Welcome to Houston Housecheck

What We Do:

Housecheck provides pre-purchase home inspections in the greater Houston, Texas area. To make an appointment, call George at (713) 528-1848. Included are houses, apartments, townhouses, and condominiums. We also do other types of inspections; see below.

A typical inspection includes examinations of foundation, structure, roof, roof structure, heating and air-conditioning equipment, plumbing and electrical systems, and the built-in appliances.

All inspections are performed by George Szontagh, who holds Texas Real Estate Inspector License (Professional Level) #2212. George has been doing inspections since 1990, and is the 2008 Membership Vice-President of A.S.C.A. here in Houston. A.S.C.A. is a local inspector organization dedicated to improvement and education of professional inspectors. George is also a member of the Houston Association of Real Estate Inspectors (H.A.R.E.I., Inc.), the Texas Association of Real Estate Inspectors ( T.A.R.E.I.), and is a Residential Combination Inspector, certified by the International Code Council (#5186978-R5).

Housecheck subscribes to the Supra keybox system for inspection convenience.

Housecheck now offers Thermal Imaging (Infrared) for help with detecting moisture problems and insulation quality.

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And Here Are the Details:

An inspection of a home is a logical part of any real estate transaction. Usually after a contract to purchase is signed, the buyer has a certain number of days to perform inspections. These include the general home inspection, and other specialized inspections, such as for termites.

The purpose of the inspection is to ascertain whether various items in the house are working properly, or if they are in need of repair. There is no law that says that a house has to be in perfect order, and typically an inspection will reveal problems, usually minor, which should be repaired. Inspectors also note obvious safety hazards. Our reports follow the Texas Real Estate Commission Standards effective Sept.1, 2000, as amended.

The buyer should decide on an inspector, set an appointment, and tell the real estate agent (or seller) when the home needs to be opened for inspection. Typical inspections take from 2-3 hours.

If the home is vacant, it is important that all utilities, such as electricity, gas, and water, are turned on. Otherwise the inspector cannot check some of the systems in the home.

It is important that the buyer be present for the inspection, if possible. Often the inspector will explain or discuss certain aspects of the home for the buyer's general knowledge, and such discussion will not be in the written report.

A written report will be provided within 12 hours of the inspection, and can be faxed, e-mailed, and/ or mailed to designated parties. The report reflects TREC Standard Form 7-0A.

Inspection fees start at $395, and depend on overall square footage, number of stories, and age of the home. The typical one story house, up to three bedrooms, usually runs $425. Pier and Beam structures and two story homes cost more. Call (713) 528-1848 for a quotation today.

We now accept Paypal for billing convenience.

What We Don't Do:

We do not perform Termite (or wood destroying insect) inspections. Such inspections should be done by Texas state-licensed WDI specialists. We can refer you to some termite inspectors whom we have worked with in the past.

We do not perform inspections for lead paint, asbestos, PCBs, and other potential environmental hazards, such as mold, as part of a regular TREC inspection. You will be provided with a list of non-inspected items at time of inspection, or you may request a fax or e-mail copy in advance.

We do not perform inspections for Mold. Effective January 1, 2005, persons conducting mold assessment or mold remediation in Texas, unless exempt, are required to be licensed. Further information regarding licensees and mold-related matters can be found here at the Texas Department of State Health Services.

We do not do water well and septic system inspections. We would be pleased to refer you to inspectors who specialize in these matters.

We do not inspect pools or outdoor spas. We recommend that you hire an established pool company to do an inspection, and obtain a written report.

Other Types of Inspections:

Homeowners will sometimes ask for an inspection when they contemplate selling their home, in order to anticipate problems which might arise during those hectic days before a deal closes. Owners should be aware that any written report should be offered to prospective buyers as part of disclosure.

Inspections during and at the completion of new construction or major renovation work on a home. Municipal inspectors cannot be expected to ensure that a contractor has fulfilled all of the specifications of a particular project, particularly if life/safety codes are not involved.

Relocation inspections. If you are moving to the Houston area we would be pleased to provide you with an examination of your new home.

We perform EMF (electromagnetic field) inspections, upon specific request. Call for more information.

The Limitations of an Inspection:

The vast number of home inspections are limited visual inspections. They are non-destructive, and there is very little disassembly of equipment. Tested mechanical items are run in normal operating modes, and there is no prediction of expected life of any system. No warranty or guarantee is stated or implied. Home warranty policies are available from other sources. Ask your real estate agent for information.

A visual inspection following the TREC standards should be considered the start of the due-diligence process by the buyer, and not the final word in property condition.

It is theoretically possible to do what is called an "exhaustive inspection," in which entire systems are taken apart and examined, but the economics of such an inspection are generally prohibitive for most real estate transactions.

For further information, or to schedule an appointment, call George at (713) 528-1848 today.

Some Useful Links:

Houston Traffic Map	Houston Weather	Find an address/ Maps
Aluminum Wiring Information	Houston Assn. of Realtors®	Harris County Appraisal District
Houston Wilderness	Lead Paint Information	Harris County Flood Maps
City of Houston Building Permits	The Scroogle Scraper	Harris County Clerk
Consumer Product Safety Commission	Real Estate Attorney	Texas Mold Information

Please note: This web site contains links to other sites. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the content or privacy practices of such other sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of any other site that collects personally identifiable information.

Privacy Notice: This site does not collect any personally identifiable information. We do not use cookies or counters. We do not sell or otherwise share email addresses that we gather from those persons who contact us in by way of email.

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George Szontagh
Houston, Texas 77006 U.S.A.
Updated: March 8, 2008
TREC Inspector License #2212 issued by the Texas Real Estate Commission

This firm is licensed and regulated by the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC). TREC administers two recovery funds which may be used to satisfy judgments against inspectors and real estate licensees involving a violation of the law. Complaints or inquiries should be directed to: Texas Real Estate Commission, P.O. Box 12188, Austin TX 78711-2188. (512) 465-3960.

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