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I Am a Certified Professional Inspector CPI®I am a member of InterNACHI®, the world's leading organization of certified inspectors, where I have earned the Certified Professional Inspector-CPI®. In addition to hundreds of coursework hours and on the job training, I take at least 24 hours of Continuing Education every year to maintain my certification as a home inspector and keep up with the newest in industry standards to make your home inspection experience highly valuable. I am certified in a variety of other areas within the home inspection industry. Please check out the Qualifications page on my website for more information.
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We Inspect Everything Listed HereWe inspect everything listed in the Home Inspection Standards of Practice, which is available by visiting www.nachi.org/sop.
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We Offer Many Different Types of InspectionsWe provide residential property inspections. We perform inspections according to the InterNACHI Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics. We take our job seriously and are client focused 100% of the time. We also provide additional types of inspections, including: Wildfire Prepared Home Inspections Check out our inspection services in detail by visiting www.burkehomeinspections.com
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We Inspect Single Residences, Du/Tri/Fourplexes, Townhomes/Condos, Lofts & Rental PropertiesWe inspect everything according to the Home Inspection Standards of Practice. And that includes systems and components from the foundation to the top of the roof and everything in between. We can also check for indications of moisture intrusion, water leaks, and material defects. If we find anything wrong, we'll show it to you, explain what the problem is, and why it should be corrected. We may also make recommendations for qualified contractors to take a closer look and make repairs; however, we do not work directly with or receive compensation in any way from contractors we may suggest. Our mission is to provide you with options to make your home purchasing or selling experience as smooth as possible.
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Just Four ThingsBuying a home? The process can be stressful. A home inspection is supposed to give you peace of mind, but often has the opposite effect. You will be asked to absorb a lot of information in a short time. This often includes a written report, a checklist, photographs, environmental reports, and what the inspector says during the inspection. All of this, combined with the seller's disclosure and what you notice yourself, makes the experience even more overwhelming. What should you do? Try to relax and know your inspector is here for you. Most of your inspection will be maintenance recommendations, life expectancies for various systems and components, and minor imperfections. These are useful to know about; however, the issues that really matter will fall into four categories: Major defects. An example of this would be a structural failure; Things that lead to major defects, such as a small roof-flashing leak, for example. Things that may hinder your ability to finance, legally occupy, or insure the home. Safety hazards, such as an exposed, live buss bar at the electrical panel. Anything in these categories should be addressed. Often, a serious problem can be corrected inexpensively to protect both life and property (especially in categories 2 and 4). Most sellers are honest and are often surprised to learn of defects uncovered during an inspection. Realize that sellers are under no obligation to repair everything mentioned in the report. No home is perfect. Keep things in perspective. Do not kill your deal over things that do not matter. It is inappropriate to demand that a seller address deferred maintenance, conditions already listed on the seller's disclosure.
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Material Defects in the Summary ReportWe recommend that you read and understand the entire inspection report and ask question about anything you find in the report. I am responsible for writing in the inspection report the defects that I both observe during the inspection and deem (or consider) to be material. A material defect is very serious and must be further evaluated and corrected immediately by a qualified contractor or professional. I will put those material defects into the summary report. The summary report is not the entire inspection report.
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A Real Estate Agent's DutyThis is written for the real estate professional. The seller has accepted your clients' offer and now, with your help, your clients must choose a home inspector. Should you steer them toward the inspector who writes the softest reports? Should you steer them toward the inspector who pays to be on your office's preferred vendor list? Should you help them find the cheapest inspector? The answers to these questions are of course no. You have a fiduciary duty to your client and, therefore, must recommend the very best inspectors. If you recommend a patty-cake inspector, an inspector who indirectly pays for your recommendation, or a cheap inspector, you violate your fiduciary duty to your client. The National Association of REALTORs defines your duties in their Code of Ethics. Article 1 requires you to protect and promote your clients' interests. Article 6 requires you to disclose any financial benefit you may receive from recommending related real estate services (this also includes any benefit to your broker). Because most real estate agents get paid only if the real estate transaction successfully takes place, your personal interests and your fiduciary duties already conflict. Don't make your situation any worse. The best way to avoid negligent referral claims, to operate ethically, and to fulfill your fiduciary duty is to help your client find an inspector based solely on merit. And although no real estate agent can guarantee the thoroughness of any particular inspector, there is a strong correlation between an inspector's fees and his/her competence (in other words, you get what you pay for). Helping your client find a cheap inspector for the purchase of their lifetime is a violation of your fiduciary duty. When in doubt, shop for ethics.
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Read the Inspector's PromiseChoosing the right home inspector can be difficult. Unlike most professionals you hire, you probably won't meet me until our appointment. Furthermore, different inspectors have varying qualifications, equipment, experience, reporting methods, and pricing. Ultimately, a thorough home inspection depends heavily on the individual inspector’s own effort. If you honor me by permitting me to inspect your new home, I guarantee that I will give you my very best effort. This, I promise you. Shelley Burke Burke Home Inspections, LLC
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Understand the Inspector's ResponsibilityThe home inspector is not an expert in any one discipline of the trades, but a generalist. The home inspector can inspect a home and report upon the home’s condition as it was at the time of the inspection. That is the main responsibility of the home inspector. The most important thing for a homeowner to understand is that things will wear out and or break. As time goes on, parts of the house will wear out, break down, deteriorate, leak, or simply stop working. A home inspection does not include predictions of future events, house warranties, or guarantees that nothing will ever go wrong. Future events (such as roof leaks, water intrusion, plumbing leaks, and heating failures) are not within the scope of a home inspection and are not the responsibility of the home inspector. Who’s responsible? The homeowner. The home inspection and report are based on the observations made on the date of the inspection, and not a prediction of future conditions. The home inspection will not reveal every issue that exists or ever could exist, but only those material defects observed on the date of the inspection. We encourage new homeowners to purchase a Home Warranty with a reputable company. These are not perfect; however, they can be a real 'life saver' when it comes to appliances giving up. Ask your Home Inspector for more information.
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Walk and Talk With Your Inspector OR ...I invite you to walk with me during your inspection. I will show you everything about your house that's important for you to know. Feel free to ask me questions while we walk around the property. If you have any concerns or questions, feel free to ask me while we're moving through the inspection process. As a safety measure, roofs, crawlspaces, and attics are all areas I do not permit anyone without a CPI or CMI certification to follow me onto or into; however, I will take photos and video to share with you. OR... If you prefer to go over my inspection observations after I have completed the inspection, I look forward to spending time discussing those components with you.
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Read the Standards, Agreement, Report, and BookPlease take the time to read the Home Inspection Standards of Practice (www.nachi.org/sop), the Code of Ethics (www.nachi.org/code_of_ethics), the Home Inspection Agreement that we sign before we begin the home inspection at the property, the entire inspection report(s)-not just the summary. At the end of the inspection you will be provided with a well-appointed binder that includes the InterNACHI® home maintenance book, and a gift from your Inspector as a way of saying 'Thank You', that I will provide you at the end of the inspection. Should you have question about any portion of the process from the inspection agreement to the inspection findings, and well into the future with questions you may have about your home, we are here for you. We are a phone call away and look forward to hearing from you. Kind regards, Shelley Burke Burke Home Inspections, LLC
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