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NJ HOME INSPECTOR IN NEW JERSEY |
Electric | Air Conditioning | Heating | Plumbing | Struture | Grounds | Exterior | Pest Control | Pool Inspection | Septic System |
Important Information
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Exterior:
New Jersey home inspectors Inspect the exterior surfaces, excluding shutters, and screening, awnings, and other similar seasonal accessories; exterior doors excluding storm doors or safety glazing; windows excluding storm windows and safety glazing; attached or adjacent decks, balconies, stoops, steps, porches, and their railings; vegetation, grading, drainage, and retaining walls with respect to their immediate detrimental effect on the condition of the residential building, excluding fences, geological and/or soil conditions, sea walls, break-walls, bulkheads and docks, or erosion control and earth stabilization; attached or adjacent walkways, patios, and driveways; and garage doors including automatic door openers
NJ home inspection will describe exterior wall surface type and material. NJ home inspections will check to determine if the exterior surface is EIFS (Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems). EIFS is usually a serious problem.
EXTERIOR WALLS, WINDOWS,and DOORS MAINTENANCE GUIDE FOR HOME OWNERS
Check bricks or blocks for cracked mortar or loose joints.
Check siding for loose or missing pieces, lifting or warping, or any sign of mildew.
Check painted surfaces for paint failure (peeling, chipping, blistering, chalking), water damage, or mildew.
Examine all trim for tightness of fit, damage, or decay.
Check the condition of caulking where two different materials meet, such as where wood siding joins the foundation wall, at inside corners, and where window and door trim meets the siding.
Check the windows for cracked or broken glass, loose putty around the glass panes, holes in screens, and evidence of moisture between pane and storm windows.
Check that windows and doors close properly. Examine all hardware on windows and doors, and lubricate moving parts.
Check weather stripping on windows and doors for damage and tightness of fit.
Make sure that all window and door locks work properly. Each exterior door should have a one-inch deadbolt lock for safety.
New Jersey home inspection Walkthrough Checklist For New homes, used homes, additions, renovations and kitchen and bath remodels
Exterior
- All windows and doors tightly sealed
- Exterior house finish, siding, brick or mortar matching
- Exterior shows no cracks or damage
- Ground graded properly away from the structure
- Shrubbery at least 2-3 feet from the foundation
- Gutters and leaders all installed and not damaged
- Roofing installed flat with no missing shingles and the proper color
- Landscaping meets contract requirements
"Plus" Termite Inspection
"When inspecting for termites, hire a termite expert. That's exactly what New Jersey home inspections. does with every NJ home inspection. New Jersey home inspection do not have our New Jersey home inspectors looking for termites, NJ home inspector have an outside affiliate exterminating company perform all our termite "plus" inspections. Not only will the inspector look for termites but will also do a complete Wood Destroying Insect (WDI) inspection. The termite plus inspection is a complete NJ home inspection which includes not only termites but carpenter ants, powder post beetles, carpenter bees, etc."
- Plus-On the spot wood destroying insect report, also the (WDI) inspector will inspect the home at the same time as the home inspector.
- Plus-A clear inspection without conditions includes a one year warranty for termite infestation.
- Plus-Free cost repair estimates are given if there is any termite or insect damage.
- Plus-All VA, FHA, and conventional certifications acceptable to all lending institutions are included in the cost of inspection.
MOST COMMON QUESTIONS
What are termites? For simplicity of explanation, termites are wood eating insects that have nests in the ground. They love damp wood and are usually found in the lower part of the house, particularly in the sill plates, which is the first structural section of wood closest to the ground.
Can one see termites? Are they like ants? The average home owner never sees a termite. The simple reason being that the worker termite that eats the wood cannot live in the sunlight and air. To survive the worker termite must: (a) stay out of the sunlight and air therefore they stay in the shelter of the wood, out of sight, (b) they must return to the soil for moisture quite frequently and they do this by building mud tunnels to stay out of sunlight and air. For these reasons, it takes the practiced eye of a professional termite inspector to know where to look and probe the wood to locate the termites and then break open the wood to expose the termite When termites damage your home, what are your options?.
Are there any termites in New Jersey? The bad news is, New Jersey has an abundance of termites. The good news is, they can be controlled and eliminated very effectively with proper treatment.
What does the termite treatment involve? The best method to treat termites is with a chemical barrier between the house and ground. The barrier prevents new termites from entering the house and when the ones already in the house return to the ground for moisture they too will perish from the treatment. In other words, there is a very effective method of getting rid of termites but the treatment and repair cost could be expensive.
How much does it cost and who pays? The cost depends on the size of the house and the difficulty of the treatment. For example with a small cape code style house, the treatment cost would range between $450 and $550. The repair cost is another matter. The repair cost depends on the extent of the damage.
Who pays? Normally the seller of the house pays for both the treatment and repair cost. The reason the seller pays is for a very good reason. I know of no mortgage company that will give a mortgage for the purchase of a house unless it has a clear termite certification from a licensed termite company. The certification must state there there is no termite infestation and if there was any termite damage that it was repaired properly and the company that completed the treatment and repairs gave a one year guarantee to the buyer for both the treatment and repairs.
Good news! Because the mortgage companies insist on a clear termite certification for every mortgage, the damage is kept to a minimum. The average house is resold several times in its lifetime and every time it is sold the termite issue is addressed. This factor keeps termite damage to a minimal level. I am not saying that there are no houses with serious damage but these houses are the exception not the norm. From our experience the average house that has termite damage has a repair figure between $200 and $1500.
Advice to first time buyers. Don't lose the purchase of a good house because it has termites. Most houses in New Jersey will have some termite or carpenter ant infestation. A professional termite company can repair any damage like new and treat the property against further infestation.
PRECAUTIONS TO AVOID TERMITES
- Keep water away from the house. Termites love moist wood.
- Do not store wood on the ground near the house, particularly under the deck or porch.
- Keep firewood away from the house and only bring it into the house when you are going to burn it immediately.
- NJ home inspector inspect the garage and house foundation for small mud tunnels going from the ground to the wood.
SERVICE CONTRACT
All termite companies sell a yearly service contract for a fee normally under $200. The contract is a Guarantee against termite infestation. New Jersey home inspections will inspect the property once a year and if termites are found there is no cost for the treatment or repair.