At Homeworks of Mid Florida, we understand that purchasing a home is one of the most significant investments you’ll make in your lifetime. That’s why our expert team offers top-of-the-line home inspection services to ensure that residents in Winter Haven, FL can trust their homes’ safety, security, and structural integrity. With our cutting-edge technology and years of experience, we’re ready to help you navigate this critical process confidently.
Every home buyer, from the first timer to the seasoned real estate investor, stands to benefit from a professional home inspection. When you’re viewing a property, it’s easy to miss underlying issues and potential problems that may not be noticeable, or even visible, to the untrained eye. Even sellers do not always disclose all of the issues that a particular property may have, often because they themselves are not aware of them. Having the knowledge of which items in the home need attention will many times give you the opportunity to negotiate with the seller, or in extreme cases, even walk away from the deal before actually purchasing the home. The bottom line: hiring a home inspector can literally save you thousands of dollars in unexpected repairs down the road.
When we inspect your home, you can rest assured that we have the knowledge, experience and tools to detect both existing and potential problems with the property. We will present you with our findings in a clear, detailed report, complete with photos and video, equipping you with the information you need to proceed with confidence in your real estate transaction.
Although we recommend that you walk through the house with us as we perform the inspection, we realize that this is not possible for everyone. The photos and video in our report are meant to make it feel like you were there to see that crack in the wall, or hear the sounds the refrigerator is making, even if you live out of state.
We are locally owned and operated, providing professional home inspections in all of Central Florida. We Use Tools to Spot Underlying Issues
Like every inspection company in Florida, HomeSpec will inspect to the Florida Standards of Home Inspectors. That means by definition, it’s a visual, noninvasive inspection. If we can see, touch, smell or hear the issue we can report on it. But what if there is an issue that is not visible on the surface? We have invested in the additional tools required to give you the best inspection possible. We use a military-grade infrared camera on every inspection to help us see deficiencies in the home that might otherwise go unnoticed. We also carry an in-wall inspection camera. The lens size is smaller than a dime and allows us to see what is happening behind a wall or pipe. Both of these tools detect many issues that would not be discernible to the naked eye.
You might need this inspection if you own an older home. The good news: it’s usually pretty quick and may open up more home insurance options for you.
If you own an older home and are up for renewal on your Florida homeowners insurance, or you’re purchasing an older home, chances are you will be asked to submit a four-point inspection as part of the underwriting process. This practice is most common in Florida and other coastal states.
There is a basic outline of what’s covered under a four-point inspection; however, each insurance agency has its own set of rules regarding who needs an inspection. The National Association of Certified Home Inspections (NACHI) provides a universal four-point inspection form, but using this form isn’t required by law.
A four-point inspection is specifically for homeowners insurance, and shouldn’t be confused with a new home inspection (also called a buyers inspection, real estate inspection, home inspection or full inspection depending where you live). This distinction is important because the new home inspection is required to close on a home and meet eligibility criteria for your mortgage. It also takes two to three hours to complete. A four-point inspection takes about 30 minutes and is only visual. However, if you buy an older home you might be required to have both inspections.
Lastly, four-point inspections tend to be more prevalent in coastal states, specifically in Florida and Texas. Coastal areas, like Tampa, Miami, or Jacksonville, experience more inclement weather that leads to catastrophic devastation (loss of life; destruction of entire towns; demolished power grids, roads, airports; etc.). This prompts lawmakers to frequently update building codes. Homes built 40 or more years ago were made in accordance to different standards than those built today, which is why they may not be considered as safe as more modern homes.
Four-point inspections identify key areas that most commonly result in insurance claims. If a home fails all or part of the inspection, the inspector will go over what needs to be fixed or replaced to alleviate deficiencies.
During a four-point inspection, an inspector will look at:
What kind of wiring is in your home? If a home has copper, aluminum, or knob-and-tube wires, chances are it will not be insurable due to fire hazard risks. Faulty wires cause nearly 90 percent of residential fires, so this is something insurance companies take very seriously. If your home is found uninsurable due to wiring issues, it is vital to budget for necessary upgrades. If you don’t, your risk of fire is significantly amplified
Does your home have central heating and air conditioning? What condition are the units in? Are there any signs of obvious damage such as leakage? Remember each insurance agency determines what it considers “acceptable” when insuring older homes; however, it’s not uncommon to see coverage denied for lack of central air and heat.
Inspectors at the type of pipes in your home to determine how likely they are to burst. If polybutylene plumbing is found coverage can be denied as these are more prone to bursting. However, some insurance companies may still insure you, but will exclude water damage. In that scenario, if there is a flood due to pipes bursting, you are 100 percent responsible for the total expense
Roof age, material, and condition are what inspectors look for. Generally, insurance companies do not insure shingle roofs more than 20 years old or tile or metal roofs more than 40 years old. However, if your roof is younger but has apparent damage outside or water leaks inside your home, that might be cause to deny coverage.
The first thing to know is that a wind mitigation inspection will help save you money on your homeowner’s insurance policy.
The even better news is that you don’t have to do a thing except schedule the inspection. We survey and inspect your home, take the photos, fill out the forms and deliver them to your insurance agent (with your permission). The exact discount you receive will depend on your insurance company.
Wind mitigation inspections on area homes are meant to determine how well your home / structure would fare in a hurricane. We look at the tie down straps connecting the walls to the rafters, we inspect the nail pattern of the roof decking, the connection and bracing of the gable ends of your home, the window openings and door openings. We record the inspection on an insurance form called a 1802, adding photos where necessary to confirm certain conditions.
Wind mitigation inspections on area homes are meant to determine how well your home / structure would fare in a hurricane. We look at the tie down straps connecting the walls to the rafters, we inspect the nail pattern of the roof decking, the connection and bracing of the gable ends of your home, the window openings and door openings. We record the inspection on an insurance form called a 1802, adding photos where necessary to confirm certain conditions.
