Getting ready to buy a new home in the great state of Oregon?

Do you need a reliable home inspector in Portland?

Whether you’re buying a new home, considering a purchase or have another reason for getting a home inspection, it’s important to find the right person for the job.

To do this, you’ll want to ask your potential home inspector a few essential questions to make sure they’re the real deal and can perform the job thoroughly and professionally.

If you’re ready to find a home inspector in Portland, below are the 8 questions you need to ask before getting started.

1. What Does the Inspection Include?

First of all, you need to know what will be included in the inspection. What exactly will the home inspector look at and examine when it comes to the condition of your home?

A quality home inspector in Portland will typically look at many aspects of a home. However, it’s particularly important for home buyers that an inspector will be performing a roof inspection, a foundation inspection, and an exterior siding inspection.

A home inspection should be very thorough and give you full confidence that you are understand the state of the property you are considering.

2. What Are Your Qualifications?

Next, you need to ask about the home inspector’s qualifications. Be sure to ask about any special certifications they may hold, and especially check their reviews.

A quality home inspector should at least have the following:

• An Oregon home inspectors license
• An affiliation with a professional inspection organization (such as the American Society of Home Inspectors or the National Association of Home Inspectors)
• Additionally, make sure that the home inspector doesn’t have any complaints against them on the state licensing board.

3. How Long Is the Inspection Going to Be?

You should also find out how long the inspection will take. A home inspection will be completed in three to four hours generally.

Be sure that the home inspection isn’t going to be too short as this may mean that the home inspector won’t be as thorough as they need to be to really determine the condition of your home. A home inspector in Portland shouldn’t take any less than an hour to complete an inspection.

4. Do You Offer Repairs Based On Inspection Results?

While some inspectors may offer may offer to assist with repairs, be wary of this. It’s easy for a conflict of interest to arise in their report and advice. You’ll want an inspector who is unbiased and fully committed to doing what they do best – analyzing the condition of the property at hand.

If an inspector offers repairs this can be a real conflict of interest and greatly reduce their reliability and trustworthiness. In most cases, it is a much better idea to choose a home inspector that doesn’t offer repairs so you can make sure you’re getting an unbiased report.

5. What Do You Charge?

You should also find out about the home inspection cost. Keep in mind that a quality inspection is the most important thing. It’s best that you don’t blindly choose the cheapest option.

It’s important to look for a good mix of both quality and value, and remember that you get what you pay for. Typically a home inspection will cost between $300 and $500.

However, be aware that if you have a larger home and a lot of extra square footage the time it takes to inspect your home will increase and costs will be more expensive. Ask about the specifics of these rates when speaking with a potential home inspector.

6. Do You Have Insurance?

A quality home inspector in Portland should also have reliable insurance. Ask them about what insurance they have for their company before you hire an inspector. Believe it or not, many home inspectors don’t have insurance.

Typically, if a home inspector has insurance it will be errors and omissions insurance. This insurance will help with claims of negligence in the rare case that a mistake is made or damage occurs during an inspection.

It is important that you make sure the home inspector you are considering has insurance before you hire them. Having insurance to back them up will ensure the inspector’s reliability and professionalism.

7. What Kind of Reporting Will There Be?

A reliable home inspector in Portland will offer to report thoroughly on the inspection. You should ask them about their reporting standards and what you should expect to see in a report before getting started.

You may also wish to ask for a sample inspection report so that you will be able to see exactly what you will be able to expect.

If you’re not happy with what is offered in the report you may need to request additional reporting from the inspection. However, if you’re not happy with the reporting standards it may simply be best to go with a different inspector who will be more thorough.

Finding the Best Home Inspector in Portland

By now you should have a good idea of how to properly vet a potential home inspector.

It can take a little bit of effort to find the right home inspector. However, it will be easy enough to find a professional as long as you take the time to ask a few questions first.

Looking for a reliable home inspector in Portland, Oregon? Octopus Home Inspections can help. Contact us today to learn more about what we can do for you.

Buying A Home – Sound Investment or Big Financial Mistake?

You are about to make one of the largest investments of your life by buying a home. It’s exciting and at the same time stressful. The excitement and emotion of buying a new home sometimes can cloud our judgment. Buying a home is a very exciting and emotional time.

When you find that special home you get all excited with visions of how wonderful life in your new home will be. The thought that there may be something seriously wrong with the home isn’t a part of that vision.

Unfortunately it could be part of your reality if you choose to buy the home. The right home inspector can help protect you from a costly mistake…

My wife was dead set on buying this house from the first time she saw it… so all that was left was just to have it inspected for additional piece of mind. When Chris gave us a tour of the house when he finished the report, he showed us the foundation damage where it was starting to buckle inward and explained to us how the damage had originally occurred and what to expect in the years to come… my wife was heartbroken, but we decided not to purchase the house since the house would eventually need to be lifted up and the foundation replaced due to water damage from the water from the downspouts was never diverted away from the house.
John and Sherry Wilson

Who Is Watching Out For You?

The real estate agent, mortgage company, banks – all these people have someone watching their back. Who’s watching yours?

It’s important to have someone watching out just for you – to make sure that the home that you’re about to buy is a safe, sound, secure investment.

The reality is that all homes, even brand-new homes, have issues. The last thing you need is to buy a home and experience a problem that could cost thousands of dollars in unexpected expenses.

It’s important that you know that once you go to closing any problems with the home are yours. So it’s important that you have your own independent inspector do a thorough inspection. You need to know what issues the home has and the financial impact of those issues. Often the seller doesn’t even realize they have a serious problem.

Unexpected Expenses

Unexpected expenses can be a big burden on you after just buying a home. Does it really make sense to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on a home and not spend a few hundred dollars to protect your interests? No, it doesn’t.

Since we work directly for you, our sole goal is to help you make an informed decision. Buying a home without hiring the right home inspector is dangerous. It can be dangerous to you and your family’s health, safety and financial stability.

Let Us Be Your Guide

We welcome you to accompany me during the inspection (with the exception of the attic and the crawlspace; for safety reasons). This will give you a chance to see for yourself the thoroughness of our home inspections. Feel free to ask questions and become familiar with your new home.

I am a Professional Certified Inspector through InterNACHI (International Association of Certified Home Inspectors). InterNACHI members follow a comprehensive Standards of Practice and are bound by a strict Code of Ethics.

We are dedicated to education and all new techniques so you as a home buyer can feel completely confident in your investment.

Don’t Fall for the “Cheapest Price”

Our inspections are competitively priced; however, the price may not be the lowest. The old adage “you get what you pay for” is so true. A thorough inspection takes time.

Chris took his time and even crawled into a small crawlspace access he found in the floor of an old addition on the front of the house. It was so tight he had to take his watch off to slide through the tight crevasse he told me was an access. Long story short, he found extensive dry rot in the floor joists of that space.
Mo Betts and Nevin Charles

Your Home Inspection Report

You will receive a comprehensive, custom, computer generated report with digital pictures emailed to you the same day as your inspection. This inspection report will identify ALL areas of concern and items that may need attention.

If there are notable issues, the home inspection report will allow you to ask the seller to make repairs or negotiate the price. It is your best tool to protect you from paying for unexpected repairs.

You will have the benefit of being completely confident in knowing the true condition of the home you are buying. When you work with us you will have the “peace of mind” that comes from getting problems identified and taken care of before the purchase is made.

100% Guarantee

You are protected by our risk-free guarantee:

Simply attend your home inspection and if for any reason you are not satisfied with the quality of the home inspection service, tell me before receiving your report and I will either make it right, or you don’t pay the home inspection fee.

How Can We Guarantee Our Inspections?

We never do more than two inspections per day. This allows us time for a thorough inspection of your new home. We may charge a little more than our competitors, but the more thorough we are, the more money you save.

When we find defects, the end result is you save money. Most contracts allow negotiations with the seller to make repairs or give a credit a closing.

We ended up buying the house after negotiating a reduced cost for the repairs that needed to be done.
Job well done. Cheers!
Mo Betts and Nevin Charles

Lets Us Keep Your Portland Dream Home From Turning Into A Nightmare

Octopus Home Inspections makes it easy and painless for you. Give us a call today at 971-340-8880. We can answer any questions you have and schedule your home for an inspection. Or you can go to the Contact page and give us a little information and we’ll contact you.

It is our job to look out for your interests and to protect you. We take our job seriously and look forward to helping you with your home purchase.

What to do next? Call: 971-340-8880

Portland Home Inspection Services

You will receive an unbiased, visual home inspection.

The home will be assessed from roof to foundation to identify safety issues and describe the current conditions on the property. This includes:

• Roof
• Gutters
• Chimney
• Siding
• Crawlspace
• Attic
• Mechanicals
• Plumbing operation at receptacles
• Electrical panel, lights, and circuits
• Appliance Operation
• Window operation and integrity
• Entry and interior doors
• and more!

An average inspection takes 2-3 hours onsite. We encourage you to allow time to attend at least the final portion of the home inspection. This allows us to walk through the home with you, pointing out findings and explaining elements of the report.

I will walk you step-by-step through significant findings. After the inspection, you will receive an easy-to-read, thorough report for your records. Your report will include photos to help you easily and quickly identify the issue in the report. This can assist you in purchase negotiations or when making future maintenance decisions.

The following is a short description of some of our inspection services:

Buyer’s Home Inspection (Pre-closing Inspection)

Sometimes referred to as a “general home inspection,” these are scheduled prior to closing on either brand new or existing houses. The inspection covers hundreds of components in the home and includes a written report, with photos, clearly outlining safety concerns and the current condition of the home. The report gives buyers the information they need to make the best decision and prepare for future maintenance.

Seller’s Home Inspection (Pre-listing Inspection)

A general home inspection completed prior to listing or selling the home to give current owners an idea of maintenance items to address. A pre-listing inspection can help sell the home because it provides potential buyers with confidence in the condition of the home. It can reduce time spent in contract negotiation because an unbiased, independent inspector has reviewed all major systems.

Warranty Home Inspection (Builder Warranty Inspection)

Most home builders offer a one-year warranty on the materials and workmanship of the home. Near the end of the warranty we recommend an inspection to assist with preparation of a list of items to present to the contractor.

Construction Home Inspection (New Construction Phase / Draw Inspections)

These inspections are completed for home owners or construction lenders during the construction process. The home is inspected at various stages in the building process as part of the quality assurance checks or to allow for the release of the next phase of funding. Timing and reports for these inspections are customized to fit the needs of the client.

Maintenance Home Inspection

These inspections can help home owners identify issues in their home that need maintenance or replacement. They can help to identify issues that if repaired now can help the home owner avoid large, expensive repairs in the future. Home owners find these inspections helpful in determining the priority of any home repairs or improvements.

We had Octopus Home Inspections out to do an inspection for a 1941 Craftsman home we were interested in purchasing. My wife was dead set on buying this house from the first time she saw it… so all that was left was just to have it inspected for additional piece of mind. When Chris gave us a tour of the house when he finished the report, he showed us the foundation damage where it was starting to buckle inward and explained to us how the damage had originally occurred and what to expect in the years to come. Long story short, my wife was heartbroken, but we decided not to purchase the house since the house would eventually need to be lifted up and the foundation replaced due to water damage from the water from the downspouts was never diverted away from the house. We found another house not much further down the road that my wife was pleased with and of course we had Chris return for another thorough inspection. Another bang up job by the inspector, but this time we were able to make an offer since there were no major issues found. I would definitely recommend Octopus Home Inspections to anyone in the market for a competent home inspector.
Thanks, Chris.
John and Sherry Wilson

My partner and I just had a home inspection by Chris at Octopus Home Inspections. Chris took his time and even crawled into a small crawlspace access he found in the floor of an old addition on the front of the house. It was so tight he had to take his watch off to slide through the tight crevasse he told me was an access. Long story short, he found extensive dry rot in the floor joists of that space which Chris explained was due to the lack of ventilation and damp conditions. We ended up buying the house after negotiating a reduced cost for the repairs that needed to be done.
Job well done. Cheers!
Mo Betts and Nevin Charles

I’ve never had such a thorough report so easy to read. Chris did a great job! My husband is very skeptical of services for hire of anyone, and in fact, gave Chris a hard time with an aspect of the report he did not understand. Chris kept his professionalism and was patient with Alan, my husband, until Alan understood every detail the inspection report was trying to convey. We bought the house and were able to negotiate a lower price with what Chris found. All of Chris’ observations were helpful as we go now to make the repairs. Kuddos to Octopus Home Inspections!
Nancy and Alan Keets

A sample report home inspection report can help you evaluate the services of a prospective home inspector. We are happy to share a sample report for you to review:

Click To View Sample Report