Top 6 Home Inspectors in Copake Lake, NY

Porch Pro Headshot Shield Guard Home Inspections
Home Inspectors
Serves Copake Lake, New York
(159)
"Shield Guard Home Inspections inspected our home on July 10th of 2018. Adam showed up on time, was attentive, professional and very knowledgeable. He pointed out issues we would have NEVER noticed and my husband is in the construction field. We received our report within 24 hours and the report wa...Read more about Shield Guard Home Inspections
"Shield Guard Home Inspections inspected our home on July 10th of 2018. Adam showed up on time, was attentive, professional and very knowledgeable. He pointed out issues we would have NEVER noticed and my husband is in the construction field. We received our report within 24 hours and the report wa...Read more about Shield Guard Home Inspections
Porch Pro Headshot Granite Inspection Group
Home Inspectors
Serves Copake Lake, New York
(183)
Granite Home Inspection has been doing thorough home inspections and testing throughout the NY Hudson Valley area since 2000. Our inspection standards are always amongst the highest in the industry and will meet or exceed your needs. We are sure to provide you with a quality, unbiased, professional ...Read more about Granite Inspection Group
Granite Home Inspection has been doing thorough home inspections and testing throughout the NY Hudson Valley area since 2000. Our inspection standards are always amongst the highest in the industry and will meet or exceed your needs. We are sure to provide you with a quality, unbiased, professional ...Read more about Granite Inspection Group
Porch Pro Headshot Luke's Home Inspections
Home Inspectors
Serves Copake Lake, New York
(36)
Luke’s Home Inspections LLC is a licensed and insured, veteran-owned company offering complete and thorough home inspections. Buying a new home is an exciting but large investment. At Luke’s Home Inspections, we’re here to give you the knowledge and foresight you need to make informed decisions abou...Read more about Luke's Home Inspections
Luke’s Home Inspections LLC is a licensed and insured, veteran-owned company offering complete and thorough home inspections. Buying a new home is an exciting but large investment. At Luke’s Home Inspections, we’re here to give you the knowledge and foresight you need to make informed decisions abou...Read more about Luke's Home Inspections
Porch Pro Headshot A Closer Look Home Inspections
Home Inspectors
Serves Copake Lake, New York
(69)
A Closer Look Home Inspections is a home inspection firm that has been providing services such as insulation inspection, plumbing inspection, chimney inspection and other services to Salt Point and the surrounding areas since 2000. I am a certified master inspector, NYS inspector trainer, and a NY l...Read more about A Closer Look Home Inspections
A Closer Look Home Inspections is a home inspection firm that has been providing services such as insulation inspection, plumbing inspection, chimney inspection and other services to Salt Point and the surrounding areas since 2000. I am a certified master inspector, NYS inspector trainer, and a NY l...Read more about A Closer Look Home Inspections
Porch Pro Headshot Mountain Valley Inspections
Home Inspectors
Serves Copake Lake, New York
Mountain Valley Inspections is a full service home and field inspection company. We are NYS licensed, AHIT certified (American Home Inspector Training Schools), and affiliated and practicing by the standards of National organizations, InterNACHI. Our mission is to provide our clients with stellar ...Read more about Mountain Valley Inspections
Mountain Valley Inspections is a full service home and field inspection company. We are NYS licensed, AHIT certified (American Home Inspector Training Schools), and affiliated and practicing by the standards of National organizations, InterNACHI. Our mission is to provide our clients with stellar ...Read more about Mountain Valley Inspections
Porch Pro Headshot Andreassen Associates, L.L.C.
Home Inspectors
Serves Copake Lake, New York

Frequently asked questions about home inspectors

Buying a home is the biggest purchase you’ll make in your lifetime. Whether you’re a first-time homebuyer or looking to buy your next place, there are many benefits of hiring a professional home inspector.

Walking through a home, you may notice a few things you want to fix or rooms you want to paint. The home inspector will assess important HVAC, plumbing, and electrical systems. Inspectors notice structural or insulation problems that you and your real estate agent probably missed. The inspector outlines all their findings in a report and walks you through the property to explain major issues.

If you decide to go through with the purchase, the home inspection report offers a roadmap for repairs you may need. The inspection report is also great leverage for contract negotiations with the seller. If there’s a major repair on the report, you can ask the seller to cover it or come down on the sale price.

Of course, the main benefit of hiring a home inspector is that they’ll help you avoid buying a home that needs more work than you’re willing to pay. As long as your offer is contingent on the home inspection, you’ll be able to walk away with your down payment and find the property that works best for your family and your budget.

Before you hire a home inspector, make sure they’re certified. Not all home inspectors are members of the American Society of Home Inspectors, so check that yours is. Members of AHSI adhere to a standard of ethics, continue their education, and have access to more resources.

Check to make sure your home inspector is insured. Home inspectors usually carry professional liability (aka errors and omissions) insurance and general liability to cover things like property damage claims.

As part of the home buying process, your local home inspector will have a certain number of days to examine the property. Then, you’ll walk through the house together so the inspector can point out any problems they may have found. In the end, the inspector will give you a report detailing everything you need to know.

When choosing an inspector, ask for previous inspection reports to see how thorough they are. Good reports are thorough and include photos. Reading reviews gives you a better idea of what to expect from the home inspector. If you’re choosing between a full-time inspector and a part-time one, hire the full-time inspector – they’ll have booked more hours and experience.

Of course, if you already have a good rapport with your real estate agent, ask who they would recommend. Real estate agents often deal with home inspectors, so they’ll know the best option for you in your area.

You’ve bought your dream home and noticed some water damage in the basement a month later. You hire a contractor to assess it, and they say this isn’t the first time the basement has seen water damage – the foundation wall is bowing from it. This issue should have been on the inspection report. Is the inspector liable?

They can be. That question is why it’s best to hire an inspector who carries errors and omissions insurance, as well as general liability insurance. The inspector will have to file a claim to cover the repairs, but they will be more likely to cover those costs.

As with any legal action, there’s no guarantee you’ll get your money back. Pursuing legal action against an uninsured home inspector will become an even bigger headache, and they may not have the funds available to cover the repairs you need.

You also have to prove that nothing happened to alter the home's condition after you completed the inspection report. For instance, if there aren’t any issues with the roof at the time of inspection, and you notice leaks a few months after a big storm, the home inspector would not be liable.

The cost of a home inspection depends on a few factors, including the location and size of the property. Generally, you should expect to pay a couple hundred dollars for one home inspection. A few things about local home inspectors could increase that price:

  • Experience - When hiring a more experienced home inspector, they tend to charge more.
  • Age and condition of the property - Older homes may cost more to inspect.
  • Travel time - The inspector may charge for commuting if you buy a country home off the beaten path.
  • Additional inspections - Depending on where you buy your home, you may want to invest in specialty inspections. Radon tests, pest inspections, and well inspections will run up the bill. Ask your real estate agents which inspections they would recommend, and plan for them when finalizing your budget.

In some real estate markets, the seller may pay for an inspection ahead of time. Ask your real estate agent if they trust the company that performed the pre-inspection. This awareness can help you decide whether or not to invest in another inspection.

If you’re selling a home in a competitive market, investing in a pre-sale home inspection may be a good idea. As a seller, some pros include the following:

  • The inspection report will paint a realistic view of the property, helping you and your real estate agent set a competitive listing price.
  • A pre-sale inspection allows you to make any necessary repairs or updates to get a greater return on investment when the time comes to sell.
  • You won’t be surprised by the buyer’s home inspection report. If you’re selling your first home to upgrade to a second, the pre-sale inspection will help you avoid any costly negotiations that the buyer’s report might unearth.
  • If you are selling a relative’s property that you inherited, the pre-sale inspection will give you all the details you need about the property's condition.

While it may seem beneficial to have a pre-sale inspection before you put your home on the market, there can also be downsides. Here are a few cons that impact homebuyers and sellers alike:

  • The seller is legally obligated to reveal any problems with the house to potential buyers. If the pre-sale inspection uncovers some major problems, your plans may need to change.
  • As a homebuyer, remember that the pre-sale home inspection usually benefits the seller. The home inspector likely had the seller’s best interests at heart and not yours. It’s always a good idea to invest in your home inspection.
  • Finally, a pre-sale home inspection doesn’t guarantee the buyer’s inspector won’t find anything wrong with the property.

Recent reviews for Copake Lake Home Inspectors

489306

I recently had the pleasure of working with this home inspection company when purchasing my first home, and I have to say, I was thoroughly impressed with the level of service I received. As a first-time home buyer, I was quite nervous about the process, ...

- Gary Edmonds
379359

Luke's Home Inspections was great! very professional!

- Sellina Scanlon
328809

Luke was great, I had a good experience and he was very instrumental, very professional and thorough in the inspection.

- danis jhammat