EXPERT HOME INSPECTIONS IN THE TAMPA BAY AREA
Your Insurance Called. You Need a 4-Point Inspection…
You’ve settled happily into your new home. Everything is working out just as you hoped it would in the beautiful Tampa Bay area when, out of the blue, your homeowners' insurance sends you an abrupt notice of your homeowners’ insurance policies' termination.
Why are they dropping you all of a sudden? Can they legally do that? How do you obtain new homeowners’ insurance, so you can keep your home?
Because homeowner’s insurance policies are usually only good for a year, the insurance company chooses whether or not to renew coverage every year or every other year depending on your policy.
Now the good news here in Florida is that usually, all you need is a clean 4-point inspection to make sure your home is in good shape.
What is a 4 Point Inspection?
A 4 point inspection in Tampa is a basic home inspection that checks the four functional parts of a home to assess the risk of harm or damage.
In Florida, a 4 point inspection reassures the insurance company that your home is in good condition.
What’s included in a 4 Point Inspection near me?
And what to expect when the home inspector arrives...
01.
Roofing Inspection
Here we check for torn or missing shingles, broken tiles, visible roof leaks, and overall soundness of your roof.
As a basic rule, if your roof is under the expected lifespan of your roofing material and has no substantial damage, then you’ll pass. For a shingle roof, that’s about 15 years.
Now if your roof is 15 years old, your insurance company may “require” you to replace it. But if I inspect it and see no substantial damage, then the insurance company must legally accept my inspection.
02.
Electrical Inspection
The primary objective when checking electrical is to ensure there’s no risk of electrical fires or shocks – which I’m sure all of us can agree would be bad.
The most common electrical issue I find is what’s called a double tap. This can cause one of the wires to overheat and – potentially – start a fire.
While this is the most common reason you might fail the electrical portion of the 4 point, it’s also one of the easiest fixes for any electrician.
03.
Plumbing Inspection
It’s hard to fail the plumbing portion of your 4 point inspection. I check for leaks around your sinks and toilets that may cause water damage.
Leaky sinks are the most common reasons to fail the plumbing portion. But it takes more than a drippy faucet. I look for water leaking out of the sink area that causes damage.
I also check the TPR valve on your water heater to make sure it doesn’t fly through your roof…don’t believe me? Ask Myth Busters. They did it!
04.
HVAC Inspection
When I'm doing a 4 point inspection, there's only two things I check for: Does it cool? And is it leaking water?
When it comes to heating, space heaters can be a fire risk to the home.
So if I see a space heater, I have to include it in my report.
But I'm sure you'll "take care" of it.
How Long Does a 4 Point Inspection Take?
You can expect a 4 point inspection to take from 30 minutes to an hour. So you should not have to sacrifice a whole day for your inspection.
At Buyer’s Guide Home Inspections, you can choose your specific appointment time, and we’ll arrive on time to perform your inspection.
We also deliver our 4 point inspection reports the same day as the inspection, so you’re not left in limbo.
When Is a 4 Point Inspection Needed in Florida?
A 4 point inspection is needed in Florida anytime you change or renew your homeowner’s insurance policy. And typically, the insurance company also wants a wind mitigation with the 4 point inspection. You can look over the Wind Mitigation Inspections here.
How Much Does a 4 Point Inspection Cost?
When you choose to work with Buyer’s Guide Home Inspections, our expert inspectors arrive on time at your home and work efficiently to protect your time. We deliver your inspection report the same day, for the cost of $130.