Inspection AddressSample Street

Inspection Date2012

HawaiiMaui

Client InformationSample ClientSample Phone

Company InformationCertiTech Inspections 415 Dairy Road Kahului, Hawaii 96732808-242-7000

Inspected ByThomas LewisBuilding Analyst

Real Estate BrokerageCompanyAgent

Structure Post & Beam

Exterior Wood

Roofing Asphalt

Plumbing Copper

Electrical Romex

HVAC Passive

Attic Fiberglass

Interior Contemporary

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13

22

28

36

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STRUCTURE

STRUCTUREAll residential structures settle to some degree over the lifespan of a home. Such movement is not considered structurally significant unless related to recent flooding, seismic activity or unless there are indications of sudden horizontal/lateral displacement of more than 1/2 inch. Any settlement experienced by the structure since its original installation does not appear to have caused significant cracks or separation in the framing or at any interior wall or ceiling surfaces as observed. It is my opinion that the building’s footprint has most-probably reached final compaction and, barring any unforeseen flooding or seismic event, is not likely to settle further.

The roof is a wood frame system. The rafters, where visible are 2x6 framing on 16-inch centers sheathed with plywood. The roof structure and sheathing is in wholly serviceable condition. The structural integrity of the wall, floor, and ceiling components as well as the structure’s framing are constructed to a high standard of original construction as evidenced by the overall strength of the structure. The main residence, has what can best be described as “good bones”: The post system is performing very well; the roofing rafters and related framing, where visible, are generously apportioned, and the house “sits”, or is situated, with a commanding presence. The same can be said for the overall structure of the Ohana. There are no significant improvements to the structure of the Ohana needed. The supports of the rear decking at the Ohana should however be shored-up where they lack proper lateral bracing to the Ohana structure itself.

The structure of the home meets and or exceeds the anticipated loads placed upon it. It is a large home, and a large piece of property. There will always be details to be attended to. To the credit of the home’s original construction many of those details simply involve surface treatments and the protection of components from the elements.

JOISTSThe post, beam, and joist supports are uniformly installed and benefit greatly from adequate clearances from the soil in excess of the 18" standard.

ThroughoutMaintain1

POSTSOne plinth block support lacks a continuous horizontal termite shield separating the wooden post from the concrete plinth block at all points. All other pl inth blocks are properly provided with a continuous horizontal termite shield.

SouthRepair2

VENTINGVent piping from the clothes dryer is currently expelling moisture in direct prox imi ty to wooden st ructura l supports. This deficiency appears to have begun only very recently and has yet to cause damage of any sort.

CentralRepair3

DEBRISAn older/redundant water heater that is no longer in service remains beneath the dwel l ing and has not been removed.

CentralImprove4

Structural support for the Ohana decking is undersized and lacks adequate bracing. This is particularly important as the structural support posts for the upper decking are vulnerable to being struck by motor vehicle traffic given their location at the bottom expanse of the driveway areas and due to the likely hood that the supports, as positioned, will be located in a visitor's "blind spot".

EastRepair

POSTS

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EXTERIOR

EXTERIORThere are several low/flat ground areas that abut the home. Roof runoff is conveyed near the base of the structure and above grade in localized areas. The use of gutters on the home is not presently comprehensive. It is recommended that gutters and downspouts be installed throughout to function "in concert" with long range improvements to drainage and water management.

The soffit venting that is provided is serving the main structure well. The Ohana roof is moderately vented as there is a limited amount of ventilation provided for at the uppermost areas of the roof. Although common, the lack of visible roofing ventilation at the peak areas of the Ohana does not appear to have negatively affected the ability of the roof’s protective covering to weather the effects of the heat given the relatively mild climate of the home’s location.

There are retaining walls that have been constructed where changes in the elevation of the exterior grade requires reinforcement to maintain soil stability at the front, in the back, and along the side of the residence. These retaining walls currently meet or exceed the demands placed upon them. They are impressively employed.

The exterior wooden wall surfaces are in good mechanical condition. The exterior trim is wood. The exterior trim is in good condition. The exterior wall surfaces are protected well by the extension of the roofing’s eaves. The eaves are in good condition.

DRIVEA unique localized area of the driveway flatwork has developed an entrenched path for the travel of water.

NorthImprove6

DOORSLocal ized wear and decay has developed at the garage service door.

SouthRepair7

DOORSThe screen door to the Ohana has been damaged. Ad hoc repairs have been attempted but show little evidence of success.

SouthRepair8

GUTTERGutters, downspouts, and leaders at ground level have not been deployed to divert water from the roof of the building and away from the structure. Gutters provide an important means for managing the dwelling's ever present exposure to moisture runoff from the roofing surfaces and should be installed at the earliest opportunity.

ThroughoutProvide9

RAILS

The handrails at the steps to the main residence lack a minimum of 1 1/2" clearance from an adjacent vertical plane.

10 NorthImprove

Low flat ground areas are likely to increase the prevalence of ponding water at the perimeter of the structure.

VariousImprove

DRAIN

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STAIRS

Exterior steps lack a proper handrail for safety.

EastImprove12

Exterior steps lack a proper handrail and the stair treads are too shallow.

Exterior steps lack a proper handrail and present uneven riser heights.

Exterior steps lack a proper handrail and are too steep at riser heights and too shallow at stair treads for safety.

WestImprove13 West

Improve14 WestImprove15

ROOFING

ROOFINGThe roofing inspection was conducted by a ladder perched at the roof’s edge. The roof has a conventional, albeit slightly steep slope by design. The roof could not be walked upon at the time of the inspection due to the day’s rainfall and to the slippery exposures of the the shingle surfaces.

Flashings for mechanical protrusions through the roof, such as plumbing stacks and related mechanical components, have been properly installed and maintained.

The roofing of the main home is approximately 10 years old and with seasonal care should be expected to perform in the manner intended for another 15 years and beyond.

There are no substantive recommendations for improvements to the roofing as no significant improvements are needed beyond annual and/or bi-annual maintenance and monitoring of the the shingle surfaces.

ROOFINGThe roofing of the main residence is approximately ten years old and with seasonal care should be expected to perform in the manner intended for an additional 10 years and beyond.

ThroughoutMaintain16

There are no substantive recommendations for improvements to the roofing as no significant improvements are needed beyond typical annual or bi-annual maintenance and monitoring of the shingle surfaces.

ThroughoutMaintain

SHINGLES

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FLASHESThe roofing flashings have been installed consistent with the high quality craftsmanship of the roofing surface materials. The are no recommendations for improvements of any sort to be made to the roofing flashings at present.

ThroughoutMaintain18

PLUMBING

PLUMBINGThe branch lines serving the interior plumbing fixtures are copper piping. There is no maintenance to perform on the copper supply piping and there are no improvements recommended at this time. The interior plumbing fixtures enjoy adequate water pressure throughout the property. In fact, the pressure is a little robust as measured and can be improved upon by reducing its pressure. Similarly, all fixtures readily expel, or drain their contents, to the sewage system. Waste clean-outs were found located at the downhill foot of the crawl space beneath the dwelling.

The majority of the home’s plumbing fixtures present the quality of craftsmanship expected by a permitted project. Hot water for the residence is provided by a conventional storage tank with 50 gallons of capacity. A separate tank is provided for the Ohana. The water heater(s) are powered by electrical heating elements and the main residence is supplemented by properly performing solar plumbing coils. The water heater has been covered within a confining enclosure which obstructs clear access to all of the water heater’s components for inspection.

The waste system, comprised of private waste disposal, is beyond the scope and guidelines of the general home inspection for several reasons the most prominent being that septic tanks and cesspools are buried beneath the ground. Their constituent components and elements are therefore not readily accessible. Experience instructs that previous records be obtained from the property’s current owners, and that a review of the age, service history and condition can best inform, as can consultation with the professional service personnel that have been engaged to perform work on the system by the current and/or any previous owners of the property

All of the home’s, tile surfaces, shower surfaces, cabinets, and associated cabinetwork, counters, and built-in furnishings, are in good condition and to a large degree define the quality of the home.

DETAILS

The majority of the home's plumbing fixtures, tile surfaces, shower surfaces, and associated cabinet work, counters, and built-in furnishings, are in robust condition and present very little evidence of neglect.

AllMaintain19

H2OHot water for the residence is provided by a conventional storage tank powered by electrical heating elements. A separate tank is provided for the Ohana.

WestMaintain20

H2OHot water heating for the main residence is supplemented by properly performing solar plumbing coils.

WestMaintain21

H2OThe water heater of the main residence has been covered within a confining enclosure which obstructs clear access to all of the water heater's components for inspection.

WestRepair22

H2OThe water pressure test exhibited higher than accepted pressure readings. PSI levels of 60 to 80 are the norm for the neighborhood. Higher than normal water pressure levels can exceed the capacity of the water piping and plumbing fixture's engineered ratings and can contribute to premature failure at the water piping; at water piping fittings; and at integral water piping connections.

CentralRepair23

WASTEThe main clean-out access point to the septic system is readily accessible at a fitting node above the leach field. It can be found directly adjacent to the building's lowermost elevation.

EastMaintain24

VENTINGExhaust venting serving the laundry room lacks a proper vent pipe connection/extension to the building's perimeter.

Crawl SpaceImprove25

VENTINGThe waste drainage of the ad-hoc sink in the pottery studio lacks a proper vent pipe connection and is not connected to the main vent stack. (This sink appears to have been added post original construction as there are two other sinks within the art studio that are properly vented to code.) While "operational" in most respects, the lack of a mechanical vent connection extending through the roof line is not proper and falls outside of the bounds of a permitted installation.

GarageImprove26

ELECTRICAL

ELECTRICALElectrical service to the home is via underground service lateral.

Given the professional installation of the electrical power system as inspected, there is very little significant improvement that can be suggested for the home's electrical system at a macro level. The electrical service amperage exceeds 100 amps to the main residence.The home’s wiring is provided by insulated romex cabling, and the home’s electrical circuits are properly protected by modern circuit breakers.

A representative number of fixtures, electrical outlets and switches were tested in the inside of the building and at the exterior walls of the dwelling. Most of the kinds of improvements that can be made to electrical outlets and/or cover plates are the kind of improvements that are undertaken when re-painting or re-decorating. As taking ownership of a new property presents an excellent opportunity to make numerous decorating decisions, it is also a good time to ensure that all outlets are protected with cover plates and that you do not find yourself relying upon the use, or the need of extension cords for any given equipment. It is also strongly recommended that important electrical equipment such as computers be protected by dedicated surge protection devices-not simply “power strips”.

WIRINGLoose wiring at the crawlspace, directly adjacent to the service panel main, lacks proper fastening to the framing of the crawlspace. This loosely installed wiring should be securely fastened.

EastImprove27

WIRINGLoosely strung wiring at the upper reaches of garage rafters lacks proper supports.

GarageProvide28

WIRINGElectrical junction boxes in the garage lack small/proper coverplates.

GarageProvide29

WIRINGExposed light fixture(s) within the garage lack proper clearances to combustibles. The garage areas located above the exposed rafters should not be used for stored items of any sort, as exposed wiring may become abraded and as the lack of clearances from combustibles may cause unsafe conditions due to prolonged heat that can be produced by exposed bulb surfaces.

GarageProvide30

HVAC

HVACThe building is not equipped with a mechanical heating plant nor with a centralized air conditioning system.

In many respects this is a positive attribute and reflects well upon the health and longevity of the structure.

One of the reasons for the home’s relative “dryness” can perhaps be explained by the very absence of HVAC heating and cooling plants.

Without the rapid cooling cycles (and the attendant condensation) that are common to most Maui homes with mechanical air conditioning - this property naturally heats itself to the temperature of the surrounding environment and passively cools itself to the temperature of the environment without force.

ATTIC

ATTICLittle observation or comment can be made where the “vaulted” ceilings of the home’s architectural design preclude access.

The building has one attic space. Access is gained through a hatch in the upper alcove above the great room.

This roof/attic configuration uses passive ventilation. There is no insulation, per original construction. There is currently no mechanical need, whatsoever, for insulation to be added to the structure at this time. The building, in fact, and as observed, benefits greatly from the very absence of insulation.

DUCTSImproperly supported and improperly terminated exhaust venting from the master bath lacks a proper connection/extension to the exterior perimeter of the building envelope.

CentralRepair31

INTERIOR

INTERIORThe wall surfaces are performing their function in the manner intended. They are both plumb and straight. There is no evidence of water staining on the interior wall surfaces. There are minor wall blemishes throughout the home that are of no real significance other than cosmetic. These blemishes are very limited in overall number.

The interior walls and ceilings are surfaced with composite sheet goods. The general surfaces, and the materials employed, were found to be adequate. The ceilings were found to be satisfactory and free from stains and significant blemishes.

Localized surface cracks are evident at the sheet-rocked corners of the structure- particularly at the “taped” joints of the sheet goods. These flex points are acceptable and common, just as they appear on this home. The surface cracks can be “mudded over” and repainted, but in all likelihood the same pattern of flexing will telegraph through to whatever repairs are employed to these surfaces. That is not to say that there is no reason not to patch the “flex points” at the structure’s corners, it is to say however, that if we want the cracks to never appear, then we will more than likely have to redress said surfaces often.

The floor surfaces are performing their function in the manner intended. They are level throughout. There is no evidence of significant water staining on the interior floor surfaces. There are assorted blemishes that can be observed at the floor surfaces of the great room and kitchen area, but nothing that rises to the level of concern. The floor surfaces of the great room show signs of obvious scratching but nothing out of the ordinary for a home that has been lived in.

DOORSThe front door to the main residence lacks a proper dead bolt lock.

NorthProvide32

WINDOWSAll window surfaces will benefit from a careful cleaning from the exterior while the windows are deployed to their open positions. Accumulated debris should be blown free with compressed air or thoroughly brushed free by hand. Screening should be properly fitted.

ThroughoutImprove33

STAIRSThe alcove located above the great room is furnished with a permanent ladder. A ladder, permanent or not, in no way replaces the safety afforded by proper stairways. Sturdy metal rails, separate from the ladder itself, could contribute to the safety of the ladder, but it will remain nonetheless, a ladder, and not a set of proper stairs for safety’s sake.

ThroughoutImprove34

GUARDRAILS

It should be noted that the attic alcove lacks a proper guardrail at the opening to the living room where it presents an open horizontal surface greater than 30” from the floor. Finally, the attic alcove area lacks proper egress windows in case of a fire, were one to ever consider using the alcove as a "sleeping area": The windows do not provide proper egress as they do not safely open to the out-of-doors.

CentralUpdate35

GUIDELINES

PURPOSE AND SCOPEIt should be noted that a standard pre-purchase inspection is a visual assessment of the condition of the residence at the time of inspection. The inspection and inspection report are offered as an opinion only. Although every reasonable effort is made to discover and correctly interpret indications of previous or ongoing defects that may be present, it must be understood that no guarantee is implied nor responsibility assumed by the inspector, or by the inspection company, for the actual condition of the building or property being examined. Additional information as to inspection standards is included at the end of the report under the heading General Limitations and Exclusions.

This report contains observations of those systems and components that are in the professional opinion of the inspector authoring this report, significantly deficient or are near the end of their expected service life. If the cause for the deficiency is not readily apparent, the suspected cause or reason why the system or component is at or near end of expected service life is reported, and recommendations for correction or monitoring are made as appropriate.

This firm endeavors to perform all inspections in substantial compliance with the standards of practice of the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI). As such, inspectors inspect only the components and systems of a home that are readily accessible.

GENERAL LIMITATIONS AND EXCLUSIONSThe ASHI Standards of Practice are applicable to buildings with four or fewer dwelling units and their garages or carports. They are the established minimum standards for a home inspection, are not technically exhaustive and do not identify concealed conditions or latent defects. Inspectors are NOT required to determine the condition of any system or component that is not readily accessible; the remaining service life of any system or component; the strength, adequacy, effectiveness or efficiency of any system or component; causes of any condition or deficiency; methods materials or cost of corrections; future conditions including but not limited to failure of systems and components; the suitability of the property for any specialized use; compliance with regulatory codes, regulations, laws or ordinances; the market value of the property or its marketability; the advisability of the purchase of the property; the presence of potentially hazardous plants or animals including but not limited to wood destroying organisms or diseases harmful to humans; the presence of any environmental hazards including, but not limited to toxins, carcinogens, noise, and contaminants in soil, water or air; the effectiveness of any system installed or methods utilized to control or remove suspected hazardous substances; the operating costs of any systems or components and the acoustical properties of any systems or components.

Inspectors are NOT required to operate any system or component that is shut down or otherwise inoperable; any system or component which does not respond to normal operating controls or any shut off valves. (continued)

GENERAL LIMITATIONS AND EXCLUSIONS(continued) Inspectors are NOT required to inspect underground items including, but not limited to underground storage tanks or other underground indications of their presence, whether abandoned or active; systems or components that are not installed; decorative items; systems or components that are in areas not entered in accordance with the ASHI Standards of Practice; detached structures other than carports or garages; common elements or common areas in multi-unit housing, such as condominium properties or cooperative housing. Inspectors DO NOT offer or provide warranties or guarantees of any kind unless clearly explained and agreed to by both parties in a formal pre-inspection agreement.

Inspectors are NOT required to perform any procedure or operation which will, in the opinion of the inspector, likely be dangerous to the inspector or others, or damage the property, its systems, or components; move suspended ceiling tiles, personal property, furniture, equipment, plants, soil, snow, ice or debris or dismantle any system or component, except as explicitly required by the ASHI Standards of Practice.

Inspectors are NOT required to enter under-floor crawlspaces or attics that are not readily accessible nor any area which will, in the opinion of the inspector, likely be dangerous to the inspector, or others persons, or which will present the risk of damage to the property or its systems or components.

FINAL

CONCLUDING REMARKSYour inspection materials contain observations of those systems and components that are in the professional opinion of the inspector authoring this report and its companion iMovie significantly deficient or are near the end of their expected service life. These items have been cataloged and marked with both location information, and with recommended actions to be taken. Should you wish to bring any particular items to the attention of the property's current owners, and would like to purposefully exclude certain information contained within this inspection report from the property's current owners in your correspondence with them, Certitech Inspections can readily construct a document to be customized per your request.

Please feel free to call at any time and for any reason: It is the job of Certitech Inspections to be available.

Thank your for the pleasure and for the opportunity of providing our expertise.

Very sincerely, and with my very best regards,

Thomas LewisCertitech Inspections415 Dairy RoadKahului, Hawaii 96732