Home Inspection Agreement
This agreement is written in plain language so you know exactly what your home inspection covers before we begin. Please read it and sign at the bottom.
1.What We Inspect
We perform a visual inspection of the readily accessible parts of your home — the roof, exterior, structure, plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling, and major built-in systems that we can safely see and reach on the day of the inspection. We give you a written report describing the significant issues we find.
2.Access & Power Must Be On
For us to complete the inspection, the home must be unlocked and fully accessible, with all utilities and power turned ON (electric, gas, and water). If the home is locked, blocked, or the utilities are off, we may not be able to inspect everything. In that case we will either reschedule, or complete a partial inspection and note what we could not check — and a return visit or re-inspection may be billed as an additional fee.
3.The Fee
The inspection fee is $________, due before the inspection. Additional services requested (such as a pool, termite/WDO, mold, or sewer-camera inspection) are billed separately at the rates we quote. Return trips caused by lack of access or utilities (Section 2) may be billed as noted above.
4.Visual Only — Not a Warranty
Our inspection is visual and non-invasive. We do not open walls, move heavy furniture or belongings, or take things apart. We cannot see hidden or concealed problems. The inspection is not a warranty, guarantee, or insurance policy, and it is not a code-compliance or engineering evaluation.
5.Condition on the Day Only
The report describes the home's condition only on the day of the inspection. Homes change over time with weather, use, and maintenance, and we are not responsible for changes that happen afterward.
6.Things That Need a Specialist
Some items are outside a standard home inspection — for example mold, asbestos, lead, radon, underground sewer lines, soil or environmental hazards, and structural-engineering questions. If we recommend it, please have the right licensed specialist evaluate those items.
7.Our Responsibility Is Limited to the Fee
To the fullest extent allowed by California law, if a claim is ever made about our inspection, our total responsibility is limited to the amount of the inspection fee you paid. This applies no matter how the claim is framed, except where the law does not allow it.
8.Please Read Your Report
You agree to read the full report, follow up on our recommendations, and get any further evaluations before your contingency or contract deadlines. Keeping up with maintenance is your responsibility.
9.Let Us Look Before You Repair
If you believe we missed something, please tell us and let us re-inspect it before any repairs are made. This gives us a fair chance to review the condition. Not giving us that chance may waive the claim, to the extent the law allows.
10.The Report Is for You
The report is prepared for you, the named Client, and remains our property; you receive a license to use it for this transaction. Other parties may not rely on it without our written permission.
11.The Whole Agreement
This is the complete agreement between us and replaces any earlier discussions. Any change must be in writing and signed by both of us.
12.Your Acknowledgment
By signing, you understand that: the inspection is limited and visual; hidden defects may exist; not every issue will be found; the home must be accessible with utilities on; and some items need a specialist.