Frontier Inspections, LLC

Since most people purchase no more than a few homes during their lifetime, the real estate transaction process may seem complicated and confusing. One aspect of the home purchase process that is vitally important, however, is a home inspection. What is the purpose of a home inspection?

A home inspection protects you. Whether you are preparing to purchase a home or are considering selling your home, a detailed home inspection provides you with the information you need to understand the condition of the property.

Modern homes are comprised of many systems working together, but many of these systems are complex and may be difficult to access. A professional home inspector utilizes his or her experience, training, and tools to assess the overall condition of the home and the various systems and components that it contains for your benefit.

Are you preparing to sell your home? A pre-sale home inspection allows you to understand the current condition of your property and helps to identify any issues that are likely to be discovered by a buyer’s inspector. This knowledge provides you with the opportunity to address any problems before buyers start to view the property, potentially reducing delays and requests for repairs or discounts.

Are you preparing to purchase a home? A pre-purchase home inspection allows you to better understand the condition of the property, as well as safety hazards or maintenance issues that will need to be corrected. Regardless of whether you decide to ask the seller to perform repairs or proceed with the purchase as is, you are at least better informed about the condition of the home.

A home inspection is really about you having the best information possible about the condition of a property, whether you are a buyer or seller. It’s only with a thorough understanding of the home’s condition that you are able to make the right decisions for you and your family.

Thank you for considering Frontier Inspections, LLC for your home inspection needs. We are Wyoming owned and operated, and proudly inspect properties throughout the state. You can reach us by phone at 307-670-3706 or by email at frontierinspectionsllc@gmail.com if you have questions or if you would like to schedule an inspection.

In a word, yes! It’s understandable that a home inspection may feel like just one more expense during an already expensive home-buying process. The cost of a full home inspection on your new Wyoming home, however, is minimal when it is compared to the potential savings for you as a home buyer.

The bottom line is that a professional home inspector will always find issues with any property. It’s been said that old homes have old home issues while new homes have new home issues, but all homes have issues. Knowing about as many of these issues as possible in advance allows you to make the most informed decisions about a home purchase.

Whether you choose to ask the seller to have repairs performed, to negotiate further, or to continue with the home purchase and take care of any problems later is up to you. The important thing is that you understand what you are buying so that you can make the right decisions for you and your family.

A professional home inspection may reveal defects with a home that you might not notice during a brief walkthrough. Oftentimes there are defects in a home that the seller doesn’t even know about. Some of these defects may just be annoyances, but others may amount to very expensive repairs.

• A roof replacement on an average home in 2023 may cost $10,000 to $15,000. The cost can rise dramatically if additional repairs are required due to water damage or structural problems.
• Replacing an HVAC system in 2023 may cost anywhere from $5,000 up to $12,000 or more – and some larger homes may have more than one system.
• Replacing a water heater may cost nearly $1,000 on the low end up to several thousand dollars on the high end – and some homes have more than one water heater.

These are only a few examples of potentially expensive repairs that a homeowner may face over time. A modern home is comprised of many systems and components that will all fail over time. An inspection on your new Wyoming home allows you to know as much as possible about the condition of everything in the home.

You owe it to yourself to be as informed as possible about the condition of your home. As one old saying goes, forewarned is forearmed.

Thank you for considering Frontier Inspections, LLC for your home inspection needs. Visit our Home Inspection Services page to learn more about Wyoming home inspections. Call 307-670-3706 or email frontierinspectionsllc@gmail.com to schedule your inspection.

You may be wondering if your deck needs to be inspected. The short answer is that yes, your deck probably needs to be inspected. There are at least two very important reasons to have a deck inspection performed and both have to do with safety. A Wyoming home and deck inspector will be able to evaluate the construction and condition of your deck so that you can be sure it is safe for your family and friends.

Why a Deck Inspection?

The first reason to have your deck inspected is to be sure that it was properly built and that it is properly secured to the house. It is estimated that the majority of decks in the U.S. are not fully safe. In many of these cases, the decks were not built properly in the first place. Improper supports, joists, railings (guards), stairs, and attachments to the house are all common defects for decks.

The second reason to have your deck inspected is to be sure that it is still safe and that its condition has not deteriorated over time. Assuming your deck was built to be secure and safe initially, its condition may well have deteriorated or weakened over time. Snow load, water from melting snow and rain, wind, and the summer sun all take a toll on any outdoor building materials here in Wyoming.

Fast Facts About Decks

• More decks collapse during the summer than during the rest of the year. This may be due to decks being used more frequently during the summer months.
• Almost every deck collapse occurs while the decks were either occupied or under a heavy snow load. A deck that is weak may seem to performing adequately, but adding hundreds of pounds to the deck, whether from heavy snow or people, may be the proverbial straw that breaks the camel’s back.
• There is no correlation between deck failure and whether the deck was built with or without a building permit. A permitted deck may still not be built or maintained properly, while an un-permitted deck may be built and maintained very well.
• There is no correlation between deck failure and whether the deck was built by a homeowner or a professional contractor. Professional may cut corners or make mistakes just like a DIY homeowner.
• There is a slight correlation between deck failure and the age of the deck. Unsurprisingly, as decks age and are exposed to the elements over a period of years the condition may deteriorate.
• About 90% of deck collapses occurred as a result of the separation of the house and the deck ledger board, allowing the deck to swing away from the house. It is very rare for deck floor joists to break mid-span. Many decks are not properly attached to the house.
• Many more injuries are the result of rail failure, rather than complete deck collapse. Deck rails should be able to support the weight of an adult leaning against the rail, but many decks are built inadequately or have deteriorated over the years and are in a weakened condition.
• Deck stairs are notorious for lacking graspable handrails. A safe, graspable handrail is essential as you, your family, and your guests move up and down deck stairs.
• Many do-it-yourself homeowners, and even contractors, don’t believe that rail infill spacing codes apply to decks. Proper rain infills or balusters are essential for safety, particularly if children will ever be present on the deck.

Is Your Deck Safe?

Was your deck built to be safe and, if so, is it still safe today? A Wyoming home and deck inspector will be able to answer these questions for you. In the best case, your deck may be in good and safe condition and you will enjoy peace of mind after your deck inspection. In the worst case, your deck may have been built poorly or may have deteriorated over the years and be in need of repairs. In this case, at least you know what is required to make the deck safe once again and can improve the condition of the deck before there is a problem.

Thank you for considering Frontier Inspections, LLC for your home and deck inspection needs. You can schedule a deck inspection by calling 307-670-3706 or by emailing frontierinspectionsllc@gmail.com.

Any home inspector who takes his (or her) job seriously has already spent hundreds – if not thousands – of hours studying to learn everything possibly about the structure, materials, and systems in a variety of homes. And, for conscientious home inspectors, studying and learning is a process is continuous and that never ends.

“Best practices” for buildings and systems are ever evolving, and new technologies are emerging at an unprecedented rate. This means that home inspectors do not have the luxury of thinking that they know everything about homes no matter how many years they have been working in the industry. Inspectors must always be learning and growing professionally.

Despite all of the training, experience, and attention to detail that an inspector may bring to a property, there are still challenges involved with performing a home inspection. These challenges include time, the visual nature of home inspections, and the potentially intermittent appearance of some problems.

Time

Most home buyers spend only a relatively short time walking through a home before making an offer. A home inspector has the luxury of spending more time in the home, but in most cases it is still only a few hours.

While home inspectors try to be efficient during the time available for a home inspection, it’s still typically only a few hours. A home inspection encompasses the roof, the basement or crawlspace, and everything in between. During the course of a home inspection, an inspector is looking at and evaluating literally thousands of data points.

It’s just not possible to look in every nook and cranny during the few hours available for a home inspection. As a result, home inspectors usually focus on the big issues that will have the most impact for a home buyer. For example, the condition of the roof, heating and cooling systems, electrical system, plumbing, etc.

We recently performed an inspection on an older home that had obviously been neglected in recent years. Despite spending far more time on the property than many inspectors would have, we’re still certain that there were additional defects that would have been discovered with more time at the property. At the same time, we’re confident that we identified the most significant issues with the home and our client was happy with the detailed report (plus hundreds of photos and videos).

One strategy that we utilize is refusing to overbook. Some inspectors will try to schedule multiple inspections each day. While the desire to stay busy and earn enough to pay the bills each month is understandable, our approach is to go slower and enjoy the luxury of time so that our client receives the best possible home inspection.

Visual Inspections

Home inspections are, by design, visual inspections. Home inspectors evaluate the readily accessible parts of the home and inspect what can be inspected without disassembling the home. During a roof inspection, for example, an inspector will evaluate the visible condition of the roof covering (shingles, tiles, etc.) on the outside as well as the rafters and roof sheathing from the attic on the interior if possible. We cannot, however, remove the roof covering to inspect the fasteners, underlayment, and roof sheathing.

We have an auto mechanic friend who is highly skilled, very well trained, and meticulous. He once told me that he dislikes performing pre-purchase inspections on vehicles because there is only just so much that he can look at during the inspection. It’s not possible, for example, to disassemble the engine or transmission to inspect every part for evidence of wear or damage during a pre-purchase inspection.

No matter how thorough and careful my friend is with a pre-purchase vehicle inspection he knows that there are things he cannot see and evaluate. Despite these limitations, his inspection is still a valuable service because he is able to evaluate many complex components and to identify a number of potential problems that a car buyer might not notice before purchasing the vehicle.

Home inspectors are faced with a similar challenge. We cannot disassemble the home to inspect every hidden detail. We are, however, able to utilize our training and experience to identify a host of potential problems.

The visual nature of a home inspection is in some ways an inherent limitation, but that doesn’t mean that home inspectors are not able to perform a thorough inspection. It is still possible to perform a very thorough inspection by knowing what to inspect, what to look for during that inspection, and by utilizing advanced tools and technology to supplement what is visible with the naked eye.

Intermittent Evidence

Another challenge that home inspectors face is that some problems are not apparent all of the time. A problem may be intermittent, or it may only be evident under certain conditions. Since a home inspection is a snapshot or “point in time” evaluation of a home, it is possible that some problems may not be evident during the inspection.

During a recent home inspection, we noticed while evaluating the roof that one gutter was completely full and leaking from the end. Since it had rained earlier that morning, it was obvious that the gutter downspout was clogged and needed to be cleaned. This problem might have been difficult to identify had it not rained recently.

On the other hand, some problems with water are discoverable even if the weather has been dry. Moisture damage may still be evident to a trained eye. Additionally, the use of tools like thermal imaging cameras and moisture meters may allow an inspector to identify a problem area even when it is not actively leaking.

Some problems may not be readily apparent during a home inspection, but a knowledgable and conscientious inspector will still be able to identify at least some problems that may not be obvious.

Unfortunately, a home inspection can never reveal every possible problem with a home due to limitations of time, the visual nature of the inspection, and the intermittent nature of some defects. A home inspection is still exceptional value for the money, however, as many defects can be identified during the inspection. This knowledge of the overall condition of the home is invaluable to you as a home buyer (or homeowner) because it allows you to make informed decisions about a significant and complex investment.

In many cases, the defects found during a home inspection would cost many times the price of a home inspection to have repaired when discovered at a later date. Additionally, many defects (like leaks or moisture intrusion) may be much less expensive to repair if discovered early before further damage has occurred.

Thank you for considering Frontier Inspections, LLC for your inspection needs. Our goal is to provide you with incredible value from your home inspection. In addition to a detailed and easy-to-read inspection report with plenty of photos and even videos, we will take the time to answer any questions you may have about the report.

You can schedule your home inspection by phone at 307-670-3706 or email at frontierinspectionsllc@gmail.com.

What is a home inspection, and what exactly does a home inspection cover?

According to the InterNACHI Standards of Practice (SOPs):

“A home inspection is a non-invasive, visual examination of the accessible areas of a residential property, performed for a fee, which is designed to identify defects within specific systems and components defined by these Standards that are both observed and deemed material by the inspector. The scope of work may be modified by the Client and Inspector prior to the inspection process.”

Note: InterNACHI is the world’s leading association for home inspectors. We follow InterNACHI’s Standards of Practice for our home inspections.

Why Are Home Inspections Performed?

Home inspections are most commonly performed at the request of a home buyer prior to purchasing a new home so that the buyer is informed about the overall condition of the home as well as any major defects.

Home inspections may be performed at the request of a home owner in preparation for selling the home. This allows the seller to repair any unknown issues before listing the home for sale. In addition to expediting the sale process by reducing the number of possible repair requests, this may serve as an advantage when advertising the home for sale.

A home inspection may also be performed at the request of a home owner, whether on a personal residence or investment property, as part of an overall maintenance strategy. The bottom line is that modern homes are equipped with many complex systems and it’s not always easy to access these systems or to know what might be a developing issue. Routine maintenance inspections, often performed annually, allow a property owner to remain informed about the condition of the home and to plan ahead for any significant problems that may arise.

What’s Included In a Home Inspection?

A detailed home inspection that is conducted according to InterNACHI’s Standards of Practice (SOPs) reviews many systems in the home in an effort to identify any observable defects. The following list covers some of the things that we look for during a home inspection.

• The roof covering materials, gutters, downspouts, vents, flashing, skylights, chimney, and other roof penetrations; and the general structure of the roof from readily accessible panels, doors, or stairs.
• The exterior wall covering materials; the eaves, soffits, and fascia; a representative number of windows; exterior doors; flashing and trim; adjacent walkways and driveways; stairs, steps, stoops, stairways, and ramps; porches, patios, decks, balconies, and carports; railings, guards, and handrails; and vegetation, surface drainage, retaining walls and grading of the property, where they may adversely affect the structure due to moisture intrusion.
• The foundation, basement, or crawlspace, and structural components.
• The heating system, using normal operating controls.
• The cooling system, using normal operating controls.
• The main water supply shut-off valve; the main fuel supply shut-off valve; the water heating equipment, including the energy source, venting connections, temperature/pressure relief (TPR) valves, Watts 210 valves, and seismic bracing; interior water supply, including all fixtures and faucets, by running the water; all toilets for proper operation, by flushing; all sinks, tubs, and showers for functional drainage; the drain, waste, and vent system; and drainage sump pumps with accessible floats.
• The electric service drop; the overhead service conductors and attachment point; the service head, gooseneck, and drip loops; the service mast, service conduit, and raceway; the electric meter base; service entrance conductors; the main service disconnect; panel boards and over-current protection devices (circuit breakers and fuses); service grounding and bonding; a representative number of switches, lighting fixtures, and receptacles, including receptacles observed and deemed to be arc-fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) protected using the AFCI test button, where possible; all ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) receptacles and circuit breakers observed and deemed to be GFCIs using a GFCI tester, where possible; and for the presence of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
• Readily accessible and visible portions of the fireplaces and chimneys; lintels above the fireplace openings; damper doors by opening and closing them, if readily accessible and manually operable; and cleanout doors and frames.
• Insulation in unfinished spaces, including attics, crawlspaces, and foundation areas; ventilation of unfinished spaces, including attics, crawlspaces, and foundation areas; and mechanical exhaust systems in the kitchen, bathrooms, and laundry area.
• A representative number of doors and windows by opening and closing them; floors, walls, and ceilings; stairs, steps, landings, stairways, and ramps; railings, guards, and handrails; and garage vehicle doors and the operation of garage vehicle door openers using normal operating controls.

As you can see, we inspect a lot of things while performing a complete home inspection. This list is far more comprehensive than what a potential home buyer will be able to inspect during a typical walkthrough of a home. We typically spend at least a few hours – longer on larger homes – and take the time that is necessary to perform a thorough and detailed inspection.

Following the home inspection, we provide a detailed and easy-to-read report with plenty of photos to help you understand any areas of concern that were identified during the inspection.

Schedule Your Inspection

Whether you are a home buyer who needs a new home inspected before purchase or a home owner who needs a maintenance or presale inspection performed on your property, Frontier Inspections, LLC is ready to help. Reach out to us by email at frontierinspectionslls@gmail.com or by phone at 307-670-3706 to schedule your inspection.

Thank you for considering Frontier Inspections, LLC for your home inspection needs! Please let us know if you have any questions.

Purchasing a home is a significant investment and is thus a big decision. A professional inspection of the home is an obviously important part of the decision and purchase process. A professional home inspector is trained to notice things that are easy to not notice, but that may eventually cost you thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars.

Since a professional home inspection is so important, it’s worth considering how to choose a home inspector. When it’s time to purchase your new Wyoming home, you also need to find a professional Wyoming home inspector.

Certification

All home inspectors should be properly certified or licensed, though these requirements do vary between states. Wyoming does not have a licensing requirement for home inspectors, but I still chose to become a Certified Professional Inspector (CPI) in order to demonstrate that I am qualified and prepared as a home inspector. Becoming a CPI requires a lot of coursework and a number of exams, as well as continuing education requirements each year.

Insurance

Most legitimate businesses and professionals today carry insurance, and it is important that a professional home inspector is also properly insured. Frontier Inspections, LLC carries industry-standard, home inspection business insurance.

Trust

Finally, you should be comfortable working with a home inspector, be confident that the inspector is looking out for your best interests, and you should be able to address any questions or concerns about the inspection with your home inspector. The decision to purchase a home is significant and your home inspector should be willing to talk with you, answer any questions, and explain anything that is not clear. In other words, you want to choose a professional home inspector that you trust.

Professional Wyoming Home Inspections

When you are ready to purchase your new home, we are ready to help by providing a professional home inspection. At Frontier Inspections, LLC we serve all of Wyoming and parts of some surrounding states (like Nebraska).

Call 307-670-3706 or email frontierinspectionsllc@gmail.com to schedule your inspection.

The home inspection business may seem strange or opaque. After all, unless you work in the real estate industry chances are good that you may only have experience with a few home inspections in your lifetime. If you’re preparing to purchase a home for the first time, you may have no experience at all with a home inspection.

One question that may arise concerns who a home inspector actually works for. In a typical real estate transaction, it is common for the buyer’s real estate agent to recommend a few home inspectors. Since the agent is recommending home inspectors and will likely be reviewing the inspection report with the home buyer, it may seem that the home inspector actually works for the real estate agent.

The truth is that the home inspector works for their client – that is, the person who retained the inspector’s services, paid the inspection fee, and signed the inspection agreement. In most cases, the client is a home buyer, owner, or seller.

When you contract with Frontier Inspections, LLC to perform an inspection we are working for you and you alone. As an inspection company, our job is to be concerned with your interests and to make sure you have the most complete and accurate information possible. In this way, you are prepared with the information that you need to make the best decisions about a significant investment.

Increasingly, home buyers are finding their own home inspectors and ignoring the suggestions made by their real estate agent. Finding your own home inspector may provide increased confidence that the inspector is working for you.  This also affords you the option to choose an inspection company that you are truly comfortable working with on such an important process.

At Frontier Inspections, LLC we provide a range of inspection services in Wyoming and the surrounding areas, including full home inspections. Learn more about about how we can help you by visiting our services page. Call 307-670-3706 or email frontierinspectionsllc@gmail.com to schedule your inspection.