VHI follows Internachi Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics.

During the home inspecting process the home inspectors are organizing and recording all information. This information is recorded through a checklist and then presented in a home inspection report. The inspection report is many times 20-30 pages with many pictures.  Therefore, the inspection report is generally delivered through email.  This report is given to the real estate agent or client within 24 hours.  The client will use the information provided to them to make educated choices about the sale or purchase of real estate property.   

Many times home inspection is mistaken for a home appraisal. A real estate appraiser decides the value of a home, while a home inspector visually inspects the home and defines the current state of the structure and system(s) components of the property.  A home inspection does not confirm that state or city codes have been met.  

Valley Home Inspectors LLC are reliable, prompt, professional and courteous. We take pride in timely and thorough home inspections. In general a whole home inspection takes 2-3 hours.  We will generally have your home inspection report completed within 24 hours and many times within the same day. We are thoroughly trained through AHIT (American Home Inspectors Training Institute) and members of Internachi.  We take will our time during your home inspections to be sure you have a comprehensive and precise inspection report.  

​Valley Home Inspectors does inspections on all types of residential homes.  These homes include condominiums, multi family homes, single dwelling homes, and townhouses.   Most home inspections are
                    
                                Pre-Listing 
​We do home inspections for a pre-listing.  Pre-listings are home inspections that are usually done by the home owner prior to listing their home on the market. This allows the home owner to get a comprehensive list of all areas that can be improved or repaired prior to placing their home on the market.  Fixing major problems can greatly increase the sell value of your home.   
                                  
                                  Pre-Offer 
Pre- offer inspections are done for someone looking to buy a home and prior to submitting an offer to the home owner.   This type of home inspection is the most common and is very important for the future home owner because it will provide them with a precise list of all safety issues or major deficiencies with the home.  It will also indicate any major expenses or renovations that will need to  be done in the future.  

​Some of the areas the home inspector is visually inspecting include...
  • ​Structure
  • Exterior
  • Roofing
  • Plumbing
  • Electrical
  • Cooling/Heating
  • Interior
  • Ventilation/Insulation
  • Fireplaces and solid fuel burning appliances
​Each of these components are thoroughly inspected for safety, deficiencies, problems or defects.  The home inspector reports on the condition of a component or system upon visual inspection.   The home inspector uses a home inspection checklist during their inspection process.  This checklist is provided in the home inspection report. 
     
Residential home inspection
Home Inspection Checklist
 Types of homes we inspect are:
Town homes
Single dwelling homes
Mobile homes
Multi-unit homes
Condominiums
​
There are many areas we are looking at during the inspection process.  Here is a basic list of the areas we inspect and there subcategories...
​
Structural inspection - foundation, basement, stone masonry, framing, slab construction, footings, crawl spaces, etc.
Exterior inspections - garage and carport, windows, doors, siding, trim, landscaping, retaining walls, etc.
Roofing inspection - roof drainage, flashings, roof covering, chimney, etc.
Electrical inspection - main power, grounding system, fixtures, receptacles and switches, branch circuit wiring, main panel, etc.
Plumbing inspection - gas piping, drain, waste and vent system, hot water system, fixtures and faucets, etc.
Heating inspection - hot water boilers, steam boilers, heat pump, cooling system, forced air furnaces, oil or gas fired systems, etc. 
Interior inspections - insulation, ventilation, attic, stairs, windows, doors, floors, ceilings, walls, fireplaces, etc.

​

             Home inspection checklist
There are many different areas in which our inspectors look to complete a comprehensive and accurate home inspection.  A checklist is used to ensure the home inspectors do not miss any important components during the home inspection process.  The home inspectors will also take multiple photos during the home inspection process .  This is important for accurate and thorough documentation. The home inspectors will be able to reference these photos if any questions arise after the home inspection is completed.  ​

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Valley Home Inspectors

Lehigh Valley, PA
610-557-3533
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  • Home
    • Home Inspection Process
  • Rates
  • About Us
    • Certification
  • Contact Us
    • Service Locations
  • Services
    • Water Testing
    • Radon Testing
    • Mold Sampling
    • Termite Inspection
  • Online Scheduling