Residential Property Inspections in Central Arkansas

What a residential inspection covers in Central Arkansas

What the house sits on shapes the visit. Slab and crawlspace homes fail in different places, and Central Arkansas clay gives both plenty to work with. It swells with rain, shrinks without it, and moves the ground year round. You see it in stair-step cracks through brick mortar, and doors that stick in August but swing free in February. One crack isn't a verdict. The pattern is.

On a slab, the water lines often run under the concrete, so a leak doesn't announce itself. It shows up as a warm spot on the floor, or a meter that creeps with the fixtures off. Under a crawlspace, the problem is moisture: damp soil under a torn vapor barrier, fungal growth on joists, what look like termite tubes on a pier.

The attic tells on the rest of the house, and it's the last place a seller looks. Old leaks stain decking long after the shingle got patched. A plugged condensate line drips through a bedroom ceiling. David photographs what he finds and writes it in plain language. Some of it you fix. Some you price into the deal.

• Foundation and site drainage

  Slab edges, brick mortar joints, and downspouts or grade aimed at the house.

• Crawlspace and floor system

  Vapor barrier, standing water, joists, girders, piers, and rot where wood meets soil.

• Roof covering and flashing

  Shingle condition and past repairs, plus valleys, chimney flashing, and vent boots.

• Heating and cooling

  Equipment condition and the condensate drain, plus the temperature split when it's warm enough outside.

• Electrical panel and outlets

  Double-tapped breakers and corrosion inside the panel, plus GFCI protection at kitchens, baths, and exterior.

• Plumbing supply and drains

  Visible pipe material, including gray polybutylene in older houses, and the water heater relief line.

• Attic and insulation

  Insulation depth, decking and framing, exhaust fan venting, and staining from an old leak.