Generally there are two types of condo/townhouse inspections. The first and most popular is the “Interior Only” inspection. This will cover everything from the sheetrock in, or as others may say, from paint to paint.
For the most part this is all that the home owner is responsible for when owning a condo. The other external items, roof/crawlspace/attic/siding/etc, are covered by the dues paid into the Homeowners Association, but this may not always the case so refer to your HOA guidelines.
The “Interior Only” inspection will focus on health/safety, moisture intrusion, functional testing, and inspecting for components improperly installed, nearing or exceeding their design life. The inspection will last between 1.5-2.5 hours depending on the size and age of the property. The cost of an “Interior Only” inspection starts around $225 and up again depending on size/age of unit.
The second type of inspection is more of a building complex inspection overview. This will cover all items in the “Interior Only” as well as the exterior siding, roof, crawlspace, and attic. This is more of a peripheral view of the exterior components and will be limited to the exterior components directly attached to the unit in question.
Understanding the complex inspection is limited to safe access to the above mentioned components. The inspector will not inspect areas which will endanger him and/or potentially damage the property. The complex inspection generally last between 2.5-3.5 hours again depending on size, age, and access, the fees range from $325 and up.
If you have questions regarding condo inspections, please visit the Key Inspection website or email Farren at FarrenWest(at)KeyInspectionServices.com.
New Construction Inspection:
A new home construction inspection is recommended for a variety of reasons. 1st being the investment is minimal and you gain a good deal of “Peace of mind”.
If you are buying a 500k house and your inspection cost $500 your investment is .001% the cost of your home. This gives you not only peace of mind but onsite education and a report to go back to the builder with and say we need x, y, z remedied. This is very difficult to do once your in the home.
I.e. You notice broken tile in the master bathroom three weeks after moving in. You call the builder and tell him to fix it. Possible answer no problem we’ll be right over. More realistic answer you broke the tile, if you want us to fix your broken tile it’s going to cost you X..dollars..