Huntington Beach Home Inspector

The deliverable of a home inspection is the report. Everything else - the hours on site, the ladder, the camera - exists to produce a document you can make a decision from.

Ingraffia Home Inspections has been inspecting in Orange County since 2003. To book in Huntington Beach, call (714) 371-8422 or request an inspection.

What the report contains

The report is an impartial, in-depth evaluation of the physical condition of the property. It records what was examined, what needs repair or replacement, and the likely remaining life of the equipment and components in the house.

That last part is the part people underuse. A finding is rarely just pass or fail. A roof can be sound today and still be the largest cheque you will write in three years, and a report that tells you why - three layers of shingle to strip rather than one, say - is a report you can budget from rather than only negotiate with.

Who it is written for

We work for you, not for the seller and not for the agents. That is the whole basis of the document being worth anything: an inspection that is quietly shaped by who else is in the transaction is not an inspection.

You can see the format on the sample report page before you book.

What it does not do

A home inspection is not an appraisal, which sets market value, and it is not a municipal inspection, which verifies compliance with local codes. No house passes or fails. The report describes the current condition of a property and indicates what may need repair or replacement - and that is a more useful thing to hold than a verdict.

Reading it

Attend the inspection if you can. Having seen the property alongside the inspector, the written report stops being a list and starts being a set of places you remember standing. If something in it is unclear afterwards, call and ask.

Published pricing starts at $500 for a single family residence and $350 for a condo, townhome or manufactured home; the full rate card is online.