Home Inspection Types: Warranty and Maintenance Inspections

In part one of this two-part blog series, we went over the most common types of home inspection that will generally be carried out. While the vast majority of home inspections are ordered either by a buyer or seller during a standard home purchase situation, there are also a few unique situations that might slightly alter the program depending on your circumstances.

At Aerolite Consulting, we’re proud to offer not only standard home inspection services, but also environmental testing for contaminants like lead, radon, asbestos and many others, plus energy audit services as well. What are some of the other “types” of inspection we’ll carry out – which really refer to the circumstances in which they’re performed and the party ordering them – and which is right for your situation? Here’s a primer.

Warranty Inspection

In cases where you’re involved with the building and purchase of a new construction home, you’re likely to be involved with what’s known as the warranty inspection, or the 11-month warranty inspection in some circles. This is ordered by the homeowner who purchased the home, but as the alternative title suggests, it’s not done immediately – rather, closer to a year into ownership of the home.

This is because, in the majority of such new build cases, a one-year warranty is in place for many of the builder’s items. Various structural, mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems all tend to fall under this category, including both workmanship and materials. This inspection, then, is the final chance for the homeowner to identify any areas that have gone wrong and might be covered by the warranty, plus to inform the builder with proper documentation.

In nearly every case, a warranty inspection covers the same areas as a general home inspection. The homeowner pays the cost here. This inspection should take between four and eight hours to complete, including the finalizing of the report.

Maintenance Inspection

Finally, there’s the maintenance inspection, which is ordered by homeowners who have been in the home for many years and want an update on how various systems are working. Once again, this inspection is generally identical to a standard home inspection. The primary purpose here is finding unseen issues that might become much larger problems – identifying them early allows you to remedy them before they become bigger expenses.

Look Out for Scams

One note for any of the home inspection types we’ve gone over here: Be wary of scams, which may take place in this industry unfortunately. If you’re being offered a deal on an inspection that seems way too good to be true, that’s probably because it is – you’re likely to get cut-rate services and a short, limited inspection rather than the detailed investigation you need. Be sure to check for areas like references, reviews and local reputation for any inspector you choose – we’re happy to present these and our qualifications if you should need them

For more on the kinds of home inspections out there, or to learn about any of our home inspection, energy audit or environmental inspection services, speak to the staff at Aerolite Consulting today.