Does one inspection fit all, I think not!

I do not believe that one type of inspection meets the needs of every person seeking a home inspection. For example, a seller typically has an entirely different set of needs than a buyer, as does an investor who’s planning on gutting and renovating a home. Therefore, I offer different inspections to meet those differing needs, all at different prices, and all providing different information. Anyone needing a property inspection can find something that meets their needs at a price they can afford.

If you’re buying investment properties or properties with severe deferred maintenance we can help. If you already had an inspection, check your email to determine which type of inspection I did for you at you request or that of your Realtor. My most popular inspections are discussed below, as well as their starting prices; note that they are starting prices and are dependent upon several factors, most commonly the type of property (condo, house, ect.) the size of the property in square feet, and the location. Of noteworthy discussion here and before we get into the discussion of pricing and inspection services is the fact that with no licensing for, or regulation of, home inspectors in the State of Minnesota, there can be a significant difference between two property inspection reports by two separate companies. And while I hope that being a member of a trade association will help with that concern, there are, as of January 2007, at least eight national trade associations for home inspectors (NACHI, ASHI, AHIT, NAHI, SPREI, AAHI, HIF, FREA).

Finally, one closing comment about inspection reports. You might be tempted to simply seek out the company that can get the inspection done the quickest and for the cheapest price. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate total quality management (TQM) and other best practices that will produce the best quality product for the lowest price. What you need to know is that in property maintenance and home inspections the entire ballgame is different. You are paying for competence, experience, and quality. Our reports exceed the standards of the industry, in fact we have been setting the standard for many years. Sure you could save $50 and go with another company, and here's what the other guys report might just look like. 

STANDARD (Prices start at $299)
This is my most popular inspection although it has a reputation among some Realtors as being too “nitpicky”. My clients, however, love it. It is suitable and recommended for all types of properties, although my BASIC inspection is a better value for investors or anyone who will be doing a complete renovation of the property. My STANDARD inspection is my “above and beyond” inspection. In addition to our complete inspection from top to bottom outside and in this service includes (1) recall and safety concern research on appliances and equipment (2) cosmetic damage and “minor” defects (please note: cosmetic and minor defects are determined solely by inspector and may differ from your opinion or from the opinions of third parties), (3) helpful information in the introduction section of your report, (4) common maintenance and safety tips, (5) my infrared inspection service, and (6) my total appliance package.

Realtors and other parties sometimes get upset at me when I note cosmetic and “minor” defects such as holes in screens; loose hardware on cabinets, doors, and drawers; etc. In the overall scheme of things, it is relatively easy to resolve those problems. However, for my STANDARD inspection I believe it is your privilege to determine what you consider cosmetic, nitpicky, or “minor” defects, and what you would like to do about them.

PREMIUM (Prices start at $399)
This is my second most popular inspection. It includes my STANDARD inspection and a free re-inspection of the seller’s repairs to make sure they were done and/or done properly, attendance with you at your final walk-through, and a 30-day personal follow-up.

This inspection is best for Clients who might be unable to attend the home inspection itself or the final walk-through, Clients who might be involved in a rent-back situation with the seller or the seller’s tenants, or Clients who will have tenants in the property.

BASIC (Prices start at $279)
This is my third most popular inspection and meets only the minimum trade association and legal standards. It is the absolute minimum, does not offer any additional services, and most clearly resembles the inspections done by my major competition. It includes only major defects. It does not include (1) recall and safety concern research on appliances and equipment (2) cosmetic damage and “minor” defects (please note: cosmetic and minor defects are determined solely by inspector and may differ from your opinion or from the opinions of third parties), (3) helpful information in the introduction section of your report, (4) common maintenance and safety tips, (5) my infrared inspection service, and (6) my free appliance package.

The BASIC inspection is best for Clients needing just the basics, major defects, either because they are an investor and will be gutting and renovating the house, or because they are a general handyman or other person familiar with the ins and outs of real estate. This inspection is NOT recommended for first time homebuyers, Realtors completing their first home inspection experience, or anyone purchasing a newly constructed or recently renovated home

In having this type of inspection, it is very important that you read through your report to get a full and complete understanding of the condition of the house at the time of the inspection. 

LIST (Prices start at $219)
My LIST inspection is a specialized inspection available only to Sellers since it is a pre-listing inspection. It includes only major defect recognition and does not include (1) recall and safety concern research on appliances and equipment (2) cosmetic damage and “minor” defects (please note: cosmetic and minor defects are determined solely by inspector and may differ from your opinion or from the opinions of third parties), (3) helpful information in the introduction section of your report, (4) common maintenance and safety tips, (5) my infrared inspection service, and (6) my free appliance package.

Please note that the LIST inspection does not meet the minimum standards of practice of many home inspector trade associations for what most people consider a home inspection to be. Why? Because I note only major defects. Common information or descriptive information about the structure, such as type of foundation, type of roof, type of siding, ect., is not included unless such common information or descriptive information in and of itself could indicate a problem. For example, older knob and tube type electrical wiring.

The reasoning behind this inspection is that the person selling the house either knows about the common descriptive stuff or doesn't care since he's selling the house. And the buyers will (hopefully) get their own inspection which will tell them the common and descriptive stuff, as well as any major problems that occurred since the date of the LIST inspection. Cosmetic damage and "minor" defects will not be noted; note that cosmetic damage and minor defects are determined solely by me and may differ from your opinion of from the opinion of third parties.

The LIST inspection meets all general requirements for correcting or disclosing major defects concerning the structure. Note that major defects listed are those that were present or visible at the time of inspection. I cannot, and will not, take responsibility for something that has failed since the inspection, for damage caused by someone doing repairs, for the quality of repairs, of for damage caused by those living on the property in the course of daily living. However, I will be there with the sellers until the house is sold in order to address any problems that the buyer's home inspection discovered. Keep in mind that with no licensing for, or regulation of, home inspectors in the State of Minnesota, there can be a significant between two property inspection reports by two separate companies. If you have any questions about the LIST inspection report, or the buyer's home inspection report, simply contact me. I'm on your side and will be fighting for you.


In addition to the above inspection packages I offer a complete line of additional inspection services that can be purchased to compliment your inspection such as Radon Testing Service, Water Quality Analysis, and our Infared/Thermal Imaging Inspections. The fee for these services are listed below. 

Radon Testing (with inspection)      $139.00

Water Quality Analysis                     $129.00
(Important for properties with
private well water or properties
with Iead water supply pipe.
Laboratory analysis includes
complete chemical, bacteria, and
lead analysis. The most
comprehensive available)

Infrared/Thermal Imaging                  $179 per hour
and forensic moisture invesitgations
If you have elevated humidity, visible discolorations on walls, floors, and/or ceilings we can help. We utelize the most state of the art FLIR BCAM SD Infrared Camera and combine this with our knowledge of building science and forensics to provide you with the most superior report. By utelizing this technology we can visually document suspected moisture in your home or building and provide you with a superior report listing potential causational factors and recommended follow up actions. What does this mean? Before Infrared technology that brown stain on the wall was a suspected moisture intrustion requiring additional follow up; with Infrared technology and thermal imaging we can instantly determine if the brown stain is just a stain or if it has surface temperature anomolies that would indicate moisture.

Thank you for taking the time to familiarize yourself with our inspection services. If after reading this you find yourself looking for something else or don't see something you were looking for please contact us directly and let us know.

Areas where we have worked
We have provided home and building inspections in the
following Minnesota Cities

Andover, Anoka, Albertville, Arden Hills, Blaine, Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Buffalo, Burnsville, Champlin, Circle Pines, Columbia Heights, Coon Rapids, Corcoran, Eagan, East Bethel, Eden Prairie, Edina, Elk River, Falcon Heights, Forest Lake, Fridley, Golden Valley, Ham Lake, Hanover, Isanti, Lexington, Lino Lakes, Maple Grove, Maple Lake, Minneapolis, Minnetonka, New Brighton, Oak Grove, Oakdale, Osseo, Plymouth, Princeton, Ramsey, Robbinsdale, Rogers, Roseville, Shoreview, Spring Lake Park, St. Francis, St. Louis Park, St. Michael, St. Paul, Vandais Heights, Woodbury, Zimmerman