Changes to Home Inspection Reports in Texas

As of February 1, 2009, home inspectors in Texas began using a new property inspection report. This new form reflects changes in a home inspector's standard operating procedure as defined by the state, but it is also meant to clarify what a home inspection entails (i.e. what you can expect from your home inspector). To help consumers understand how this will impact them, I thought I'd give a summary of the more significant changes in the report.

The first major change to the property inspection report can be found in the opening paragraph. The old form had a readable opening, but it took some careful reading from consumers to fully understand. In the new report, we have a longer introduction written in fairly clear terms. But the most significant change is in how items are reported. We use to state that an item was 'in need of repair' (this was indicated by checking the 'R' box); however, consumers were confused by the fact that we checked this box when an item did not need to be repaired. Sometimes a home inspector may have been indicating that there is a feature that we consider important, like a GFCI outlet in the kitchen, but the outlets in the kitchen worked. Now inspectors are looking for AFCI breakers for the bedrooms.

This is a nice safety feature, but it should be up to the consumer of the report to decide to have these installed. That is the main point. By stating 'in need of repair,' there was an impression that an item had to be fixed, but this was never the case, and the new introduction makes that statement clear. A buyer cannot force a seller to make a repair. They never could. These details should be part of the negotiation process.

The new indicator is 'D,' which means that an item is deficient. We have to understand that an existing home may have been built well for its time, but we are finding new and better ways to improve the construction of our homes and a home inspection report should inform you of those changes. This fact should be important to a consumer in any state. Home inspectors are not always stating what needs to be repaired, but they mean to give you guidance.

The next significant change is the list of items inspected. Actually, there are no new parts of the home being inspected, but where a home inspector's findings are listed has been refined. Under 'Structural Systems,' we now have the heading 'Stairways.' These were placed under 'Walls' in the old report, but the awkwardness of listing issues there has been cleared up by giving it a separate section. Along these lines, you will find some clarifications in the 'Appliances' section. 'Other Built-in Appliances' and 'Whole House Vacuums' have been moved to the optional systems part of the report. These sections were rarely used in the old report. In the 'Appliance' section, you will also see that bathroom vents are now handled under 'Mechanical Exhaust Vents and Bathroom Heaters.' Bathroom heaters were typically examined by home inspectors, but there was no clear space to write our observations down, so this change helps us find that information in a consistent location.

The 'Optional Systems' section has the two additions mentioned, and the only other change is the name of some sections are now more inclusive of what is being examined. That means we now look at 'Gas Supply Systems,' 'Private Water Wells' and 'Private Sewage Disposal Systems' (septic).

The biggest change to our inspection process comes in the 'Plumbing' section. Home inspectors had a loose way of inspecting this system when compared to the new requirements. We have to report on static water pressure, which should be between 40 to 80 psi. This is the acceptable range for everything in your home to work well. Before, we just looked at functionality and signs of pressure issues. Inspectors now have to check the exact pressure. We also need to look if there are ways to reduce the pressure when it is too high. I reported on the location of the meter and main shut off valve in my reports when I saw how some buyers were not sure where these could be. This is now a standard practice for all inspectors.

While the new changes mean that home inspectors will be refining how they evaluate your home, the basis of the home inspections conducted in Texas remains pretty much the same. I believe that these changes will be good for the industry, making the information more transparent for home buyers and sellers who are dependent on these inspection reports.

Frank Schulte-Ladbeck, is a Houston-based Professional Real Estate Inspector

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