FAQ

Q: How is the cost of an inspection determined by inspection companies?

A: All home inspection companies have different ways of charging, there are usually three different methods used to determine how much to charge for your inspection.
 1) Time billing, such as: $300 for the 1st hour and  $60 to $100 for each additional hour.
 2) The sales price of the house, such as: $400 base price + $100 for every $100,000 over $300,000.
 3) The size: Bedrooms & bathrooms and/or Square footage. There is other items that are used along with the size, usually the age of house and foundation type. Sometimes companies will take stucco and other items such as the condition of the house, if it is a foreclosure or if it has no disclosure.

Q: Which cost method is used at GeorgiaHomePros.com and why?

A: GeorgiaHomePros.com uses the size method. We feel that is the only fair way for us and our clients to have an accurate price for there unique house to be inspected and it keeps the cost of the inspection as affordable as possible. There is no one size fits all houses.

Q: Why not time billing or sales price?

A: 1) Time billing is a very fair method, however, not most people are willing or feel comfortable to having this type of open end billing and may rush the inspector thru or find it hard to concentrate on the inspection when watching the clock. If the house is in great condition then the cost could be low, however, if major items or a lot of items are found then it could be costly, although, this would be money well spent.
 2) Sales price billing is just not fair. The people who can afford more, pays more? And any real estate professional can tell you the higher the price dose not always reflect on the condition of the home if there not side by side. There is other thing that control the prices of house such as: number of bed/baths, square footage, features of the house, the area/neighbor hood, schools, county, age of roof, foundation type, etc..... What about an old neglected house on a crawlspace, should a new house on a slab pay the difference for the extra time and attention given to that client's inspection? Or, should a well kept old house on a crawlspace in a sought after area pay the difference for a rural area new house on a slab? We just could not find a fact base in sale price billing and the "win some/loose some" theory usually makes companies price them to a "win more than you loose".

No two houses are the same, this is always the first thing that is taken in consideration before we make any decisions at GeorgiaHomePros.com, that's one of the reasons we go by size and has also been a major reasons for us to choosing the type of reporting system we use. And yes, even most new houses with the same floor plan in Georgia have elevation differences that affects the drainage, foundation type and location of items such as furnace, water heater and electrical panels. Some are built during difference times of the seasons and some are older than other by only months can apply to different codes.

Q:  If my home is a foreclosure and most are winterized can your company dewinterize the home and is there a fee to do so?

A:  Yes, we can.  Many companies/agents charge $150-$250 just to dewinterize your new home.  Usually they pass that fee along to you.  It only takes minutes to do this.  We only charge an additional $25. to dewinterize your home, saving you tons!

1. Confirm that water, electric and gas service are on, with gas pilot lights burning.
2. Ensure pets won't hinder the inspection. Ideally, they should be removed from premises or secured outside. Tell your agent about any pets at home.
3. Replace burned out bulbs to avoid a "Light is inoperable" report that may suggest an electrical problem.
4. Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and replace dead batteries.
5. Clean or replace dirty HVAC air filters. They should fit securely.
6. Remove stored items, debris and wood from foundation. These may be cited as "conducive conditions" for termites.
7. Remove items blocking access to HVAC equipment, electric service panels, water heaters, attics and crawl spaces.
8. Unlock areas the inspector must access - attic doors or hatches, electric service panels, closets, fence gates and crawl spaces.
9. Trim tree limbs to 10' from the roof and shrubs from the house to allow access.
10. Attend to broken or missing items like doorknob, locks and latches; windowpanes, screens and locks; gutters, downspouts and chimney caps.

Checking these areas before your home inspection is an investment in selling your property.