Services

Buying a home is one of the largest single investments you will make in your lifetime. To minimize unpleasant surprises and unexpected expenses, you need an objective, unbiased and detailed examination of the physical structure and systems of the house, from the roof to the foundation.

With a buyer’s inspection from Sound Structure Home Inspections, not only will you be aware of the home’s potential defects, you also will have the knowledge to care for the home if you choose to purchase it. Our extensive inspection process along with our thorough inspection reports are what set us apart from competitors.

The inspection takes between 2-3 hours* on average, depending on the square footage, age, and complexity of the property. Reports are delivered within 24 – 36 hours* and include digital photos to help you understand the nature and general location of potential defects.

Also included in the cost of every home inspection are a Thermal Imaging Scan and Gas Leak Detection. If your home has its own well water system, or if you would like the extra assurance of knowing your home’s water and plumbing system are safe from toxins and contamination, you can also request Water Quality Testing to be done at the same time, for an additional charge.

The team at Sound Structure makes the educational component as important as the inspection itself, so you can be confident that you will have the knowledge moving forward to make an informed decision.

*Because of their scope, Multi-family & Commercial Inspections require more time.

Seller’s Inspections, also known as Pre-listing inspections, are conducted before the home is placed on the market. If you are thinking about selling your home, consider a Pre-Listing Inspection. This is an effective way to prepare your home for the real estate market, helping you to better assess your home’s value.

By identifying necessary repairs before you place your home on the market, you have the opportunity to amend them without delaying sensitive contract closures. Should you opt not to do the suggested home repairs, documentation of your inspection could expedite contract closures by eliminating possible repair addendums.  Included in every Seller’s Inspection are a Thermal Imaging Scan and Gas Leak Detection at no additional cost.

The inspection takes between 2-3 hours* on average, depending on the square footage, age, and complexity of the property.  Reports are delivered within 24 – 36 hours* and include digital photos to help you understand the nature and general location of potential defects.

The team at Sound Structure makes the educational component as important as the inspection itself, so you can be confident that you will have the knowledge and support to prepare your home for listing.

*Because of their scope, Multi-family & Commercial Inspections require more time.

Home Maintenance Inspections are usually performed once per year to ensure the integrity of a home’s systems and structure. Your home is one of the largest single investments you will make in your lifetime. To protect the value of your investment and minimize unexpected expenses, you need to be aware of your home’s maintenance needs through an objective, detailed examination of the physical structure and systems of the house.

With a maintenance inspection from Sound Structure Home Inspections, you will be aware of problems in the making along with preventive measures that will help you care for your home and might help you avoid costly repairs in the future. The inspection itself is as thorough as a Buyers Inspection and includes the same high-quality report after the inspection concludes. Home Maintenance Inspections are especially recommended after your home has endured inclement weather such as strong winds, excessive rain, extended periods of drought, unusual freezing, or snow conditions.

The inspection takes between 2-3 hours on average, depending on the square footage, age, and complexity of the property. Reports are delivered within 24 – 36 hours* and include digital photos to help you understand the nature and general location of potential defects. Also included in the cost of every Home Maintenance Inspection are a Thermal Imaging Scan and Gas Leak Detection.

The team at Sound Structure makes the educational component as important as the inspection itself, so you can be confident that you will have the knowledge and support to maintain the integrity of your home.

If your home has its own well water system, or if you would like the extra assurance of knowing your home’s water and plumbing system are safe from toxins and contamination, you can request a Water Quality Test be performed along with your Home Inspection for an additional charge or as a standalone service.

Either way, testing is vital in determining whether the water in your home is of good quality. Most contaminants are colorless and odorless, including arsenic, lead, and biological pathogens. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends routine testing for common contaminants such as dissolved solids, bacteria, pH balance, nitrates, and more.

Properly constructed and maintained water wells can provide many years of trouble-free service, but wells can eventually deteriorate or become damaged and allow surface contaminants to enter the water. In addition, some groundwater can contain one or more chemical substances in levels above health-based standards. If you have a private well regular testing is your responsibility.

For a nominal fee we will collect a water sample from your home and send out for laboratory testing with results provided to you.

We include Gas Leak Detection in every full home inspection free of charge. This is because we believe this is a critical safety check that should never be skipped. Gas Leak Detection is the process of identifying gas leaks in the home using a handheld combustible gas leak detector. Both natural gas and propane gas are commonly used in homes to power heating systems, water heaters, dryers, stoves, fireplaces, etc. We use a handheld gas leak detector to trace the visible and accessible gas piping within the home, concentrating on unions (connections with in the piping) and any accessible appliance connectors. This can also be used to detect leaks at or near a gas meter.

As part of Sound Structure’s goal to offer the most detailed, informative, and thorough inspections available, its building inspectors offer a Video Sewer Scope Inspection service (as part of a home inspection or as an independent service) to ensure your plumbing and sewage systems are operating properly.

During a Video Sewer Scope inspection, a Rigid SeaSnake camera system reaches into your sewer line, traveling to the city main line to check for blockages, leaks, or pits, which can evolve into holes in the line. The sewer scope service includes a digital color recording of the entire process, as well as a written report with photographic stills, which provide a comprehensive idea of the sewer scope’s findings and elements that may need to be repaired. This information can then be used as a resource and shared with your plumber if repairs are necessary.

Sound Structure generally recommends video scopes for houses built before the 1990s, but even newer homes or brand-new construction can have flaws in the sewer line that can cost thousands of dollars to repair. It is imperative that these repairs are made before sewage backs up out of drains and destroys your home and possessions.

Your home is one of the largest single investments you will make in your lifetime. Protect its value and minimize unexpected expenses with a sewer scope inspection from Sound Structure Home Inspections.

We include thermal imaging of specific areas in all of our Sound Structure Home Inspection packages — at no additional charge. Why? Because we believe in utilizing the most advanced technology to provide the best protection for homebuyers and homeowners alike.

We also offer Thermal Imaging Inspections as a standalone service at a reduced rate for property owners with specific concerns, such as air or water leaks, flat roofs (which can cause moisture issues), or hot or cold spots in the home or a commercial building. This is a limited inspection that utilizes only the infrared camera to identify issues within a home or commercial building’s systems or structure.

With Thermal Imaging we can capture more information than is visible to the human eye. An infrared scan can often identify issues that are not visible with the naked eye. The infrared camera “sees” wavelengths of light that human eyes cannot. These wavelengths are converted to a visible spectrum and displayed on the camera’s screen and within photos it produces.

Issues commonly found include heat loss with heating systems and insulation gaps, cooling problems with gaps in duct-work, radiant floor heating malfunctions, moisture problems in ceilings and walls, pest infestations, and electrical issues such as overloaded circuits, overheated equipment and electrical faults.

At the end of your inspection, we’ll review our findings with you and answer any questions you may have. An inspection report will also be provided within 24-36 hours and includes digital photos taken during the inspection to help you understand the nature and general location of potential defects.