Inspection Services in Northern Colorado
Residential and commercial properties are two of the largest investments you will make in your lifetime. At Winding River Inspections, we know the buying process can be overwhelming and exhausting. With 30 years of experience in commercial and residential inspection services, Winding River Inspections provides thorough property inspections and reports. We are dedicated to providing superior service and attention to detail that both first-time homebuyers and seasoned property investors can appreciate.
Our inspection services include:
- Residential Inspections
- Commercial Inspections
- Draw Inspections
- Roof Inspections
- Warranty Inspections
- Maintenance Inspections
- New Construction Inspections
- Industrial Inspections
- Radon Testing
- Water-Quality Testing
Residential Inspections
A buyer or seller initiates a residential inspection. Sellers would request an inspection to discover any damage or defects that would allow them to initiate repairs in order to increase, or more accurately, determine the value of a home before putting it on the market. Buyers would request an inspection to discover any damage or defects present and validate a home’s condition prior to initiating an offer.
Our residential inspection services include:
- Specific Item Consultations: A professional opinion on the condition of one or more components for general and maintenance information. Often used to help evaluate contractor’s bids for repairs, additions, alterations, etc.
- Pre-Sale Inspections: A full inspection, as above, but performed for a seller prior to listing the property. This service can help in determining what items need repairs prior to selling and can help in properly pricing.
- Maintenance Inspections: Periodic inspections for property owners. These inspections are valuable in detecting potentially expensive repairs early before they become serious.
- Annual Maintenance Review: What is an annual maintenance review? A yearly look at your home, allowing you to save money by addressing maintenance issues in a timely manner. Why a review? Cars are taken in for tune-ups, people get an annual physical check-up. In the same way, your house needs regular check-ups from home inspectors. Small problems can be easy to repair, but they can become large, costly problems if left alone. It is also important to look for problems behind the symptoms and minimize the overall damage and needed repairs.
- Warranty: Who needs a warranty inspection? Anyone who purchased a new home with a builder’s warranty could benefit from an inspection before the warranty expires.
- Pre-Purchase Inspections: See above.
When you attend the inspection, you have the opportunity to see any potential defects or items of concern, hear a detailed explanation of the issue, and ask any questions that you may have concerning the house. I'll look at every room in the house using the Standards of Practice of the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI).
Our written and photography-based reporting system documents both conforming and non-conforming field construction activities with sequential photos to track nonconforming issues and the corrective measures applied to them to the point at which they are corrected. The report and accompanying photographs create a historical record, documenting quality construction practices and providing evidence that construction problems identified in the field have been corrected prior to being concealed. Winding River Inspections is an independent building inspection company dedicated to helping clients understand and manage the commercial property’s physical condition risks. Whether you are an investor doing due diligence on a prospective purchase, a lessee negotiating a triple-net lease and have concerns about future maintenance costs, an owner or manager of a lodging facility interested in a third-party maintenance audit, or a business owner concerned with ADA accessibility compliance, a thorough property condition assessment can provide the information necessary to make critical business and financial decisions.
Our commercial inspection services include:
- Due diligence inspections
- Lease inspections
- Facilities maintenance inspections
Types of buildings we inspect include:
- Shopping centers and strip malls
- Low to mid-rise office buildings
- Hotels and motels
- Multi-family housing complexes
- Light industrial buildings
- Warehouses
- Libraries
- Senior living and assisted care facilities
- Religious and institutional properties
- Recreational facilities
Draw Inspections
The draw inspection is done for the benefit of a lender. When banks and other lenders make construction loans, they need to confirm that funds are being paid out and that work is being completed in a timely manner. To protect themselves and their investor’s money, these institutions will contract with inspection firms to give – usually on a monthly basis – updates on the progress of the project. It works like this: The builder turns in the lender paperwork, stating what work has been completed and requesting the funds that he or she expects to have “released” to the company account. The draw inspector is then called in on the bank’s behalf as an impartial party to confirm the details outlined by the builder. The draw inspector will assess the progress and take photos of various systems and components: footings, foundation, power hookups, landscaping, siding, roofing, trusses, floors, etc.
Draw Inspections include:
- Detailed estimates of completion for each line item
- Interior and exterior photos to support all estimates of completion
- 1-3 day turnaround time
Winding River Home Inspection Services provides the lending industry with residential and commercial new construction real estate products and services, nationwide. Our draw inspections are designed to reduce lender risk, provide a speedy draw request process and increase audit compliance. Our process saves our customers time and money.During the construction process, we will inspect the residential job site and furnish a report on the status of the project. Our report includes the percentage complete of all phases of construction and the total percent complete. We also provide comments concerning any problems noted and pictures.
Roof Inspections
It goes without saying that the roof is an incredibly important part of the home. Not only does it protect the home’s inhabitants from the elements, it also protects the rest of the structure as well. It’s important to have the roof inspected regularly to ensure that no costly or destructive problems exist. The materials, flashings, ventilation systems, HVAC stacks, and the gutter system should all be thoroughly inspected and assessed before buying or selling a home.
A number of roofing materials are available, including:
- Asphalt
- Metal
- Wood
- Concrete and Tile
- Single-Ply
Hiring a Licensed Contractor
One of the best ways to select a roofing contractor is to ask friends or relatives for recommendations. You may also contact a professional roofers association for referrals. Professional associations have stringent guidelines for their members to follow. The roofers association in your area will provide you with a list of available contractors. Follow these guidelines when selecting a contractor:
- Get three references and review past work
- Get at least three bids
- Get a written contract and don't sign anything until you completely understand the terms
- Pay 10 percent down or $1,000 whichever is less
- Don't let payments get ahead of the work
- Don't pay cash
- Don't make final payment until you're satisfied with the job
- Don't rush into repairs or be pressured into making an immediate decision
You've Chosen the Contractor; What About the Contract?
Make sure everything is in writing. The contract is one of the best ways to prevent problems before you begin. The contract protects you and the contractor by including everything you both have agreed upon. Get all promises in writing and spell out exactly what the contractor will and will not do.
Warranty Inspections
A warranty inspection is used by the purchaser of a property just prior to the expiration of a warranty period. Warranty inspection can help the new owner to avoid costly out-of-pocket expenses that could otherwise be covered by a home warranty that is still in force.
11th Month Inspections: What is a New Home Construction Warranty Inspection?
Winding River Home Inspection Services, LLC., offers this service for homeowners who are living in a newly constructed home. While many items are now concealed, it's not too late for defects to be caught by the trained eye of an inspector. Experience tells us that most major construction flaws go unnoticed for 3-5 years. By this time, correcting these flaws could cost many thousands of dollars to remedy, and the builder is no longer responsible. It is unfortunate that most of these flaws go unnoticed until it is too late and extensive damage has occurred. At the 11th month of homeownership, the builder is still responsible for most defects. Did the builder call to remind you that your home warranty was about to expire? Most don't provide this courtesy. Assisting in preventing this risk and the possibility of future costly repairs is the goal of our "New Home Construction Warranty Inspection." Our inspection covers all major systems and includes testing of the mechanical systems and components. All visible defects will be noted in a written report and ready for presentation to your builder. This "last chance" inspection is essential in providing you with the peace of mind you deserve. This service works so well, that most new homeowners are amazed by our findings and will refer us to their neighbors. If you would like to know more, please contact me for a personal consultation, or to schedule an inspection.
Maintenance Inspections
Also called a “Home Health Check-up,” maintenance inspections are typically performed once per year simply to ensure the integrity of a home’s systems and structure. Because all things have a “planned obsolescence” period, maintenance inspections help to make the homeowner aware of immediate and upcoming replacement and repair needs. Early discovery of these problems could help to save the homeowner thousands of dollars in the long run.
Though your home isn't alive, it is still very much like a "real person". It can have its bad days and good days. It can get "sick" when systems break down, and it can become "temperamental" when there are hidden problems in need of repair. In most cases, you will not know what is wrong until something breaks or someone is injured. And as with the human body, one symptom is usually a sign of a bigger problem that, if not treated or repaired, can lead to even more symptoms and much bigger problems later on. Ironically, as large of an investment as a house is, it is maintained far less frequently than the family car though your house often costs ten to twenty times as much as your family car. But unlike what is provided for the family car, a home rarely ever receives a "check-up". Instead, problems that occur in a home are typically only addressed after something breaks or after damage to its structure and systems has become so severe that you are forced to make repairs. Most homeowners give very little consideration to the fact that, if found early on, home-related problems can be addressed or repaired before those problems become so large that the expense of fixing them causes a financial strain.
But how do you know something is wrong with your home, to begin with? Just as a 60,000-mile inspection and tune-up can help you to identify and prevent problems with your automobile, the only way you will be able to identify and prevent existing or potential problems with your home is to inspect it, as well.
Based on various facts such as weathering and local weather patterns, normal wear and tear, and the planned obsolescence of construction materials and mechanical systems, we recommend that you schedule a home inspected every two years during the lifetime of residency in your home. And just as with a buyer-seller home inspection, we will also provide you with a detailed report about the damage we find to the systems and structure in your home.
New Construction Inspections
A new-construction inspection is much like a warranty inspection except for the fact that the building and its systems are, in fact, new. Whereas a warranty inspection can apply to resale homes that offer a warranty, new-construction inspections are specifically designed for homes that have never been lived-in. Though new homes do not have the wear-and-tear on them that resale homes may have, various contractors associated with the construction may have made mistakes whether by accident or intentionally (such as taking “shortcuts” to finish the job faster or under-budget). A new-construction inspection provides you with an unbiased review by the inspector who acts as an objective and knowledgeable observer on your behalf to identify construction-related, code-related, and installation-related issues with home systems and structures.
Why would a new home need to be inspected?
Many things can go wrong during new construction which could take years to surface and prove costly to the homebuyer if left undetected. Municipal inspectors verify the minimum code compliance on a limited time schedule. Bank inspectors only verify each phase has been completed. Some builders have quality control personnel who review the project at the final phase: however, not every aspect of the subcontractor's work is visible at this time.
Examples of possible deficiencies:
- Void in Lintel
- Potential Fire Hazard
- Improperly Installed H-Clip
- Inadequate Bearing Support for Roof Trusses
- Reinforcing Steel Cut (infield) by Structural Engineer
- Contaminated Fill Dirt
Industrial Inspections
We offer a comprehensive and complete residential and commercial pre-acquisition property inspection including property condition assessment, construction monitoring, phased inspections, inventory inspections, and true net floor rentable floor area, etc. Our goal is to provide you with a thorough, objective, and honest evaluation of the property's true condition at the time of the inspection. In-depth reports with visual documentation of the property include digital photographs. Detailed reports are provided to suit your specific requirements. Honesty, experience, general construction knowledge, past and current design application and/or installation techniques, reporting style, and strict adherence to specific codes of ethics and standards of practice are the keys to our quality inspection. Please call us to discuss the particulars of your site and your requirements at 970-222-2104
Radon Testing
Radon is a cancer-causing, radioactive gas. You can’t see radon, you can’t smell it or taste it, but it may be a problem in your home. Radon is estimated to cause many thousands of deaths each year. In fact, the Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today. Only smoking causes more lung cancer deaths. If you smoke and your home has high radon levels, your risk of lung cancer is especially high. Radon can be found all over the country in any type of building, whether a home, office or school. It comes from the natural radioactive breakdown of uranium in soil, rocks, and water, seeping into the air we breathe. The greatest chance you and your family have to be exposed to radon is at home where you spend most of your time. Testing is the only way to know for certain if you are at risk for radon exposure. The EPA and the Surgeon General recommend testing all homes below the third floor for radon. An inspector certified to perform radon testing is one of your best allies in preventing radon contamination in your home.
Radon Remediation
A variety of methods can be used to reduce radon in homes. Sealing cracks and other openings in the foundation is a basic part of most approaches to radon reduction. The EPA does not recommend the use of sealing alone to limit radon entry. Sealing alone has not been shown to lower radon levels significantly or consistently.
Water-Quality Testing
Cracks, chips, and shifting or detaching materials are all signs that something has gone wrong with a façade. The questions are typical “what” and “why.” Some cities require the owners to have licensed, professional Inspectors inspect the façades periodically, and Winding River performs these proactive inspections as well.
There are a few types of tests to choose from. The following are the most common:
Water Quality (basic): This will most likely test for: Sodium, fluoride, pH, water hardness, nitrate-N, iron, manganese, coliform bacteria, E-coli bacteria. The test should not be taken from the kitchen sink due to a high risk of contamination around the faucet area. The aerator should be removed and the faucet area (including the inside and the end of the faucet) should be disinfected. Then the area should be flushed with cold water (full force) for five minutes. The bacteria sample should be taken with a sterilized container. The sample will need to be tested within 30 hours. Lead water This test will check for lead in your water supply. (FHA)
First Draw Lead: This test will check for lead in the water supply as well as contamination from the plumbing pipes. The sample should be taken first thing in the morning before any water has been used, so that the sample represents water that has been sitting in the pipes long enough to pick up any possible contamination from the pipes.
Radon Water: This test will check for radon in your water supply. Two samples must be taken with no air in the containers. A common method is to fill a bucket then submerge the containers to take the samples. The aerator needs to be removed and the cold water flushed for five minutes.
Arsenic Water: This test is usually taken with the basic water quality test sample. An additional fee will be added.
Request an Inspection Today
Winding River Inspections is an independent building inspection company dedicated to helping clients understand and manage their property’s physical condition risks. Whether you are an investor doing due diligence on a prospective purchase or a new homebuyer, a thorough property condition assessment can provide the information necessary to make critical financial decisions.
We provide a comprehensive narrative-style written report, which includes a separate summary report highlighting areas of particular or immediate concern. Reports can be downloaded from our website and, at the discretion of our client, can easily be distributed to all involved parties to ensure transactions proceed in a timely manner. If you wish to see a sample report, please contact us.