Notes from the field

A solar panel inspection when buying a San Diego home means two separate checks: the ownership/financing status of the system (owned, leased, or PPA), and the…

The cost of termite treatment in San Diego varies widely depending on the species, the extent of the infestation, and your home's size. As rough ballpark…

Yes. Newly built homes in San Diego still need an independent home inspection. Builders, subcontractors, and city inspectors can miss real defects—from roofing…

In California, the home inspection contingency is part of the broader investigation of property contingency in the standard Residential Purchase Agreement…

New construction phase inspections are independent checks performed at key stages of a build - typically pre-pour (foundation), pre-drywall, final walkthrough,…

After an inspection, San Diego sellers should make safety repairs and the cheap fixes that scare buyers, then disclose-and-credit the big-ticket items where a…

Most stucco cracks on San Diego homes are cosmetic - thin hairline lines from normal curing, shrinkage, and seasonal movement that a coat of elastomeric paint…

A College Area or SDSU-adjacent home inspection focuses on what 70 years of student-rental use does to a 1950s-60s house: aging electrical panels, deferred…

A Mira Mesa home inspection should focus on the realities of 1970s-80s tract construction: original systems that are now well past their service life, an era…

For most San Diego homes, the choice between central AC and a ductless mini-split comes down to whether you already have good ductwork. Central air makes sense…

To prepare your San Diego home for a heat wave, service your HVAC before peak demand, confirm the attic is ventilated and insulated, add shading to west and…

To prevent mold in coastal San Diego homes, keep indoor humidity under 50 percent, run bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans, ventilate during dry afternoons…

To shut off your water in an emergency, turn the main water valve , usually located near your front hose bib, in a garage wall, or at the curbside meter box.…

A kitchen inspection is the portion of a standard home inspection where the inspector visually examines and operationally tests the room's built-in systems:…

A Rancho Peñasquitos home inspection should focus on what defines this inland North City community: tract homes built from the mid-1970s through the 1990s,…

Most cracks in a San Diego home are cosmetic settling - hairline drywall lines from normal curing and seasonal movement. Structural movement is different: it's…

Popcorn ceilings in older San Diego homes can contain asbestos, and no visual home inspection can confirm it either way. Material installed before the early…

A buyer's inspection and a seller's (pre-listing) inspection are the same thorough, visual inspection — same scope, same report — performed at different points…

In California, contingency removal is the step where you, the buyer, formally waive a protection written into your purchase contract - most commonly the…

An electrical subpanel is a smaller distribution panel fed from your main panel, used to extend circuits to an addition, ADU, garage or workshop. In San Diego…

An EV charger readiness inspection in San Diego means checking whether a home's electrical panel, wiring, and available load can actually support a Level 2…

Most foundation cracks in San Diego are cosmetic, not catastrophic. Thin hairline cracks in slabs and stucco are common as concrete cures and houses settle.…

In San Diego, gas vs electric homes comes down to what powers your heat, water heater, range, and dryer. Older homes lean on natural gas; newer builds and…

Your main water shutoff is the single valve that stops all water to a San Diego home. On most slab-built houses it sits in an exterior wall box near the front…

After a San Diego inspection, you usually have three ways to resolve findings: make the repairs yourself, give the buyer a credit (or price reduction) so they…

San Diego homes are topped mostly by three roof types: concrete or clay tile , asphalt shingle , and flat or low-slope foam (SPF) . Each ages differently in…

California law requires working smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on every floor of a home, plus a carbon monoxide alarm on each…

In older San Diego homes, inspections most often flag aging roofs, deteriorated cast-iron or clay sewer lines, outdated electrical panels and wiring,…

A San Diego apartment building inspection checklist covers a representative sample of units, all roofs, shared plumbing and electrical, parking and site…

A pre-listing inspection checklist for San Diego sellers comes down to three jobs: make the home easy to inspect, fix the small safety items buyers always…

A retail or restaurant building inspection in San Diego is a visual, non-invasive look at the structure, roof, electrical, plumbing, mechanical and…

If you're buying a home in rural San Diego County, there's a good chance it's on a private septic system instead of city sewer. A general home inspection…

The most common signs of mold in your home are a persistent musty or earthy smell, dark staining on walls or ceilings, fogging or condensation on windows, and…

In San Diego, the buyer almost always pays for the home inspection . It is part of the buyer's due diligence during escrow, so the buyer hires the inspector…

Technically, anyone can walk through a house and point out problems, but they should not be the basis for a six-figure buying decision. A contractor friend or…

El Niño storm prep for San Diego homes means getting ahead of heavier-than-normal rain before it arrives: clear gutters and downspouts, check that roof…

When you buy a San Diego condo, the home inspection covers the unit you own - but the HOA document review covers everything you share: the roof, the elevators,…

This home inspection checklist gives San Diego buyers a system-by-system list of what to check before you commit to a property: roof, electrical, plumbing,…

Home inspection cost in San Diego depends mostly on the property itself: square footage, age, foundation type, and any add-on services you choose, such as a…

A pre-listing inspection means you hire your own inspector before you put the home on the market, instead of waiting for the buyer's inspector to find problems…

This printable home inspection checklist for San Diego buyers gives you a room-by-room walk-through you can use at showings and during your professional…

A property may be exempt or out of scope for SB-721 when it has fewer than three dwelling units, has no qualifying exterior elevated elements more than six…

Infrared thermal imaging finds hidden moisture, missing insulation, and overheating electrical components by mapping the tiny temperature differences they…

A virtual home inspection in San Diego means a licensed inspector physically inspects the property while you attend remotely - usually a live video walkthrough…

California requires every tank-type water heater to be braced against earthquakes with two seismic straps - one in the upper third of the tank and one in the…

California's SB 721 deadline for the first balcony inspection was January 1, 2026, after AB 2579 pushed it back a year from the original 2025 date. That date…