Residential Services
Home Inspection Services in Columbia, South Carolina
Proudly Providing Inspection Services for Columbia, Elgin, Camden, Lugoff, Sumter, Blythewood, Hartsville, Florence, Bishopville, and Surrounding Areas
Whether you’re buying, selling, or building your home, National Property Inspections offers comprehensive home inspection services that help you make informed decisions about your investment.
NPI inspectors are experts in their field, performing a thorough visual and non-invasive inspection of the home from roof to foundation. They identify safety issues and document the true condition of the home, even in areas you may not think to check.
You’ll receive a detailed digital report filled with high-resolution photos and descriptions of your inspector’s findings in plain language that’s easy to understand. Don’t see the service you want listed below? Call us! We can customize our services to fit your specific needs.
Before you close on your new home, an NPI homebuyer’s inspection sheds light on hundreds of its most important components, from the roof and furnace to plumbing and foundation. Your home inspector performs a detailed assessment of the property, so you can make a smart home-buying decision and prepare for future maintenance. Learn more about buyer’s inspections.
Getting an inspection before listing your home can help it sell faster and for top dollar. A pre-listing inspection identifies issues that could become deal-breakers for potential buyers, allowing you to address them ahead of time. Including a thorough NPI inspection report in your home’s disclosure documents can strengthen your bargaining position, showing buyers that you’ve taken the necessary steps to ensure the home is in good condition. Learn more about pre-listing inspections.
NPI’s construction draw and phase inspections help lenders and property owners stay on track and within budget during new construction. Our inspectors document your project’s progress at each phase, providing draw inspection reports that can be tailored to your specific needs and timeline. This ensures that funds are allocated appropriately according to the construction plan, minimizing the risk of costly delays and errors. Learn more about new construction phase inspections.
Most newly constructed homes come with a 12-month Builder’s Warranty. Before yours expires, order an NPI home inspection to give you peace of mind for the future. Your inspector will note the condition of hundreds of your home’s most important systems and components and provide a detailed report of their findings so you can address possible issues with the builder. Catch problems before your Builder’s Warranty expires to help you save money and valuable time. Learn more about NPI’s builder’s warranty inspections.
To secure a mortgage for a new or existing manufactured home, lenders require certification that the structure’s foundation complies with Federal Housing Administration (FHA) standards. With a Permanent Foundation Certification Inspection from National Property Inspections, your inspector will verify that your manufactured home meets these standards by conducting a structural inspection. Learn more about manufactured home inspections.
How to Prepare for A Home Inspection
National Property Inspections conducts visual, non-invasive inspections. This means we’ll never look behind walls, dissemble electrical panels, or deliberately move personal items. To receive the most accurate home inspection report, the current home occupant should follow these simple preparation steps.
Our NPI inspectors are pet friendly, but in order to provide the most thorough inspection of all systems, it’s best to have pets either away from the home or secured in a crate in a non-essential space. The majority of inspections last approximately three hours. Refrain from securing them in a room, yard, basement, garage, or any other space which could prevent the inspector from getting a complete look at your property.
Your inspector will need room to stand and kneel around your entire furnace, electrical panels, and water heater. You’ll want to clear the floor around these areas, leaving an area of three to four feet for the inspector to work.
Your inspector will be checking your water, electric, gas, and any other appliances that may be connected, so leave all utilities on. If utilities are not turned on, the inspector will need to reschedule the inspection and return at a later date.
Inspectors are not permitted to ignite pilot lights for liability reasons. In order to test your water heater, furnace, and gas stove, you’ll need to leave all pilot lights ignited.
Your inspector will be taking a look at all garages, sheds, and your exterior electrical box. Leave all keys and garage door openers out in an easy-to-find location with clear labels and directions. You’ll also want to leave any special instructions.
Clear a path to access points for basements, crawl spaces, and garages and be sure to unbolt any doors. If these spaces are being used for storage, move all items out from the wall by at least two feet. It’s also a good idea to vacuum cobwebs and look for any rodent activity.
It’s important to clear the area around the foundation of your home so your inspector can examine it for damage. Clear away leaves, brush, or snow along the perimeter of your home and be sure there are no other obstacles in the way, such as garbage cans. If tree branches are touching your siding or roof, your inspector will note it in their final report, so it’s best to trim any away from the house.
What's Included in an NPI Home Inspection?
Frequently Asked Questions About Home Inspections
National Property Inspections Greater Columbia is here to help you get the clarity and confidence you need to make an informed home purchase. Below, we’ve compiled answers to some of the most common questions that our clients often have about home inspections, so you can feel informed and prepared as you move forward in your homebuying journey.
A home inspection is an unbiased assessment performed by a specially licensed or certified third-party inspector. The purpose of an inspection is to determine the property’s condition in order to help buyers determine that a home is safe and affordable to them before moving forward with the purchase. A home inspection report may also be used to negotiate any needed repairs with the property’s seller.
The average home inspection takes between 2 and 3 hours. Factors that can affect the inspector’s time on site include the size and age of the property, and any additional services requested.
We encourage you (and your agent if applicable) to be present for the last 30 minutes of the inspection so that we can conduct a final walkthrough. During this time, we’ll show you any important findings and you’ll have a chance to ask as many questions as you’d like.
Your inspector will assess all of the home’s major structures and systems to determine their current condition, as well as needed maintenance or repairs. We also pay close attention to issues that can compromise the health and safety of a home like water intrusion, gas leaks, smoke detector functionality, handrail placement, and trip hazards.
No, your inspector will not damage, modify, or move anything in the home to complete the inspection. We have the tools and technology to spot hidden issues and enter hard-to-reach places without the need for invasive measures.
The inspection report is the property of the party who enters into the inspection agreement with the inspection company, typically the homebuyer or seller. Even if a third party (such as a lender, real estate agent, or insurance company) pays for the inspection, they do not have ownership rights to the report if they are not the ones who signed the agreement. Their role is limited to covering the cost, while the client—who signed the agreement—retains ownership. This ensures that the responsibility for the inspection report remains with the client who has entered into the contractual agreement with the inspection company.
For pre-listing inspections, the home seller typically owns the report, but they may choose to share it with potential buyers.
No, your inspection report is not used to determine the home’s value and won’t be taken into consideration by county assessors.
Yes! Even new homes can have hidden issues you need to know about. Our inspectors often uncover potential repairs in homes that have not been moved into yet. Learn more about why inspections on new construction homes are recommended.
Check out a sample inspection report completed for a newly constructed home.
Your inspector will guide you through their findings during a final walkthrough of the home. Use this opportunity to ask any questions you have about your home’s systems, structures, recommended maintenance tasks, and more. Remember, your inspector is there as a resource for you, so no question is too big or small.
