San Juan Capistrano Home Inspections: Are They Important?

It is a fair question to ask about any cost in a transaction that is already full of them. The answer is not really a matter of opinion - it is the relationship between what the inspection costs and what a single missed item costs.

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

The arithmetic

An inspection starts at $500 for a single family residence. A roof, a panel, a failed sewer lateral or a heating system is an order of magnitude more than that, and repairs the seller agrees to before settlement typically cost more than the inspection fee on their own. The inspection does not have to find something dramatic to have paid for itself.

The other half is the part that is harder to price: knowing what you are taking on. A report tells you the likely remaining life of the major components, which is what turns a surprise in year two into a line in a budget.

What gets examined

The visit works through the property in the order the report is written:

• Grounds - drainage and grading, walks and drives, retaining walls, fences and gates
• Exterior - roof coverings and flashings, cladding, trim, windows and doors, decks, patios and railings
• Utilities - electrical service and distribution, heating and cooling, water heating, supply and drainage plumbing
• Interior - structure as visible, walls, ceilings and floors, stairs, and installed safety devices
• Kitchen and bathrooms - fixtures, ventilation, and visible supply and waste connections

Pools and spas are inspected as an addition. The full list is published.

What it does not settle

A home inspection is a visual examination of what can be seen and safely reached on the day. It is not an appraisal and not a municipal code inspection, and no house passes or fails. Where something needs opening up or a specialist's opinion, the report says so - a clear recommendation to look further is a finding, not a gap.

Booking

Call once the purchase agreement is signed, and make the sale contingent on the findings. The rate card is published in full rather than quoted on request.