FAQs

Since there is no licensing in the state of Georgia for home inspectors, it’s important to choose a company who has the experience, certifications, insurance, and reputation to stand behind their inspection.

When shopping around for a home inspector, there are a few questions that are very important to ask in addition to the price. Be wary of inspectors who are much cheaper than others. You get what you pay for when it comes to home inspections!

Since buying a home is the largest investment you will make in your lifetime, you want a qualified, experienced inspector to guide you through the process – not a brand-new guy willing to offer cheap inspections to gain more business.

There is no required licensing for home inspectors in the state of Georgia. That means that anyone, even a person with little knowledge of homes, can call himself a home inspector.

We have inspectors that are certified through ASHI and InterNachi, which are the top national organizations for the home inspection industry. ASHI sets guidelines for inspecting, report writing, and ethical practices for home inspectors.

We also have inspectors that are ICC code certified. ICC is the International Code Council, a nonprofit organization that writes building codes in accordance with which homes should be built.

We carry Errors and Omissions, General Liability, and Workers Comp insurance to protect all parties involved.

If you need to cancel your inspection, please call our office at least 24 hours in advance to avoid a $95 charge. Same day cancellations will be charged half of the inspection fee. If you are purchasing a new construction or foreclosure home, you or your realtor should make sure the utilities are turned on at least 24 hours before your inspection is scheduled.

This is our contract that must be signed prior to the home inspection. It will outline what the inspection includes and does not include. It will also have important notes about the standard protocols we follow. It is important that you read and understand the agreement prior to your inspection.

During the inspection, our inspector will look at all aspects of the house, including the exterior, interior, plumbing, electrical, and HVAC. The average inspection takes approximately 2.5 - 3.5 hours.

For a pre-drywall construction phase inspection, the inspector will look at the structural components, as well as the plumbing, electrical, and HVAC rough-ins. This inspection will take approximately an hour and a half.

When you schedule a final new construction inspection, be sure all the utilities are turned on. Cosmetic items and inaccessible areas are not part of the inspection process.

If at all possible, you should attend the inspection. It is best if the inspector can point out problem areas to you and ease any additional concerns you may have. If you cannot attend the entire inspection, you can come to the inspection about an hour and a half after the scheduled time.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends radon gas testing on all homes. Radon gas is the number one cause of lung cancer among nonsmokers. It can seep through many places in a house, including cracks in a concrete slab, block foundations, slab footing joints, exposed soil, sump pump openings, weeping tile, mortar joints, loose fitting pipes, granite, and water. Once radon is inside a home it has no way to disperse into the outside air. The gas becomes trapped and may reach dangerous levels.

Radon gas is especially high among areas where granite is present. Radon gas is colorless, odorless, and tasteless and can only be detected through a radon gas test. Many times, there is a simple solution to a radon gas problem; however, you must know about the problem in order to fix it! RIA uses a continuous monitor which is left at the home for 48 hours to test for radon gas. Results are sent by email once the monitor is retrieved.

*Service only available in Georgia

Mold is commonly found in homes and thrives where spores can find sources of water, including moisture from flooding, plumbing leaks, roof leaks, showers, bathtubs, and more. Mold can be dangerous to one’s health as some molds are toxic and mold spores travel through the air, making it possible to inhale mold spores. Most molds only cause allergic symptoms in people; however, some molds have been linked to more serious conditions. Those with asthma or allergies and people with weakened immune systems (such as children, elderly, pregnant women, or cancer patients) will have more difficulty coping with mold.

It is impossible for anyone to distinguish between toxic and nontoxic molds from a visual inspection. Mold samples must be taken and sent to a mold laboratory for analysis. If the mold in your home is toxic, it must be cleaned by a professional remediation company and the source of the mold growth must be corrected. If the source is not corrected, the mold will likely return.

RIA performs indoor air quality testing to determine if mold is toxic, poses an unusual growth condition, or is actively reproducing. Samples are sent to a laboratory for analysis, which generally takes 3 - 5 business days. The analysis is emailed as a PDF file, and we provide assistance to interpret the results.

Yes! Our new home inspections typically uncover items such as code violations, damaged roof shingles, nail holes in the roof shingles, missing flashings, deck problems, electrical problems, HVAC problems, and plumbing problems. Many people feel that the county inspections and/or the walk through with the builder are adequate substitutions for completing a private inspection.

County inspectors may not spend the necessary time in your home to find all the issues. RIA will spend 2 - 3 hours inspecting the home on YOUR behalf! Catching problems early on can save thousands of dollars in repairs later. If there are code violations, the builder may be required to fix the items for you. Any code violations or problems that exist in your home may pose a problem when you decide to sell if they are not found and corrected sooner. Cosmetic items are not part of the final inspection.