Home Inspections

The POWER of a Home Inspection

We appreciate what an important investment a home is, and it’s why we do what we do here at HomeKey Inspections.

It’s also why, as you may notice while exploring our inspection services, we’ve chosen to feature client testimonials prominently on each and every service page. These reviews are a source of immense gratification and pride, as they reflect the trust our clients place in us. Our goal is to provide services that meet (or exceed!) our clients’ expectations, offer tremendous value during the home buying or selling process, and empower our clients with greater confidence in their investment.

A comprehensive home inspection is more than just a necessary step in the buying or selling process—it’s a powerful tool that gives you control over your future. By uncovering critical details and potential issues, we provide you with the knowledge and assurance needed to make informed decisions. This empowerment is at the heart of our personal mission to perform home inspections and deliver reports that are thorough, clear, and backed by expertise.

At HomeKey Inspections, we’re not just checking boxes; we’re unlocking the power of knowledge for our clients, enabling them to move forward with confidence and peace of mind.

What Our Clients Say

"I highly recommend HomeKey Inspections! This was not our first house so we didn't think we needed an inspection, but HomeKey made it extremely valuable for our negotiations. We had a long process with the seller of fixing a number of issues, and Sebastian and Ian guided us through the issues over 6 weeks. Ian took the the time to speak to me several times to help me identify issues and how the seller could address them. Sebastian had to come out 4 times and was professional in his work every time."

"Jay Carrillo did a home inspection for the townhouse we're buying. He was professional, knowledgeable, thorough, efficient, flexible, and patient. We're first time homeowners, and he took the time to explain everything he could to us. [...] As we moved around the house, he talked us through everything that he was doing and what he was checking for, pointed out what he's going to write into his report and whether is was minor or commonplace or whatever it was. On top of all that, he's very friendly and easy to talk to. Absolutely worth the price!"

HomeKey Inspections was great. Very responsive when I initially reached out. Setting up an appointment was quick and easy. My inspector, Mike, was amazing. He was very knowledgeable, thorough, professional, flexible, and efficient. Being a first time home buyer I felt like I had quite a bit of questions. He was very patient and answered all my questions. He made sure to let me know about things as they were inspected. I feel like he definitely went above and beyond. I will definitely be recommending them!

I am so glad our soon-to-be neighbors told us about HomeKey. We had HomeKey complete our pre-drywall, final, and sewer inspection for our new construction home in Warrenton, VA [...] Their reports are so detailed, and they are delivered fast. Jorge (Jay) completed our inspections and arrived early/on time each time. They really take the time to walk you through everything. They are passionate about ensuring owners have every ounce of information when deciding about purchasing their new home or building a brand-new house. I can't recommend this team enough.

Absolutely thrilled with the service we received from the HomeKey Inspections service members today. [...] Sebastian was thoughtful and thorough and, when he quickly realized there may be a piping issue, enlisted the assistance of Ian to perform a same day sewer scope inspection. As a result, HomeKey identified some major (and very pricey!) issues unknown to the seller, and us. We are so thankful to have these issues identified in advance of closing. I highly recommend anyone in need of inspection services to go with HomeKey, you won't be disappointed.

What is a Home Inspection ?

A home inspection is a visual evaluation of a residential property performed by a qualified (licensed / certified) individual, whose objective is to observe and describe the condition of the property. It is a crucial step in any real estate transaction, as the home inspection helps protect the buyer from unforeseen problems, significant financial expenses needed, and most importantly, potential dangers.

During a home inspection, we check all the home’s main systems–Exterior, Roof, Garage, Kitchen, Interior, Electrical, Plumbing, HVAC (heating/cooling), and Structure. Each of these includes many components to be checked. Below is a glimpse of the sorts of photos we’ll take during a home inspection, followed by a more detailed list of the systems and components being inspected.

What We're Looking at During a Home Inspection

(Click on any tab below to see inspected items / components.)

Exterior

Roof

Garage

Kitchen

Interior

Electrical

Plumbing

HVAC

Structure

Exterior

Roof

Garage

Kitchen

Interior

Electrical

Plumbing

HVAC

Structure

Our Reports

We love pictures…and so does your report! If we see a problem, we snap a picture. Almost every item we note in a report comes with a picture, with the exception of a consistent problem we find all over the property (in which case we include enough pictures to represent the concern and indicate multiple locations throughout the property). We mark-up almost all of the pictures to highlight the area(s) of concern, helping you to make sense of what the problem really is. You’ll even be able to click on any picture in our report to zoom in and see a larger version. Sometimes a picture is not good enough to identify a problem and, in those cases, we can record a short video and include it in the report!

"How will I know which findings are really important and which are just minor issues?"

It’s a question we get often! In short, the answer is that you, as the buyer or homeowner, are the ultimate judge for what is important to you. What might be a minor issue to one person may be a legitimate concern for another. With that said, however, we have a system by which we classify the findings in our report. Below is an explication of how we determine whether to label something as a minor deficiency, major deficiency or FYI item.

Minor Deficiency

A problem that is generally less expensive to repair/replace (in the opinion of the inspector) -OR- an item/condition that, in the inspectors opinion, does not adversely affect the habitability or living experience of the property.

Major Deficiency

A problem that may be expensive to repair/replace, a potential safety / fire hazard, or something that needs to be addressed quickly so as to help avoid any further repairs/damage.

For Your Information

An observation or condition that we would like to point out that may not necessarily be considered a deficiency; or a helpful tip.

"How soon after the home inspection will I receive the inspection report?"

Quality reports take time to write, so our standard policy is to have our inspection reports sent to you, the client, by 9pm the day after the home inspection takes place. If, for example, your home inspection takes place on a Wednesday morning, you can expect to receive your report by Thursday, 9pm latest. Don’t hesitate to communicate with us if you are ideally needing a quicker turnaround time for the report–we may not be able to make any promises, but we will do our very best to send you the report sooner than normal. Remember that our inspectors occasionally have multiple inspections planned back-to-back and may therefore not be able to start on their reports until later in the evening. If you’d like to get more of an idea for what to expect in a HomeKey inspection report, take a look at our sample reports below!

During the Inspection: Our Process, Your Role

"How long does a home inspection typically take?"

Homes <= 2500 sq. ft : Around 3hrs.

Homes > 2500 sq. ft : 3 – 4 hrs.

(Larger size homes, older homes, or other factors can result in longer than average home inspections.)

"How involved can I be / do I need to be?"

Want to participate in the inspection and learn about your home? Great! We encourage you to follow along during the inspection – we make it our goal to teach every client about their new property and show where the important stuff is such as main water shut-off valve, hose bib shut-off valve(s), HVAC filter, etc. We totally welcome questions, there is no such thing as a stupid question when you are with a HomeKey Inspector. There are some portions of the home inspection where your inspector may communicate that he/she would prefer you not to follow along (e.g. while walking the roof, or while traversing the attic), in which case your inspector will go over the findings as usual with you after completing that part of the inspection.

"Do I need to attend the home inspection?"

We strongly encourage you to attend and participate in your home inspection – there’s no better way to learn about your potential future home and to ask questions you may have!

However we recognize that in some cases attendance is not possible. In these cases arrangements should be made to ensure your agent / someone representing you is present during the inspection. You will, of course, still receive a very detailed report with photos and / or video, and you can always send us questions afterwards for clarification if needed.

"What Standards of Practice do you follow in your home inspections and reporting?"

Our home inspections follow the Standards of Practice as set forth by the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), as well as any state-specific requirements.

The HomeKey Inspections Team

Home inspections are the backbone of our company, it’s what we do best.

The best part about our company? We have a whole team of inspectors ready to meet your inspection needs who never settle, always want to know more, and are continually pushing to learn and stay current with residential construction and inspections.

Some would call it an obsession, we call it passion and pride for our chosen line of work! Whether you work with just one of our inspectors or the whole team, you’ll quickly see why our inspection company continues to outperform our competition.

Expertise and Excellence, Top to Bottom

All of the inspectors we work with are:

State licensed
NRS licensed (needed for new construction inspections)
ASHI Certified Inspectors (ACI)
AHIT Certified

…AND each of our inspectors has over 1,000 inspections under their belts!

Ian McNaught

Owner & Lead Inspector

Ian is the principal inspector of the VA/MD/DC HomeKey Inspections location, he performs specialty inspections and is responsible for training and leading the rest of the inspection team. Read more

Janet Campana

Office Manager

Janet is part of our amazing office team and works directly with customers over the phone or via email to schedule inspections and answer questions. She joined our team in early 2021! Read more

Sebastian Aste

Home Inspector

Sebastian was a godsend! He was early, friendly, incredibly knowledgeable, and thorough. Took us about 2.5 hours to complete an inspection of our 2000sq ft town house, and Sebastian was sure to explain everything to us in full detail. He was patient with our questions (new homeowners and we had no idea about anything), and took the time to explain what many things in the house did, which made us feel comfortable.

We have had several home inspections over the years. This was hands down the best! Our inspector, Sebastian, arrived on time with a comprehensive suite of tools and test equipment. He explained the process clearly and answered all of our questions. He was diligent, even crawling under our deck to examine vents.

Sebastian let my husband and I shadow along the whole time, answered all of the questions he could as he inspected different systems, and didn’t skimp on anything (incl. roof, sub panel in an outbuilding). We got the report the next evening and it was SO THOROUGH. Tons of photos, information, and recommendations. He was also very friendly! Highly recommend to others.

Jay Carillo

Home Inspector

HomeKey is a great company and I highly recommend using them. Jay did a phenomenal job and was truly impressed by him. The scheduling process was seamless and the inspection itself was extremely thorough and in-depth. Jay was extremely professional, informative and personable. I highly recommend both HomeKey and Jay to anyone looking for a top-notch home inspection.

We were present with our agent for the inspection, and Jay C explained everything to us along the way. He was patient with all of our questions and summarized everything at the end of our inspection. He met tight deadlines in providing our report. Easy recommendation!

Jorge (Jay) was our inspector and was absolutely meticulous and professional in our inspections. Even though we have a new build, he made sure to check each part of the home and ensured parts and work was done correctly. He is also knowledgeable of the materials used in the home and pointed out details and warranty issues we would not have caught.

Mike Lawson

Home Inspector

My inspector, Mike, was amazing. He was very knowledgeable, thorough, professional, flexible, and efficient. He was very patient and answered all my questions. He made sure to let me know about things as they were inspected. I will definitely be recommending them!

My experience with HomeKey inspection was nothing short of spectacular! Michael L. Is very professional and punctual. Arrived early. Began the roof inspection immediately. Walked with him for most of the home inspection and he was explaining everything in terms I could understand. Answered all my questions. He truly went above and beyond.

Mike was an incredibly thorough and thoughtful home inspector. I am a new homebuyer but felt nothing but peace of mind in his knowledge and competence. Very rarely do I feel like I’ve gotten a great value when I spend money but I absolutely did in this experience. Thank you Mike!

The POWER of a Home Inspection

What Our Clients Say

What is a Home Inspection ?

What We're Looking at During a Home Inspection

Our Reports

"How will I know which findings are really important and which are just minor issues?"

Minor Deficiency

Major Deficiency

For Your Information

"How soon after the home inspection will I receive the inspection report?"

During the Inspection: Our Process, Your Role

"How long does a home inspection typically take?"

"How involved can I be / do I need to be?"

"Do I need to attend the home inspection?"

"What Standards of Practice do you follow in your home inspections and reporting?"

The HomeKey Inspections Team

Expertise and Excellence, Top to Bottom

Ian McNaught

Janet Campana

Sebastian Aste

Jay Carillo

Mike Lawson

Book your Home Inspection Today!