SERVICES
Hestia Inspection Services offers a premium home inspection service beyond the average inspection service. We inspect new homes, older homes, vacation and rental properties, condominiums, and apartments.
BUYER'S INSPECTION
Pre-Purchase (Buyer’s) Home Inspection
Have peace of mind in knowing that you have the necessary information to make an informed purchasing decision.
Buying a home is one of the biggest investment decisions a person can make in their life. A comprehensive Buyer’s Inspection offers clients valuable information regarding the condition of the home to help them feel secure in that decision making process, and that they are aware of potential or necessary repairs the home may need now or in the near future.
What’s Included?
A detailed digital copy of a professional and objective report of the visual condition of the home. This report will outline and summarize the condition of major systems and components of the home including the exterior, the structure, the roofing system, plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling systems, and interiors. The report will highlight areas of immediate concern and/or potential safety hazards that should be carefully considered, and include digital photos of critical items of concern.
The location of important features of the home are detailed in the digital report. Additionally, hang tags will physically locate these components in the home for future reference such as:
Main Water Shut-Off Valve
Main Electrical Panel
Furnace and Water Heater Shut-Off Valves
Hose Bib Shut-Off Valves
Free Carbon Monoxide testing. Rest assured that major fuel burning appliances are operating safely and are not a safety concern for your family.
SELLER'S INSPECTION
Pre-Listing (Seller’s) Home Inspection
Be confident that there are no hidden problems with your home that may derail a potential sale or impact your profit.
When selling a home, maximizing the profit from the sale, is every home owner’s primary concern. A comprehensive Seller’s Inspection offers clients insight into the condition of the home to help them understand home maintenance issues that could be roadblocks to the sale of their property, and to assist them in sale negotiations with buyers.
What’s Included?
A detailed digital copy of the professional, objective, visual report of the condition of the home. This report will outline and summarize the condition of major systems and components of the home including the exterior, the structure, the roofing system, plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling systems, and interiors. The report will highlight areas of immediate concern, potential safety hazards that should be carefully considered, and include digital photos of critical items of concern.
Radon Inspection services are available to help clients determine possible negotiation pointes during a sale.
ADDITIONAL SERVICES
Rental Ready Inspection
Do you have a home that you're considering renting? Let me help you understand potential maintenance issues, and make a plan to fix them, before they become a headache for you and your renters.
We'll review all major appliances, heating and cooling equipment, kitchen and bathroom fixtures, and look for possible safety hazards.
Radon Inspection
A quick turn, short term, radon test that is designed to support the real estate transaction process, and give Buyer’s a level of confidence that the home is safe of potentially dangerous radon gas.
Sewer Scope Inspection
A visual inspection of the home’s sewer line is made by remote camera, and a detailed digital report of the inspection is provided including pictures of critical items found.
The inspection is affordable, and can identify potentially expensive repairs that are needed. With this knowledge, potentially catastrophic damage to the property can be avoided.
When considering the purchase of a new home, do not overlook the benefits that this service can provide. Fully understanding the potential repair costs the property may require gives the Buyer confidence in this critical system of the home’s plumbing system.
RATES
STANDARD HOME INSPECTION
$400
Pre-Purchase Buyer's Inspection
A comprehensive inspection and a detailed written report, giving homebuyers a full picture of the state of their potential new home as they work through the negotiation process. Meeting on-site, discussing the home, and answering questions.
ADU on same property
$100 additional
Large Homes (over 3,500 sf)
$100 additional
Older Homes (over 50 years old)
$100 additional
Out of Area (>25 miles outside Portland)
$50 additional
CONDO & TOWNHOUSE INSPECTION
$300
Pre-Purchase Buyer's Inspection
An inspection that provides a written report focusing on interior spaces, mechanical equipment, and some structural and exterior elements that are applicable to the unit itself. Meeting on-site, discussing the home, and answering questions.
1-YEAR INSPECTION
$300
As your newly-built home approaches one year old, gain peace of mind knowing that any issues have been found and addressed by your builder or warranty coverage.
ADU on same property
$100 additional
Large Homes (over 3,500 sf)
$100 additional
Older Homes (over 50 years old)
$100 additional
Out of Area (>25 miles outside Portland)
$50 additional
STANDARD HOME INSPECTION
$300
Pre-Listing Seller's Inspection
A visual inspection and report highlighting critical items that a potential buyer may deem necessary to address.
ADU on same property
$100 additional
Large Homes (over 3,500 sf)
$100 additional
Older Homes (over 50 years old)
$100 additional
Out of Area (>25 miles outside Portland)
$50 additional
RE-INSPECTION
$100 min.
Ensure that repairs have been performed competently by performing a re-inspection. Get an updated report of the status of items that were found to be deficient during a recent inspection performed by Hestia. $125/hr. for inspections over 2 hours.
ADDITIONAL SERVICES
Add services to your inspection to make sure critical areas are reviewed.
Sewer Scope Inspection
$150 Additional
Quick Turn Radon Test
$100 Additional
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
DO I REALLY NEED A HOME INSPECTION?
Yes! Purchasing a home is a big decision with a lot of financial implications and potential pit-falls. There are a number of reasons that having a home inspection performed prior to purchase, some of which include:
A home inspection allows you to learn about any major and potentially costly issues (structural weaknesses, electrical wiring issues, plumbing leaks, mechanical problems, water damage, etc.) prior to finalizing the purchase of the home, and whose repair costs can be negotiated with the Seller during the purchase process.
A home inspection can uncover potentially dangerous, hazardous, and even life-threatening issues with the home such as faulty or outdated wiring, a lack of safety equipment and features, or mold and radon gas issues.
It is a great way to protect your investment from financial impacts, and in fact, many lenders will not offer financing on a home without a home inspection being performed.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
You may have seen information on-line that shows that the “average” cost of a home inspection today can be a low as a few hundred dollars. Just remember that these figures can be misleading because they do not have specifics about the homes inspected, the scope of the inspections, the inspection services purchased, or the cities in which the inspections were performed.
The costs of an inspection performed by a competent trained professional in Portland will vary depending on the age of the home, the size of the home, and if there are other areas that may be included in the inspection such as a sewer scope inspection or a radon-gas inspection. Usually, the cost is around $400 or $500 for an initial inspection for a typical home, but it may be more if the home is an older home or a larger home. If a follow up inspection is needed after repairs are made, the costs are less and depend on the number of areas that need to be re-inspected.
Consider this: the cost of a home inspection will likely cost you around 0.1% of the cost of the home (assuming a $500 inspection cost for a $500,000 home value) - - and the $500 spent up-front may save you thousands of dollars in potential repair costs down the road. When considering a purchase as important as a home purchase, using the “cheapest” information you can find may not be the best idea.
CAN I ATTEND THE INSPECTION?
Definitely! In fact, I encourage home buyers to be at the home during part of the inspection in order to learn some aspects of the home and its systems, as well as ask questions and discuss major findings of the investigation.
That said however, we all know that social distancing has changed some of the ways we work, and that everyone’s time is valuable. A typical home inspection will take three to four hours to complete (or longer). Much of that time is actually spent in areas of the home that may be difficult or unsafe for an unprepared home buyer to follow or enter, such as narrow crawl spaces or onto roofs (which we never allow).
I now recommend that Buyers meet me at the home at the end of the inspection to discuss findings, learn about important aspects of the home, and to ask all the questions that are needed. Rest assured, we will not rush through the process and make sure all of your questions are answered so that you feel comfortable that you have the information you need to make a great decision. Also, after the inspection and the report is delivered, we are available to answer additional questions that may come up.
HOW LONG DOES AN INSPECTION USUALLY TAKE?
A typical home inspection will take around three or four hours to complete. This amount of time will ensure that all of the necessary areas are investigated competently. Of course, some homes are larger, and some are older. If this is the case, your home inspection may take longer to complete. We will finalize these details when we first talk about the possibility of inspecting your new home.
WHAT SORTS OF THINGS ARE INSPECTED DURING THE INSPECTION?
By rule, Oregon Certified Home Inspectors must perform a visual inspection of a number of critical items in and around the home. These include: Structural Components, Exterior Components, Roofing Components, Plumbing Components, Electrical System Components, Chimney Components, Heating and Cooling Components, Insulation and Ventilation Components, Interior Components, and Built-In Appliances. This list covers a lot of items, and during the inspection we will dive into details in each of these categories to make certain any issues are discovered.
However, some homes may also have items that are not included in those normal categories, such as specialty equipment or underground storage tanks. We will note those items in our report and discussions, and talk about ways in which they too can be reviewed so that you are comfortable with their condition. And of course, we will not inspect areas of a home where unsafe conditions may be present or areas that are concealed in any manner.
TEAM
NATHAN JUTTELSTAD
Owner, Inspector
I have been involved in the engineering, construction, design, and inspection trades for over 25 years, and I believe that this broad experience has given me a unique perspective that can genuinely help home buyers feel comfortable with their buying decisions.
Portland is my home. My family and I have deep roots to the area and although I have lived and worked in other areas, my wife and I have chosen Portland as our home and where we love raising our three children. We love everything that Portland has to offer - - and I hope to help families find their home in Portland too.
- Certifications and Associations -
Certified Oregon Home Inspector #2554
Oregon Certified Contractors CCB License # 238281
Fully Bonded and Insured