Buying a flipped house?
Often Home Buyers walk into a flipped home and they are overtaken by the renovations and the visible areas in the home. However, it is the things you do not know that make the flip house one that requires special tools and knowledge to inspect.
A question we often get is why are your fees higher than others? They are not really. We are in the average range in the local area.
Another question we get is why should we use you? The answer is always because of our tools, our knowledge, and our experience.
When we inspect homes, our Inspectors are provided the best of the best when it comes to tools. Today’s example is our circuit analyzers. Flippers often cut corners and wait to see what the home inspector will find before making repairs. One such area is electrical. Most flippers do not pull permits and they should. This prevents the home from being upgraded to the now current standards for safety.
Its true home inspectors do not inspect to code – however, a good and through inspector invests in their trade. This includes continuing education – which should include knowledge of Code. When doing new construction of flips this becomes critically important. Ask your inspector about code. Questions such as when were expansion tanks required for water heaters? There is a difference between electric and gas. Ask the inspector about PEX TPR pipes, or PEX ran to the top of gas or electric water heaters? And ask your inspector about Bootleg Grounds.
Most inspectors use a simple GFCI tester that cost anyone less than $10 at your local home improvement store. We do not – why? Because flippers, and even homeowners in existing homes, will install a bootleg ground that makes the outlet appear grounded to these less than effective testers.
We use a true circuit analyzer like those used by licensed electricians to discover the true wiring and condition of the electrical system in every home. And yes, it is the only product on the market that will identify a bootleg or false ground. The reason most inspectors do not use them is they are approximately $300 each. Across our staff that means we have eight (8).
A $2400 investment to provide a level of service and quality we believe each Client is deserves. It is not $2400 we put in our pockets. And we do not stop there. We also use borescopes, advanced and highly specialized radon testing equipment, extendable micro wireless cameras, and many other tools and software products to deliver the most complete and thorough home inspection available. In other words, we invest money in our Clients, our deliverables, and our people. That is why we are the best and most highly recommended firm in the Upstate.
Take a few minutes and watch the video above by one of our peers, to learn the concerns associated with bootleg grounds and why your inspector is missing the boat and laving your client exposed. Lastly, I will add that we find this specific in every flipped home we inspect, unless the electrical has been completely redone. So, I ask you, when is the last time you walked in a flip where that was the case. Normally you see the old panel, which is a tell tale sign you should be calling us to protect your client. And now you know…
Dave