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Frequently Asked Questions

Do you charge based on the square footage of the house? 

We charge based on the square footage, age of the property, and foundation type of the home.

 

Do you all inspect foundations? And can you identify foundation damage? 

We inspect the foundation of every property we enter and will offer our professional opinion on the condition of the foundation.

 

Is an inspection mandatory in order to sell my house? 

An inspection is not mandatory in order to sell a home, but it helps the selling process go faster. An inspection can also help you decide which items in the home you would like to fix before going to the negotiation process.

 

Who pays for the inspection? The seller or the buyer? 

For a seller’s inspection, typically the seller will pay for the inspection. For a buyer’s inspection, the buyer will pay for the inspection.

 

What is the difference between an inspection and an appraisal? 

An inspection will tell you the condition of the property, and an appraisal will give you the value of the property. 

 

Do you all provide appraisals? 

We do not provide appraisals.

 

Does the house have to be vacant before an inspection can be done? 

The property does not have to be vacant for us to do an inspection. About half of the properties we inspect are occupied at the time of the inspection. 

 

How long does an inspection take?

A typical inspection can last anywhere from 2 to 5 hours, or about an hour per 1000 square feet depending on the age of the home.

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Can I be at home during the inspection? 

Yes, you can be at the home during an inspection, but we prefer if the occupants are out of the property during the inspection. 

 

Do I need to remove my animals from the house during the inspection? 

Your pets should either be in a kennel or away from the home at the time of inspection. We just want to make sure your furry friend does not escape while our inspectors are there. 

 

’m buying a house and the seller is currently completing some remodeling. Does that need to be completed before we have the house inspected? 

We highly recommend the remodel be completed before we inspect the property. 

 

Can I be at the inspection and go through the house with the inspector? 

We recommend that our clients come at the end of the inspection. Our inspector will take the time to walk you through the inspection report and answer any questions you may have. They will even take you to specific places in the home to show you exactly what they are referring to in their inspection report.

 

If I am buying a property at auction that has been foreclosed upon, is there a way to get it inspected in advance? 

There has to be a contract to purchase the property before we are allowed in to do the inspection. 

 

If I purchase a house that you have inspected and find a problem that wasn’t identified in the inspection, what is my recourse? 

First course action should be to notify the inspection company as soon as the defect is discovered. This will give the company a chance to re-inspect the defect prior to the defect being repaired or disturbed. 

 

Are minor cosmetic things, like chipped paint dirty grout reported in an inspection? 

All minor cosmetic issues with a property are not required by the Texas Real Estate Commission to be on our inspection reports. We will note some issues, but we will focus our report on structural and safety related items.

 

Do you inspect appliances? (oven, refrigerator, etc.) 

We only inspect built-in appliances. 

 

Will my homeowner’s insurance policy pay for an inspection? 

Typically, an insurance policy will not pay for an inspection.

 

How much does an inspection cost? 

Our fees are based on the square footage, age of the property and the foundation type of the home.

 

Do you offer a discount for a re-inspection? 

We offer a $25 discount for customers who use our services back-to-back on two or more properties. There is a $150 minimum charge to re-inspect the same property. For additional details on charges to re-inspect the same property, please contact our customer service team.

 

Does my realtor get a commission if I use your company for an inspection? 

Your realtor does not get a commission from Burgess for you using our services.

 

Do you take credit cards? 

We take all forms of credit card payments.

 

If I am a seller and something is reported in your inspection that I then repair, do I need to notify you and have the inspection report updated? 

No, you would just need to provide an invoice of the work to a potential buyer.

 

I’m buying a house that the seller recently had inspected by another company. Do I still need to hire you to do an inspection? 

A property is always in a state of change and there could be some unforeseen deficiencies in the first inspection. It’s always best to have a company that you know and trust, like Burgess, to come in and do an inspection before you buy regardless if the seller has an inspection or not. 

 

I’m buying a home that was built less than a year ago. Does it need to be inspected? 

Every home you purchase should be inspected. Just because a home is new does not mean it is free of all potential issues. 

 

If I am applying for a mortgage on a property I want to purchase, does the lender require an inspection? 

The lender does not require a TREC (Texas Real Estate Commission) inspection, but some lenders will require a WDI (Wood Destroying Insect) report which Burgess provides.

 

Will lenders pay for a property inspection? 

Lenders typically do not pay for inspections.

 

Do you inspect anything outside of the house, such as sprinkler systems, fences, sidewalks, driveways etc.? 

We include a free sprinkler system check with every inspection. We are not specifically required to inspect driveways and sidewalks, but if there are apparent safety issues, we will note them in our inspection report.

 

Do you all do repair work? Or do you have recommendations for repair companies, such as HVAC, plumbers, etc.? 

It is against the law for us to do any of the repairs on a home we have inspected. However, we can help recommend a repair company for our clients.

 

If I’m selling a house and an inspection comes back and reports some issues, am I obligated to fix them in order to complete the sale? 

You are not required to fix any issues. At that point, it will become a negotiation between you and the buyer.

 

Can I be sued if I don’t fix an issue that was reported in an inspection on a home that I’m selling? 

As long as you disclose the deficiencies to a potential buyer then you cannot be sued. 

 

Will the inspection identify any potentially harmful/toxic issues, such as lead-based paint or asbestos? 

A. We do not provide environmental inspections such as lead based paint or asbestos. 

 

I’ve been renting a home for over a year and have made an offer to purchase it from the owner. Do I still need an inspection? 

Yes, you will still need an inspection. There could be issues in your foundation, plumbing, electrical, or HVAC that are not apparent to you. If you find these issues after you purchase the property, then you could be on the hook for any potential fixes. 

 

Can I ask a seller of a home to split the cost of an inspection? 

Typically, a seller will not split an inspection cost. 

 

Who pays for the repairs after a home inspection? 

After the buyer receives the inspection report, the buyer and seller will negotiate how they want to proceed with repairs.

 

Do you all do inspections on weekends or after 5pm? 

We do inspections Monday through Saturday. We typically schedule inspections first thing in the morning; around 8 or 9am. Or midday around 1 or 2pm. We recommend the client arrives at the end of the inspection to review the report. 

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