Every home inspector needs an inspection report. A
written reportis the work product of the home inspection,
and every home inspector is expected to deliver one to the customer after the inspection. Inspection reports vary a great deal in the
industry, with each home inspection company developing its own version. Some are considered to be excellent, while others are not very good at all. A workable and easy to use inspection report is important for a home inspector in terms of being able to fill it in. Of greater importance is its
thoroughness, accuracy, and helpfulness to the customer. We can’t tell you what type of report to use, but let’ s hope it’s a professional one.
The Don’t Ever Misslist is a reminder of those specific
findings you should be sure to include in your inspection report. We list these items after years of experience performing home inspections. Missing them can result in complaint calls and lawsuits later. Here is an overview of what to report on during the inspection of the foundation:
• Type: Identify the type of foundation walls present, such
as poured concrete or concrete block.
• Wall condition: Take the time in the report to accurately
report on the condition of the foundation walls. For your own protection, if there are areas not visible for
inspection, it’s best to note that in your report. This is a protective measure taken in case a complaint comes in later about something missed during the inspection. If cracks or movement of the walls are found, record the precise location where the condition is found and then clearly define what you’ve found. This helps a structural engineer who may be called in to evaluate the condition.
• Recommending monitoring: If your finding is that a
crack condition should be monitored, be sure to mention that fact in your inspection report. See page 39 for those instances that call for this recommendation.
• Recommending a structural engineer: Be sure to
indicate clearly when a problem is serious enough to call for an evaluation by a structural engineer. Again, see page 39 for examples of conditions calling for this recommendation. Any foundation condition requiring a structural engineer’s evaluation should be classified as a
major repair in your report. It’s a good idea to report
this major repair on the foundation page of your report and on a summary page at the back of the report.
Report Available
The American Home Inspectors Training Institute offers both manual and computerized reports. These reports include an inspection agreement, complete reporting pages, and helpful customer information. If you’re interested in
purchasing the Home Inspection Report, please contact us at 1-800-441-9411
DON’T EVER MISS • Horizontal cracks in the
foundation wall
• Step cracks indicating footing settlement • Unstable bowing or
leaning walls with or without cracks
• Shearing action in the foundation
1. A crack that increases along its path is called: A. An angled crack
B. A horizontal crack C. A vertical crack D. A V-crack
2. Which is most likely not a cause of a horizontal crack?
A. Broken footing at a corner B. Soil pressure
C. Water pressure against the wall D. Poor downspouts
3. If you note an active 1/4” step crack with no apparent movement, you should:
A. Recommend that you come back to repair the crack.
B. Suggest the customer monitor the crack.
C. Recommend a structural engineer be consulted to assess the crack.
D. All of the above
4. In Photo #25, what is the structure in the middle of the photo?
A. A shrinkage wall B. A pilaster
C. A sweep
5. In a solid brick house, what is a sign of corner settlement?
A. Step cracks at an exterior corner going down to the foundation
B. A pair of angled cracks above a corner window
C. Deteriorating mortar at the corner D. Spalling on the bricks at the corner
6. What is not a cause of foundation settlement? A. Soil weakness at the site
B. Soil compacting underneath the foundation
C. Soil pressure against the wall D. Footing failure in one or more
locations
7. Case study: You find the west wall of a
basement paneled and cannot inspect the foundation at that side. The north wall has a vertical crack under a window that doesn’t reach the foundation. It’s only 1/4” wide but seems to be active. Refer to Photo #22 to see what’s happening to the south wall. At the middle of the east wall, there’s a huge pile of storage you can’t see behind.
Which of the following would you record in your inspection report?
A. Foundation wall condition satisfactory B. North foundation wall requires repair. C. West foundation wall not visible,
unable to inspect.
D. Storage in basement, did not inspect foundation walls.
8. For the case study above, for which condition should you recommend an evaluation by a structural engineer?
A. Crack in south foundation wall B. Crack in north foundation wall C. Storage on east foundation wall D. Paneling on west foundation wall 9. For the case study above, would the condition
of the north foundation wall be classified as a major repair?
A. Yes B. No