San Juan Islands Home Inspection

Friendly Home Inspections You Can Trust, for Buyers and Sellers.

360-982-9705

Home THeater, Installation, Speaker, Wireless,surround Sound, Redmond Woodinville

Looking for a reliable, trustworthy, fast and friendly Home Inspector in the San Juan Islands and surrounding communities? Look no further! Joe Wolford of San Juan County Home Inspections is the perfect ace inspector for you!

Whether you are a buy or a seller or a real estate agent we think you will be impressed with the fast efficient and accurate service that Joe provides.

All his reports are computer generated complete with photos and flagged problem spots so you know just what you are getting into or out of! :-)

Give him a call today at 360-982-9705

Expert investigator

Joe cares about conducting a careful and thorough inspection of your current or future home, being respectful of the you, your house, it's furnishings and appliances.

He realizes there is a lot riding on an accurate and complete inspection and stays aware of that during the process so that you, and the property concerned, get all the attention needed and can help take some stress out of the home buying and selling process.

That being said Joe will do his best to uncover problem areas and will immediately let you know of any new discoveries inside, outside, underneath, above and around the house. 360-982-9705

How to Help With A House Inspection.

Tell us your concerns about the property before we begin, so we can spend extra time in specific areas if needed. Also let us know If a seller has disclosed damage. You may decide to accompany us in the inspection process since It’s in your best interest to understand the home, its systems, and potential problems. For example, we can introduce you to electrical panels, shut-off water valves, underground sprinkling or home security systems. The seller may not actually know how to operate these correctly and/or forget to show you. Also if we spot a problem area we can show you exactly how a system is malfunctioning and what it means. This information will serve you well before and after you buy or sell your house.

Some things you can investigate before we do.

Of course, you need an official home inspection with a qualified licensed home inspector and here are some simple ways to check for obvious red flags that we also look for in a home inspection.

If you are looking for a pre-sale inspection it will pay off to check these areas yourself. If you are buying make sure to spend an afternoon checking these areas if you can, because by the time you are in the selling process, there will be very little time to fix these if there looks like a problem and could delay the sale of your house.

To begin Start your dishwasher at the beginning of the home inspection. By the end, it should have gone through its entire cycle, without leaking or vibrating too heavily.

Secondly, turn on the heating/cooling unit to see if there sufficient hot or cold air reaching all of the rooms in the house?

Check how old the heating and/or air conditioning unit is and when was it last serviced.

Whether they be gas, oil or boilers, furnaces need to have regular yearly maintenance performed and the there should be an updated maintenance record near the furnace. When was furnace last maintained by a qualified furnace technician.

If the house has an addition, was any upgrade was done to the heating or cooling systems to account for the additional square footage?

Check all electrical outlets to make sure that they are in working order.

Open windows to make sure they are not stuck or painted shut.

Look under rugs or bed and behind pictures to check for cracked tiles, stained carpets or walls or water damage in bathroom floors.

Check under appliances on kitchen counters to look for defects.

How old are your appliances, do they show wear or even rust and cracks? If they are discontinued models, you may have to replace them.

Test stove burners.

Flush toilets to see if they stop running after filled.

Check sinks, tubs and showers in the house. Is there proper water flow from each faucet and does everything drain properly?

Look under the sinks for common leaks and signs of water damage. You'll have to check the crawl space or around bathroom seams for any leakage from the faucets.

Turn all the faucets on at the same time and flush a toilet upstairs to see whether the water pressure slows or stops in any sink. This also could indicate a problem with the plumbing.

In older homes, consider a separate sewage inspection. Many inspection companies can just run a camera through the pipes to check for damage or potential problems
Check under the water heater for leaks or stains on the floor.

Check for water stains or cracks in the ceiling or walls which could indicate leaks from the roof or problems with the plumbing.

Check the roof for broken or cracked shingles. If it is a flat or torch-down roof, look for the low spots where water can collect for any evidence of a problem.

Check the eaves for any rot or decay.

Consider hiring a roofing contractor for a free inspection/estimate if the home is 15-20 years old and it is the original roof.

Consider an inspection for mold or termites. This is not always a required part of a house inspection in the Northwest but could be a factor if there seems to be any kind of infestation from ants, rodents or even yellow jackets and wasps.

Investigate to see if this is a known problem in the area.

Always ask the seller and the seller’s agent if they know about any hidden defects that are not visible. They are required by law to answer truthfully.

Look into after-sale warranty protection. Most will take care of problems with the home's electrical, plumbing, heating and cooling systems, as well as the major appliances.

Being properly prepared and educated about the home inspection process can save you from having to deal with costly problems down the road in your new home.

Putting the process in motion

Feel free to call anytime to schedule your inspection or to ask about any concerns you might have. 360-982-9705

Communities Served

Orcas Island, San Juan Island, Lopez Island, Shaw Island, Anacortes, Bellingham, Mt. Vernon, Oak Harbor, Whidbey Island, Skagit and Whatcom Counties