Once you’ve booked your inspection with Short Notice Inspections, you will receive a few emails. You will receive the contract, which must be signed before the inspection. If it is not signed, the inspection will not happen. It contains all the legal liability information we need you to sign. You will also receive reminders about the upcoming inspection.

Please note, if you are having Short Notice Inspections inspect a condo or apartment, we strongly recommend requesting the building manager/management provide access to areas normally not publicly accessible. These areas include basements, utility rooms, electrical rooms and roof access.

We will arrive at the inspection location between 15-30 minutes before the inspection. We do this to make sure we can find parking that does not impact the inspection. After all, a car in the driveway doesn’t let us see the driveway. As long as your contract is signed, we will knock and see if we can start early. After all, everyone’s time is important, and we want to be as efficient as possible for everyone involved. Once you arrive, we will greet you and give you a small introduction to us and how we will go about the inspection. We will invite you to come along if you would like to ask questions, but we will be focused on making sure we inspect the property to the best of our abilities.

After your inspection, we will give you a quick summary of our initial findings. We will answer any questions you have and let you know if there are any areas that we want to discuss further. We will take payment at this point of inspection. We currently accept Cash or Check. Payment must be received before we release the report to you.

Once your report is finalized, which is within 24 hours, you will receive an email with instructions on how to review the report online and download a PDF copy of it. In the event you have any questions on the report, please feel free to contact us for further discussion.

On the Exterior we inspect and give information about:

The Lot & Grade of the property, the Driveway & Walkways, Visible Fencing, the Roof Structure, Chimneys & Vents, Flashings, the Roof Drainage system, the building Siding, the Windows & Doors, the Electrical Service entrance, the Gas Connections or Oil Fill line, Air Conditioner/Heat Pump condenser units (if applicable), and the Garage (including all electrical components inside and out).

On the Interior we inspect and give information about:

The Attic structure, the Walls, the Floors, the Ceilings, the Windows, the Interior Doors, the Heating/Cooling systems, Electrical systems (Panels & Outlets), the Plumbing, the Bathrooms, the Kitchen (Cabinetry and Appliances), the Basement, and the Floor Structure & Foundation.

Pre-Offer Home Inspections are typically limited on time and due to that, scope. We are happy to say our Pre-Offer Home Inspections still meet the Massachusetts Standards of Practice for a Home Inspection. We are able to do this because we have 2 Inspectors at our inspections. We ensure we test and report on a representative number of similar components per room on the inside and then go back and do as much additional testing as possible. We also do not open the electrical panels, operate a drone or a jetted tub during a Pre-Offer inspection.

We Inspect for these, which is different then testing for them. A visual inspection is not conclusive testing. If we find anything that looks like signs of Mold, Asbestos or Lead, we will recommend further testing to confirm.

That can be unfortunate, but we will do our best to inspect around them. We do follow the state standard for home inspections, which does say we are not to move items in the way, but we will note these circumstances in the report.

It is dependent on a large range of factors, such as size, systems and current state of the structure, but in most cases we tend to be able to get the inspection done in 1 ½ to 2 hours on average. Since we always have 2 inspectors on the inspections, we are able to get through it faster than a single inspector.

It is valid for the time of the inspection. If something happens after we leave that changes the state of the home, that cannot be helped. Please remember, Home Inspections are independent reports on a home’s safety and functionality at the time it was inspected by trained and licensed professionals. It is not a warranty or guarantee of any kind.

No. In general Home Inspectors do not do that. We will let you know the professional you want to follow up with in order to get estimates if needed.