Cincinnati & Dayton 513-673-8137 Columbus 614-682-9193
What is a High Bar Home Inspection
A Home Inspection with High Bar starts at the top; that is, on the roof. We get as close to the roof surface as we can and look at the roof covering, structure, chimneys, vents, flashing gutters, downspouts, and we carry telephoto lenses to zoom in on the details.
Naturally, the next step is . . . the foundation! We'll inspect for moisture intrusion, proper grading, cracks, and ensure the possibility of wood-rot and termite intrusion is minimal. We'll also make sure your driveway, sidewalks, steps, and porches are safe and secure.
From there, the siding, exterior doors, and windows are the next point of interest. You want to make sure your home is secure against wind and rain, not to mention that everything locks and latches well. While we're outside, we'll check out how everything gets into and out of your house, like the electrical, plumbing, gas, and drain vents.
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Once the exterior has been fully inspected, we'll move inside. First stop is your utility access, including water and gas shutoffs, electrical panels, and HVAC units. With these systems, safety and comfort come first. We'll ensure your electrical system is up to snuff to minimize the danger of fires and shocks, your plumbing is installed to be efficient and prevent leaks, your HVAC is running safe and strong, and everything is vented properly to prevent dangerous gas build-up. Continuing with those systems, we'll check for the presence and functionality of AFCI/GFCI protected circuits, smoke/CO detectors, outlets and receptacles, proper operation and drainage of toilets, tubs, showers, and sinks, and appropriate/efficient HVAC ducts and registers.
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While we're inside, we'll check all interior walls, doors, ceilings, and floors for cracks, shifts, and signs of settling in the foundation. We'll ensure all doors and windows can open, close, and lock easily, and that there are no structural defects within the home. Finally, we'll ensure the garage and garage doors have fully functional safety equipment, and that the attic is appropriately vented, insulated, and leak free. After that, it's time to welcome you to your new home!
REMOTE ESCAPES
But What Does it Cost?
Pricing Guidelines
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Home Size Price Range
Up to 1500 Sq Ft - $350
1501 - 2000 Sq Ft - $375
2001 - 3000 Sq Ft - $400
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3001+ - call for quote​
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Obviously, the size of your new home isn't the only thing that makes it special! There are variables that make certain properties easier or more difficult to inspect, and which will adjust the price accordingly. No Crawlspace? That's easy for us! Older home, from the time of Aluminum wiring and Lead pipes? Those are harder for us to ensure safety. Whatever the circumstances, we can inspect and give you peace of mind in your new home!
Radon Testing
What About the Report?
A High Bar Report provides a system by system comprehensive review of the items we inspected, deficiencies we identified, recommendations we make on maintenance issues or items the home owner should monitor and flagged items which require immediate attention such as a safety issues.
We will provide the inspection report in two formats for your convenience. A link to an electronic version is sent via email, as well as a PDF copy for your records. The electronic format contains direct links to deficiencies and flagged items so you can drill right into the nitty gritty. We provide a wealth of useful information in our reports and lots and lots of pictures so we strongly recommend our clients review the complete report in detail.
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Report Summary
The summary section highlights the system that had deficiencies identified that were of a nature that we flagged them for immediate review. You can click on each item and review in detail the issue identified and our recommendation.
Put simply, a defect is anything that makes your home uncomfortable, unsightly, or unsafe. Not all defects are made the same, however, so we do our best to make sure you understand the severity of the defect using these handy descriptions.
We will often add illustrations to help explain what is expected compared to what we observed.
And Lots of Pictures
How do you find all this stuff?
Tools. Lots of tools. We bring an over-stuffed tool bag with us on every inspection, packed with:
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- Screwdrivers
- Mallet
- Moisture Meter
- Infrared Camera
- AFCI tester
- GFCI tester
- Gas detector
- Bore-scope
- Flashlight
- Measuring Tape
- Voltage Detector
- Multiple Ladders
- Air pump
- Multimeter
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These are just the tools used on EVERY inspection, and they allow us to see, hear, and feel things that can't be observed by just looking. They're certainly not a requirement for a full home inspection, but we couldn't call ourselves High Bar if we didn't strive for the best!
Any Other Stuff?
Of Course! This just scratches the surface of what you'd find in a home, and there are dozens of other problems that could pop up, not to mention times other than during the middle of a real-estate transaction when you'd want to have a home inspected! We have several ancillary inspections we offer, as well as other local contractors we partner with to ensure you know exactly what you're getting and that you have the best-prepared professionals helping you find it!
Wood Destroying Organisms Inspections
Dry Rot or Termiate Damage? Let us inspect and tell you. Licensed by the Ohio Department of Agriculture we will do a complete inspection to give you piece of mind. All customer are provided the NPMA-33 form documenting findings. Inspections start at $90 with a home inspections.
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Radon Testing
What is Radon Gas? Radon is a cancer-causing,radioactive gas. You can’t see radon. And you can’t smell it or taste it. But it may be a problem in your home.
Radon is estimated to cause many thousands of deaths each year. That’s because when you breathe air containing radon, you can get lung cancer. In fact, the Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today. Only smoking causes more lung cancer deaths. If you smoke and your home has high radon levels, your risk of lung cancer is especially high.
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Why Test for Radon Gas? Testing is the only way to know if you and your family are at risk from radon. EPA and the Surgeon General recommend testing all homes below the third floor for radon.
Licensed by the Ohio Department of Health.
ODH Lic # RT1647
The Cost of a Radon Test
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$100 ** Special** Home Owner Testing Own Home.
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$110 In Conjunction with Home Inspection
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$140 Stand Alone Test for Real Estate Transaction
We use Continouse Radon Monitors (CRM's) for our tests that provide hourly measurements and almost immediate results. Each customer receives a detail report with hourly readings and a copy of the EPA Citizens Guide to Radon for reference.
Zone 1 Highest Potential (greater than 4 pCi/L)
Zone 2 Moderate Potential (from 2 to 4 pCi/L)
Zone 3 Low Potential (less than 2 pCi/L)