Phoenixville, Reading, Collegeville, Royersford, Limerick, Pottstown, Downingtown, Skippack
Home Inspections, Radon Tests & Termite Inspections
National Association of Home Inspectors (NAHI) Standards of Practice & Code of Ethics
Strong Foundations Newsletters
The Home Inspection & Your Report
The Strong Foundations Advantage
Why should you hire Strong Foundations for your home inspection needs?
We are experienced in performing
PA home inspections on residential properties
in accordance with the NAHI Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics (member
ID – 10-10541).
We are insured (E&O and GL) and in full compliance
with the PA Home Inspection Law (Act 114) and licensed to provide home inspections in
the City of Philadelphia (license # 24376).
Some of our past clients have told us our
inspection reports with included repair estimates have helped them save
over $20,000 on the purchase price of their house.
We
have no obligations or connections to the real estate agents or sellers of the property. We do not work for them. We work for you.
Our home inspections do not have time
limits. This helps ensure we are able to spend as much time with you
as necessary to help you understand the condition of your new house.
We
do not inspect roofs with binoculars like some other home inspectors.
As long as conditions permit and it is safe for us to do so, we climb roofs to properly inspect them.
Saving a few dollars by hiring a non-Strong Foundations inspector is not
worth it if they won't properly inspect your roof and chimneys.
Reasonable access is required.
Our inspection reports are completed
and e-mailed to you the next day in an easily viewable PDF format. Repair estimates of noted defects
are included.
We
conduct an extremely thorough home inspection at a
fair price and will inspect your
house as if it were our own.
Buying a House With an On-site Septic System
If you are buying a house that has an on-site septic system, we suggest getting the septic system inspected before getting the house inspected if time allows. From our experience, on-site septic systems are often found to be undersized, outdated, or in need of replacement. The cost of a new septic system can cost $15,000 - $30,000. If a failed septic system would prevent you from buying the house, consider getting it inspected before spending more money on other services like the home inspection, radon test, or termite inspection.
Rehabbed and renovated houses often times look very neat and clean. Updated bathrooms and kitchens, upgraded flooring, and new windows and siding can do a lot to improve the appearance of a house. The major mechanical systems in the house such as roof, structural foundation, HVAC, plumbing, and electric are sometimes also upgraded. And while these are the types of things we inspect during the course of our home inspections, one thing we cannot inspect or determine is whether or not permits were obtained by the sellers for the renovations. A house that had work done without permits can have hidden defects or improper installations that cannot be revealed or seen during the course of a standard home inspection. When buying any house where significant renovations or rehabbing has taken place, be sure to ask the sellers for proof that the work was done with permits. Many local townships retain these records and may be able to tell you if permits were obtained.
INTERNET DISCOUNT SPECIAL - We are currently offering significant pricing discounts on our Pennsylvania home inspections, radon tests, and termite inspections. To find out how much money you can save on your home inspection fee, call us today at 610-792-9498 or send us an e-mail. This is a limited time offer.
Nick Ostrowski (Owner & Pennsylvania Home Inspector)
If You Think New Construction Homes Don't Need a Home Inspection, Think Again
We found this defect during a recent pre-drywall inspection of a new construction home. The picture shows a damaged engineered I-Joist which forms the structural base beneath the 2nd floor bathroom. The joist has been cut almost completely in half by the plumber. If the buyer didn't hire us to inspect this home, the builder would have covered the defect with drywall in the next few days. Left uncorrected, the living room ceiling would eventually begin to sag and fail under the weight of the bath tub when filled with water. In addition to this defect, we found another I-joist with similar plumber-inflicted damage in the basement.
Put Our Home Inspecting Experience to Work For You
The real estate market is in a state of change but the need for an experienced home inspector with a reputation for being thorough and detail oriented is just as important as ever. At Strong Foundations, we are in our seventh year in business and have performed over 1,000 home inspections. We are admittedly picky and detail oriented when performing an inspection. This approach does not earn us many realtor referrals but that's OK because we don't work for them. We work for you, the buyer.
We Specialize in Serving the Needs of Experienced & First Time Home Buyers
Whether you are an experienced home owner or it is your first home purchase, buying a home can be an overwhelming experience. At Strong Foundations, we will spend as much time as is necessary at your Pennsylvania home inspection to answer your questions and help you understand the condition of the house you want to buy. Not only will we point out any noted defects but we will help you understand how things should look when done properly and how to recognize some defects on your own.
No concern you may have is too small and the only silly questions are the ones not asked. The home inspection is your best opportunity to get to know as much about your new house as possible. And if you have a question or concern you forgot to mention, call us. Phone consultation is always free.
Take the Strong Foundations Virtual Home Inspection Tour
Enter here to go on the Strong Foundations Virtual Home Inspection. The virtual inspection is complete with pictures and descriptions that indicate just how detailed and thorough our PA home inspections are.
Client
Testimonials
See for yourself what some of our past clients had to say about the quality of our home inspections in the Client Testimonial Page. You may notice after reading the testimonials that some of them are from clients who decided not to buy the house after our inspection. We feel these instances are proof positive that the most important traits to look for when hiring your home inspector is someone who is extremely thorough, knowledgeable, and has no vested interest in the sale of the house.
"Nick, I received the report and I am very pleased with the information contained in it. I must admit I was a little skeptical regarding a home inspection and how much useful information I would really gain from it. However, after the information I received from you and the knowledge that you demonstrated, I feel that I made the right decision. I just want you to know that if this deal falls through and I am at the point with another house to where I need a home inspection you will be the first person I call." ~ Ben
We Return All Phone Calls.......Guaranteed
One of the reasons we are able to offer reasonably priced inspections is because we answer our own phones and don't pay additional monthly fees for an answering service. As a result, we may not be able to answer every call when it comes in due to our inspection schedule. However, we guarantee we will respond the same day to any messages left on our voice mail during office hours, Monday thru Friday.
Office hours: Monday - Friday: 9:00am - 5:00pm / Saturday & Sunday: CLOSED
Inspection Schedule: Monday - Friday: AM and PM / Saturday: AM / Sunday: CLOSED
Home Inspection Photo Log
- Click here to view some normal, and not-so-normal findings from
our home
inspections.
PA Home Inspection Contingency Clauses and What They Mean to You
When you decide to buy a house or property in the state of Pennsylvania, you will likely sign an Agreement of Sale for the property you plan on buying. Most Agreements of Sale come with either a 7 day, 10 day, or 15 day contingency clause. This clause is your window of time in which to make your final decisions regarding the purchase or non-purchase of the property. If you are relying on the results of your home inspection, termite inspection, radon test, or other inspections to assist you in making the final decisions, the time to find your PA home inspector or Philadelphia home inspector is within a day or so of signing the Agreement of Sale. This will allow you as the buyer enough time to have your inspections completed and the results delivered to you. Waiting until the last minute to schedule your inspections could result in your contingency clause expiring and the loss of valuable decision making time.
Bank Owned, Foreclosed, and Vacant Properties
The housing market is currently made up of many bank owned, foreclosed, and vacant properties. The utilities such as gas, water, and electrical service are often times shut off in these houses. If you are considering buying one of these properties, you should take steps well before the home inspection to ensure that all utilities will be on for your inspection. Systems that are off or shut down at the time of the inspection cannot be properly inspected. The responsibility and costs of having utilities turned is sometimes shared between the owner of the property and you the buyer. We recommend verifying the status of the utilities in the house with your realtor and taking the appropriate steps to have all utilities turned on prior to your home inspection.
Preferred Vendor Real Estate Offices Limit Your PA Home Inspection Options
(click on this link to find out why)
|
Search for Radon Test Results by Zip Code Enter the 5 digit zip code where your new home is located for Environmental Protection Agency data on radon tests conducted in basements of homes in that zipcode. |
Check the Weather forecast for the day of your PA Home Inspection