Home Inspection Blog

07/01/25 Who’s Report Is It Anyway?

The report wouldn’t have existed unless the client contacted the inspector and contracted for inspection. The client paid for the inspection. Some inspectors claim that their reports are copyrighted, I know that I have verbiage baked in to my report stating that Good Home Inspection reserves the right use the report and images or videos associated with the report in part or whole for training purposes and/or advertising after any and all personal information and other property identifiers such as metadata or digital location markers have been removed. 

The inspection report is the client’s intellectual property. The home inspector and/or inspection company is merely the Custodian of Record. The report is for the client to keep or share whichever way best suits their interest. 

The inspector is not required to store reports, although most inspectors hang on to them for a couple of years, So if your report is important to you, then you had better keep your report on a couple of drives (in case one fails). I’m not a real estate agent or an attorney.

06/22/25 WHAT HAPPENED TO MY BUILDER? 

When consulting with clients, I frequently encounter the term “My builder.” As a home inspector, I should clarify that most planned residential communities do not have builders on property. For instance, Henry Ford didn’t build your car, and David Brothers didn’t build your house. The term “Homebuilder” is now frequently substituted for “Project Manager.”

In the past, there were actual homebuilders. These builders might have hired a roofer or contracted out other specialized work; however, they closely collaborated with and were intricately involved in every aspect of the house’s construction. As populations expanded, the scale of homebuilding also increased. The majority of single-family residential homes in the Greater Dallas/Fort Worth area are mass-produced, involving from 75 to over 150 employees, contractors, tradespeople, and laborers. And from the salesperson to the cleaning crew, the skillsets of these people vary significantly.

Texas doesn’t license Project Managers. Their hiring criteria usually boil down to experience, knowledge of the building trades, scheduling skills, and their ability to manage. The Project Manager works in a corporate environment, helping mass-produce a community. A good Project Manager is invaluable to the construction of your home, but it’s a difficult job, and skillsets vary. 

There still are some small-scale custom homebuilders today. But to keep up with demand and help make housing more affordable, they are the exception rather than the rule.

06/16/25 HOW FIRM IS YOUR INSPECTION REPORT?

How FIRM is your inspection report? I don’t mean to sound confusing, but some home inspection reports now show some deceptive verbiage. Allow me to explain: 

The TREC (Texas Real Estate Commission) controls and governs the reporting process of home inspectors for existing structures that are or will be for sale. They also grant the licensing to qualified home inspectors. This keeps industry standards high, and the customer protected.

However, The TREC has no jurisdiction over partially completed structures, new structures being built or structures that are not being considered for sale (e.g. one year warranty inspections).

For example, if you received a report for a phase or warranty inspection, and it reads John Doe PI #13 FIRM, or TREC #13 FIRM, you may think that a licensed inspector or engineer inspected your home, but actually, the license is not his. He has piggy-backed a co-worker’s license onto your report.

What to look out for simply? If FIRM is near the name of the inspector on the report, it’s likely the inspector is not licensed (even though you expected or assumed him to be licensed).

This is not illegal under these specific circumstances, and if it is acceptable to you, either by price point or some other consideration, then there is no foul. But it is deceptive verbiage, and you should be aware of what your paying for and what you’re receiving. And be FIRM about asking your inspection company to be specific about who is inspecting your home and the qualifications that the inspector actually has.

FALL IS COMING, WHAT ABOUT YOUR YARD?

Site Safety.

Periodically walk around your yard with an eye to safety. Have dogs dug holes or tree branches fallen that might trip someone? Are the sidewalks and driveways free of clutter and tripping hazards such as raised edges or corners? Are the covers for the water meter and lawn sprinkler back-flow valve irrigation boxes properly installed? And don’t forget to check for low hanging branches or other hazards. Check and clean your rain gutters and rooftop from leaves and other debris from your trees.

Trees And Shrubs.

To help minimize or defer wood rot and insect damage in siding and trim, allow air to circulate freely around the structure. Locate decorative plants several feet away form the structure and keep them trimmed. Vines growing on any type of exterior surface will cause serious damage over time. Don’t try to remove vines by pulling them off while their alive. Instead, cut them at their roots and wait for the plants to die before removing them.

Trees should be placed far enough away from the structure so that their canopy won’t overhang the roof after they mature. A tree’s root system mirrors its canopy. Roots growing beneath a foundation can destabilize it in several ways (i.e. by moving the foundation with their growth, by removing moisture from the soil needed to help support the foundation).

When trees and shrubs are close to your house, their limbs shouldn’t touch the structure because serious damage can result. Also be aware that growing root systems can lift patios, driveways and sidewalks, causing damage and creating trip hazards.

Proper Drainage Is Foundation Maintenance.

Does the ground around your home direct water towards the structure or is the drainage plane flat? The gaol is for water to drain away form the structure promptly without pooling or collecting water within ten feet of the structure. Ideally the grade around the structure soul be about eight inches below the sill plate and should slope down about six inches within ten feet of the structure. Equally important, the soil around the structure should not be allowed to dry out and separate from the edge of the foundation. Gaps between the soil and the foundation are an indication that the soil is too dry. If you don’t have a lawn sprinkler system then consider lining the structure’s perimeter with soaker hoses placed about two feet away from the edges. The slow steady moisturizing that can be provided by a lawn sprinkler system or a soaker hose can help stabilize the soil moisture content and protect the foundation (especially a slab foundation).

Solutions to drainage issues are as varied as the terrain, and may include rain gutters and gutter extensions, French or surface drains, , swales, berms, retaining walls and/or sump pumps. Fans may be used beneath pier and beam foundations. With a little planning almost any yard can provide a healthy environment for a stable foundation, a dry house, and mosquito control.