What is Western States?
Home inspections, radon testing, water potability testing, thermal imaging, and well inspection.
Why Western States Inspections?
I work hard at the two most important things that a great inspector needs:
Knowledge and Communication
Experience
- 21+ years as a home inspector
- 10,000+ inspections
- 35+ years of construction, real estate, and home inspections
- 5+ years as teaching home inspection
- National speaker at inspection conferences.
Providing You My Best, Is The Best
I understand that buying a home is the biggest transaction that most folks will ever do. I not only find the bad and ugly in a home, but I find the good, too.
I answer your questions and explain the features of your new home.
I bring experience learned from thousands of inspections and years in construction and real estate to every inspection. I understand all aspects of this industry completely. I speak in ordinary terms so that anyone can understand.
I try to treat folks the way I want to be treated.
Serving the Denver Metro area and nearby eastern-plains rural areas including Watkins, Bennett, Strasburg, Byers, Deer Trail, Kiowa, Elizabeth, Parker, Franktown, Castle Rock, Brighton...call me. (303) 807-6837
From derelict fixers to exquisite remodels, condos to mansions, cabins to estates, plains to hills, and rural to urban; I have inspected the oldest home in Denver to new construction and everything in between.
Services:
Home Inspection
Radon test
Water Potability & Quality Testing
Thermal Imaging Survey
For Wells:
Basic Potability/Bacteria Test
Expanded Potability/Metals Tests
Other services may be available
(Counties in the Denver metro area require that septic systems be evaluated by an approved septic technician)
Services included in all home inspections:
Accessible visible parts of roof, structure, foundation, plumbing, electrical, heating, cooling, appliances. While the main purpose of a home inspection is to identify health, safety, and/or major expense concerns, many lessor defects are reported.
Termites are a rare problem in this area of Colorado but as an entomologist, I know how to look for them and occasionally find them.
Mold, in our arid climate, is usually found in the form of dry rot, but I am always looking for any evidence of other mold or rot problems.
Additional Services (for additional charges):
Drinking water quality test (potability) for lead and toxic heavy metals can find unexpected problems with water even on municipal systems because of imported fixtures not made to US standards or improper/unsafe plumbing. Older homes can have problems associated with piping and lead solder connections. This EPA approved testing also includes total solids, PH, alkalinity, and total hardiness.
I can test for levels of radon gas (requires two trips to the home and my radon instrument must be in the home for a minimum of forty-eight hours.) I offer thermal imaging surveys with an FLIR E-6 Infrared Camera, which can be useful for finding insulation issues, hidden water leaks and some electrical problems.
Rural/acreage inspections:
Though the majority of my home inspections are in residential areas, I live on a rural acreage property with awell. I understand rural living. For buyers of properties with a water well, I offer an arms-length potability/bacteria test which is usually required by lenders. Additionally for well water, I offer the same drinking water quality test plus nitrites/nitrates which can migrate into wells from fertilizer and have several severe health concerns. For wells, arsenic can naturally occur and I test for the presence of inorganic and organic arsenic.
I try to provide the finest inspections possible at a reason
I realize that most folks want to see a dollar amount here. I try to keep pricing simple, but there are variables. Pricing starts with total square footage and property type. Other factors can alter pricing.
- A home inspection for "average" homes under 2500 total sq. ft. start at $380.
- Most condos at $280.
- Most townhomes at $340.
I offer additional services, such as:
- radon testing typically for $160,
- drinking water quality test for city for $170,
- thermal imaging survey starting at $60,
- well water bacteria (total coliforms) which mortgage companies require is $140
- well water quality test includes above bacteria and some well specific contaminants $300
- well pressure tank and switch inspection is $20,
- shops, extra garages, or barns start at $30.
Pricing can be a funny thing. In the same week, I had a caller ask why I was so expensive and another caller ask why I was so cheap...I did both inspections and both clients were very pleased. The client who had wondered why I was so cheap, told me I didn't charge enough.
Buying a home is the largest purchase most people will do and the home inspection is crucial in protecting this investment. (Remember the movie, The Money Pit?) If you are shopping for the cheapest inspection, then I'm unlikely to be your inspector, but if you are shopping for the finest inspection, then call me.
Call 303-807-6837 for a complete quote.
For that average home of 2500sq.ft, plan on three hours. Sometimes less, sometimes longer. It depends on what I am seeing.