Curt Pohlman Building Inspections

Pre-purchase Home Inspections

A pre-purchase or general home inspection is designed to assess and reveal the true conditions of the home prior to commitment. These inspections are typically performed within ten days of a contract being accepted. Buyers are encouraged to attend and interact with me, Curt Pohlman, prior to, during, and after the home inspection process. I often ask my clients to “stick with me, be in my back pocket while we look at this house”. I want my clients to know everything that crosses my mind during the evaluation. All PBI Home inspections are performed to meet and exceed the standards set forth by the American Society of Home Inspectors (Standards of practice and code of Ethics). My inspections include but are not limited to: structural systems, roofs, attics, exteriors, plumbing systems, electrical systems, as well as the lots and ground that surround the home. The inspection of your potential home will be thorough. By the time we are finished, you will know everything you need to know to make an informed decision. Please consider contacting Pohlman Building Inspections to order or obtain more information on a pre-purchase inspection of your home.

Pre-listing Inspections

Pre-listing inspections and reports are provided to help a seller become informed about issues that may arise during the selling process. No one likes surprises when it comes to real estate. An informed seller may choose to correct or address issues prior to listing their home. These repairs can often be taken care of at the sellers discretion and on their time schedule. Once the house is under contract and problems arise, the potential buyer has some say-so in how and who repairs these items. Correcting concerns on your own, or with a contractor you're familiar with, could save you time and money during an already stressful situation. Please consider contacting Pohlman Building Inspections to order or obtain more information on a pre-listing inspection of your home.

Radon Testing

Radon is a colorless, odorless, cancer-causing gas that’s created from the breakdown of uranium in the soil. Radon in homes is the second leading cause of lung cancer, surpassed only by smoking. Pohlman Building Inspections has been professionally trained to perform short and long term radon measurements. Short term radon test lasting from 48 to 96 hours are used for real estate transactions. While these tests are not as accurate as longer term tests, it's what’s widely used is the State of Missouri for real estate transactions. Pohlman Building inspections uses both 1027 and 1028 Sun Nuclear continuous radon monitors for all tests. These monitors are tested and calibrated for accuracy every year.

Termite Inspections

There are only two kinds of houses in Missouri. Houses that have termites and houses that are going to have termites. A termite inspection is not the place to save a few dollars when purchasing a home. Pohlman Building Inspections recommends termite inspections on any and all homes that are five years old or more. Termites often enter a home from under the front porch, in the garage, or near any other poured concrete slab. Termites love soil-to-siding contact or any other place where they can move from damp soil to the wood components of the home. Most termite damage is found at the sill plates, band boards, and sub flooring in basements or crawlspaces. Termites are usually not a big deal as long as you catch them before they cause damage. Termite inspections are recommended when purchasing a home, and then again yearly as part of a routine pest management program.

Sewer Lateral Inspections

Sewer lateral inspections are recommended to ensure proper performance and lack of defects in the sewer line under the basement floor and in the front yard. Lateral sewer line repairs can be ridiculously expensive. The only way to locate cracks, breaks, or debris in the sewer line is to have a camera sent through the drains. A camera can be sent through the drain line via the access in the main soil stack or through a vent on the roof of the home. This procedure is beyond the scope of a home inspection but can be ordered at the same time.