Shelter Island Home Inspection Services

What are the the two most important words in home inspection? 

Construction background!

The president of Meticulous Home Inspection Corp. has performed complete renovations, bathrooms, kitchens, plumbing, electrical, roofing, flooring, windows, doors, etc.

Meticulous Home Inspection, the premiere Suffolk county home inspection company has performed many home inspections in Suffolk county, and we have been in business since 2005.

A typical home inspection starts outside the house, and one of the first things we mention is grading and drainage around the house. Soil around the house, and all walks and driveways should be pitched away from the house so water does not pool against the foundation as this can cause water intrusion issues, and foundation cracks.

Foundation issues are photographed and also included in the report, and signs of water entry such as efflorescence (white chalky powder on concrete from water intrusion) and water stains are documented. Insufficient support is regularly found in old homes during an inspection.

We enter crawl spaces if it is safe to do so, and determine if enough air circulation is present. We often find crawl spaces are not insulated or have insulation installed upside down which is a common defect.

Everything from roofing/siding, to doors/windows, as well as attached decks, garages, landscaping and retaining walls are checked. We examine steps and railings and look for trip hazards, and railings that are loose or too low. Damaged walks and patios are also mentioned, as well as too much growth against the house which can foster termite activity.

Gutters and leaders are checked, as well as the chimney or exhaust piping for gas heating equipment. We have found damaged bricks, a lack of a concrete crown atop the chimney bricks, as well as rusted exhaust piping on the roof that is in need of replacement.

We examine the boiler and baseboards/radiators, or the furnace and its ductwork and registers, and generally recommended service to heating equipment by a licensed contractor. 

Oil tanks are also part of the home inspection, and many are poorly supported, or not installed properly, or are too old and can rust from the inside due to condensation that forms within the tank.

We also regularly find oil tanks that are/were located underground and if so, we recommend the property be checked for underground oil leaks/contamination as this can be extremely expensive to remediate.

The service panel is always opened to see wiring inside the panel to determine if any issues exist such as vintage ungrounded wiring or double tapped circuit breakers. We explain and demonstrate GFI receptacles to you so you know how to test them, and if the home does not have these safety devices, it is logged into your report. 

GFI receptacles (with the reset buttons) should exist in all 'wet' areas such as outdoor areas, kitchen counters/islands, bathrooms, laundry areas, and even in garages. Exterior receptacles should have modern in-use covers installed if not already in place.

Staircases and railings inside the home are also checked as we often find staircases with varying steps or railings that are too low. We determine if any trip hazards exist, as well as low headroom in stairwells that could cause injury. Older homes sometimes have railings that have too much space between balusters, and generally recommend updating if too antiquated.

Older homes from the 1960's and previous are known to have galvanized steel drain piping which rusts internally causing slow drainage, and we generally recommend updating of this original drain piping. Some houses also have a galvanized water main pipe which has the same problem - internal rust which can affect water pressure.

Houses from the 1920's-30's can also have a lead water main which we always recommend updating, but this can be a costly update. We check for leaks at valves and pipe connections, and check for proper operation of all plumbing fixtures like sinks, tubs and showers, as well as shower doors and bathroom exhaust fans - many of which we find are improperly installed.

Appliances are tested for basic function and we evaluate kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans to be sure they are properly vented to the exterior - not the attic or other areas where moisture can be trapped causing issues like mold.

Near the end of the inspection we operate the heating and cooling systems to determine their functionality, and log in any defects or deficiencies found. 

So if you need an experienced home inspector with hands-on construction background for a home inspection on Shelter Island, Meticulous Home Inspection is available 7 days a week at 631 902 6761.