Home Inspection Report Information...
Introduction
There are over 30 different Home Inspection reporting systems available to the Home Inspector. Even though most of them follow
the various published Standards of Practice, the majority of them display a vague format and deliver a poor presentation.
These kinds of reports are favored by those Home Inspectors, whom I mentioned on my homepage, perform one-hour inspections.
Upon numerous years of careful consideration, I chose to use the best possible reporting system created by HomeGauge. Using this
highly customizable software allows me to convey my findings in a concise professional format which makes it easy for all parties
involved to understand. Most importantly to remember, it is not the computerized report system that finds defects. Knowledge, experience
and the ability to observe keenly are the cornerstones for gathering information and conveying it through a comprehendible report.
Many inexperienced Home Inspectors rely on computerized report systems to dazzle clients with numerous photos. However, insignificant
photos clutter reports by creating endless pages to review. You, the Home Buyer, have already observed the decor during the inspection
and don’t necessarily need more pretty photographs.
The new generation of computerized reports has also created convenience for the novelist scholar-types. These Home Inspectors write
endless narratives with up to 50 pages of print for reading. In our busy lives of today, these Narrative reports are almost never
reviewed by you the Home Buyer, Real Estate Agents, Attorneys, Sellers or Contractors. You will also find these bloated reports
containing paragraphs of protectionist verbiage stating endless exclusions about why they could not do their job.
I do not include a Report Summary as do most Home Inspectors. Summaries filter out inspection items that the inspector feels are
not important enough for consideration. I strongly feel it should not be the inspector’s choice as to what is important or not to a
client considering the purchase of a property. Too often this has the tendency for everyone to rely on this brief
version while ignoring the comprehensive main report.
My reports are uniquely customized by the use of colored text in the fashion of a Traffic light – Red, Amber and Green. These colors meaningfully
depict the nature of an inspection item or area, as we are all accustomed in driving a car on the road. Blue text is introduced as
a suggestive need for regular maintenance or monitoring due to conditions that may not have been present during the inspection. The color
differences assist in the ability to scan through and categorize the findings.
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Purpose
The Home Inspection report presented to you at the end of the Home or Building Inspection is your tool. You are obligated to fully review this document and follow through with all recommendations. This typically involves a further evaluation by a licensed or qualified professional
to assess a major defect and provide estimates or repair the areas of concern. A good report can also assist the Home Buyer in creating
a helpful 'punchlist' for repairing minor concerns or performing preventive maintenance tasks.
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Standards of Practice
There are many National Home Inspection Associations have established and published Home Inspection Standards of Practice. These are the minimum standards of what is required to be observed and reported or what is not required to be performed by the Home Inspector.
Being a licensed Home Inspector in New York State, it is a condition that we must follow, at a minimum, the specified Standards of Practice developed by the New York Department of State in conjunction with the Home Inspection Council.
I, personally, have elected to use a report system that exceeds any of these varied minimum standards in certain areas for your benefit. However, it shall not exceed to a technical degree due to industry or licensing constraints.
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Ancillary Service Reports
Since Ancillary services are not part of a Basic Home Inspection, separate report pages are completed and issued along with your Home Inspection report.
Wood Destroying Insect Inspection - I complete a nationally recognized form published by the National Pest Management Association.
This form is known as NPMA-33.
Septic System Test - A separate report section which provides critical information about system components and the method used to determine functional flow.
Water and Radon Testing reports will be provided after analysis by the respective laboratories
and are sent to you at a later date.
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If you have time, check out my defects photos Gallery
Go To Contact Me
or
Contact Home Inspector - Igor Smetaniuk for more info (845)856-4102
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