Home Inspection FAQs for Anna and North Texas Homeowners

A. Home inspectors are an essential business, and we have been working continuously through the COVID-19 pandemic. We will set up an appointment time with you for your home inspection in the McKinney, Anna, and Frisco, TX area.

A. After your home inspection, we typically get your report back to you in the same day.

A. Yes, our home inspection reports do contain images!

A. Yes. In the State of Texas, it is required that all home inspectors are licensed and insured.

A. Home owners will have an easier time by preparing for a home inspection in advance. This avoids surprises. The last thing an owner needs is for a home inspector to not be able to complete the inspection because the owner was not prepared.

Whether you're hiring an inspector to inspect your own home or expecting the buyer's home inspector to show up on your doorsteps, it's best to be thoroughly prepared. As a general rule of thumb, please secure valuables or prescription medications, if any.

Follow these steps to ensure that your home is ready for inspection:

1. Securely crate your pets (dogs and/or cats) or remove them from the premises.
Most pets are stressed if a stranger is in their house or on their territory. The inspector will also be entering and exiting the house during the inspection and we do not want any escapees OR the inspector and clients encountering a dog becoming territorial and/or aggressive.

2. Be on time because the inspector will be.
If an inspector makes an appointment with you for 9:00 am, have the house ready for inspection at 8:30 am. Sometimes the inspector will start by turning on systems to be checked inside the house and sometimes (depending on weather) the inspector will check the exterior of the home first, so be prepared by the starting time and leave the shades down or drapes drawn until you are dressed. More than one unprepared seller has been "surprised" by a stranger walking around in the backyard. It is not required for the owner(s) to vacate the house during the inspection, we realize it is not always convenient. However please be aware our client will normally attend the inspection during the last hour of the time slot so the owner may wish to absent themselves during that time.

3. Utilities must be connected and on.
The home inspector will need to turn on the stove, run the dishwasher, test the furnace and air conditioning,
so leave the utilities on, especially if the house is vacant. It's impossible to check receptacles for grounding and
reverse polarity if the power is turned off. Without utilities, the inspector will have to reschedule,. If you are selling
your home it could delay the closing of your transaction. Also, please make sure no items are left in the oven or microwave as they will be tested.

4. Provide clear access and space to all areas to be inspected.
Including but not limited to around plumbing, water heaters, furnaces, electrical boxes, HVAC equipment, attic access, pool equipment, under sinks, windows, garage(s), etc. Remove boxes, bookcases, furniture and anything else blocking access including but not limited to: plumbing, furnace, air conditioner, water heater and other systems, including under sinks in kitchen, bathroom, etc. The inspector will need three to four feet of working space to inspect any and all of these items but is not limited specifically to these items. The inspector is not allowed to move anything themselves and if they don't have access, an inspection may have to be rescheduled.

5. Make sure all pilot lights are ignited.
The inspector will not light pilot lights because they are not covered for that type of liability. If your pilot lights are not lit, then important items such as the water heater, gas stove or furnace will not be inspected and the buyer could delay closing until those inspections are completed.

6. Make sure attic and/or basement are easily accessible.
The inspector will need to get into your garage and/or attic, A/V/A/C, electrical panel, water heater, etc. as well, so keep a path cleared to all areas to be inspected.Check for water in the basement. Move boxes away from the walls. Vacuum spider webs. Look in the attic for possible rodent droppings.

7. Leave keys for outbuildings, electrical boxes, gates, etc.
Leave the remote controls for your garage door opener or a key if the garage is unattached to the house. Unlock the covers for your sprinkler system and electrical box. Leave a key for exterior building access.

8. Clear away brush from exterior inspection points.
Nobody expects you to shovel a tunnel around your home if snow is blocking the foundation but, in the winter, do provide a path around the house and make sure sidewalks are de-iced. In the summer, cut down dead tree branches and clear brush from the foundation. Move trash cans away from the house.

9. Provide repair documents.
Make available to the home inspector all invoices and documents regarding remodeling projects or new items such as a roof or furnace. If you've upgraded the electrical from ungrounded to grounded, installed a new dishwasher or repaired a leaky faucet, find the paperwork. It will give the buyer peace of mind to know those items were reinspected.

The buyer will most often attend the inspection during the last 30 minutes of the scheduled time and buyers feel uncomfortable asking questions of the inspector if the owner is present. Try to schedule a time for the inspection when you can be out of the house, and take the children with you.

If the weather is inclement, high temperatures are present, you are a senior citizen, or you have small children, please don't feel that you have to vacate the house. Just be sure to allow the home inspector space and privacy in order to conduct the home inspection. Be aware that the buyers will arrive during the last hour of the appointment time so you will want to make yourselves scarce during that period of time. If you must be present and all children under 18 live in the home, they must have adult supervision at all times during the inspection, or please have them leave the house with you. Make sure any residents of the home are aware of the inspection time and presence of the home inspector.

A house inspection before buying gives you an objective, third-party look at the property's condition before you're locked into a purchase. In fast-moving markets like Anna, Melissa, and Princeton, it's tempting to skip steps, but a thorough home inspection routinely catches roof, foundation, electrical, or HVAC issues that aren't visible during a normal walkthrough.

For a first time home buyer inspection especially, this report becomes a roadmap for negotiating repairs, planning a budget, or in some cases walking away from a bad deal. It's one of the least expensive steps in the entire home buying process relative to what it can save you.

A buyers home inspection report from Henderson Home Inspection covers the roof, foundation, structure, electrical system, plumbing, HVAC, attic, and all major appliances. Every home inspection for buyers includes a detailed home inspection report with clear photos documenting anything that needs attention, so you're never guessing what an issue actually looks like.

Because it's a home inspection with photos, you can share it directly with contractors or your realtor when it's time to negotiate repairs. Reports are typically delivered within 24 hours of the inspection so you can move quickly on your timeline.

Yes. A new construction home inspection catches problems while they're still easy and inexpensive to fix, before drywall, flooring, or landscaping cover them up. A pre drywall inspection looks at framing, wiring, plumbing rough-in, and insulation while the walls are still open, and a construction phase inspection can be scheduled at multiple stages of the build.

As an independent new construction inspector, Henderson Home Inspection works for you, not the builder. That matters, because builder-employed inspectors have a natural incentive to sign off quickly. A final inspection for new home closing is also a smart step before you take possession. Learn more about our new construction inspections.

Most Texas builders offer a one-year warranty covering workmanship and materials, and a one year warranty inspection should be scheduled several weeks before that warranty expires. A warranty expiration inspection documents any settling, cracking, or system issues that have shown up since move-in, so you have written evidence to bring to the builder while coverage is still active.

This new home warranty inspection is one of the most overlooked steps for new homeowners in Frisco, McKinney, and Plano. Once the warranty period closes, those repairs typically become your responsibility. See our new home and one-year home warranty inspections page for details on how the process works.

Home inspection pricing depends on the size, age, and location of the property, along with which services you add, such as a phase inspection or warranty inspection. The best way to get an accurate home inspection quote is to request one directly through our pricing page, where you can share basic details about the property.

Henderson Home Inspection is a licensed home inspector serving Anna and the surrounding North Texas region, and every inspection is performed by a certified home inspector holding current TREC and InterNACHI credentials. To schedule a home inspection, call (214) 843-4003 or submit a request online and we'll confirm a time that works with your closing timeline.