Frequently Asked Questions of our inspection Service!
The time we spend on inspections is more than many other inspectors and it is my opinion that the time is necessary to properly check out a house. In addition, my experience inspecting homes in the Houston area and experience preparing foundation repair plans give you an advantage. Not all inspectors provide the same level experience and time spent on your inspection.
Our inspections typically take about one hour for each 1000 square feet of floor plan. Since the “mechanical inspection”, performed by another inspector I work with, takes about the same time as mine on average, the inspection time for comparison with other inspectors would be about two man hours per 1000 square feet. Some less thorough inspectors have been known to do a structural/mechanical inspection on an average size house in as little as one half hour. We also help each other out on an inspection so that if ones sees something another might not see it is mentioned - two sets of eyes are better than one in this case.
This enables me to focus on the structure where most of my expertise lies and reduces the time of the inspections without reducing the quality of them. The mechanical inspection, which includes plumbing, electrical, A.C., furnace, water heater, appliances, sprinklers, and more, is performed by Michael Cummins (Cummins & Co.) unless the clients have another preference. Michael Cummins has two college degrees, much inspection experience, and has teaching experience that enables him to explain his results in an understandable manner.
We do. Every once in a while the termite inspection cannot be performed concurrently but usually they are. In addition to the termite inspection, other inspections can also usually be scheduled as a service to the clients if so desired. We schedule only the most competent inspectors we know of to do the other inspections. There is no extra charge for this and each person is paid separately. Sometimes the clients just want us to do the structural part while they or their realtor schedules the others, and that is okay too.
I am the only person at Sealy Engineering who performs inspections and my cousin, Elizabeth Sealy, is the office manager and schedules all inspections. She can usually answer most questions clients have that may not be covered here.
With my 24 foot ladder I am able to access most two story roofs. I have found this to be important since there is often damage not readily visible from the ground. With higher roofs there is no choice but to look it over as best as possible from the ground with binoculars and look for signs of leaks on the interior. Usually roofers or a roof inspector, who we can schedule, are the only ones who can check the higher roofs.
I don’t ordinarily go into the foundation crawl spaces any longer since I have found the time spent doing that is better spent taking level readings and looking for damage above. Lack of adequate support below will usually show up as unlevelness above. The pest inspectors we schedule do go under pier and beam foundations and report rotted wood and any other items related to the structural or mechanical inspection. I always look underneath wherever possible to know the general condition.
With the formal report the soil type as listed in the U.S. Soil Conservation Service books for each county is noted and its relevance is explained. There are sometimes measures other than foundation repairs that can be undertaken if the soil properties are known. Also, I believe in having the best tools available to help with inspections and this includes several moisture meters and a thermal imaging camera for use in certain situations.
Some other inspectors downplay the importance of level readings, but after having done foundation inspections before good level equipment was generally available for use inside houses and having taken levels on all houses inspected since 1996, I can say that level readings on all floors with experienced interpretation are essential for a more thorough inspection. See the Level Reading page for more information on this subject. My experience on this is your advantage!
Michael Cummins does the most exhaustive A.C. check of anyone I know, short of a licensed A.C. technician. And even they usually do not comment on the sizes of the A.C. units as compared to the size of the house, as with most inspectors. In many cases cooling problems can be traced to improperly sized air conditioning systems that may be working perfectly okay mechanically, even on new homes.
With my floor plans and the ability determine approximate square footage on each floor it is possible to estimate whether the systems have been properly sized. Michael also checks humidity levels inside the house, which are an important indicator as to the well being of the system, in the summertime especially, and few other inspectors do this. High humidity levels inside can allow mold to more readily grow and wood floors to warp, in addition to indicating a problem with the air conditioning unit.
