Houston Coastal Home Inspections I Thermal Infrared Inspections

Houston - Galveston - Property Inspections I Coastal Inspector I Infrared Thermography I Building Code Certified

Building & Home Inspection & Construction Consulting

Welcome Home

Thank you for visiting. We have been inspecting in the Houston & Galveston coastal areas for over 25 years and have over 21 years of homebuilding experience. We personally performs every inspection and do not have novice sub-contract inspectors you know nothing about.

We don't use a pre-designed checklist because you can't pre-determine problems or property condition. Those type inspections limit the inspection to only that on the self-made checklist to help spend less time at the inspection.

Our long-standing and proven inspection protocol provides you with a much more understanding of the property, its condition, the systems, and the kind of maintenance it needs. If you want to know property condition call us. Other inspectors, builders and sales people call us for their own homes.

There are huge differences between home inspectors and reports. Like all professions or trades, the majority are rather mediocre. A percentage are spectacularly bad. An even smaller percentage are very, very good. We are often the first source for other inspectors and builders for questions and answers.

We are available to answer questions about your home at any time after the inspection. Even years later. Can you remode plumbingbootcracked2 l? Had storm damage? You’ve got a friend you can consult at any time.

We are so confident he'll satisfy your needs and save you money, we offer the following guarantee:

If you're not completely satisfied with our work at the end of the onsite inspection, you owe us nothing!

Call today and schedule!

Thermal Infrared Imaging
Our infrared camera offers a non-invasive means of monitoring the condition of buildings providing on-site thermal imagery, revealing potential structural and moisture issues as well energy efficiency issues. Cheap cameras abound. If you can't calibrate to and see the drywall nails then it is a cheap camera and ineffective.

CERTIFIED

Real Estate Inspections Are Not a Commodity. They are absolutely not the same. Saving a few dollars can cost you thousands. Price shopping for inspectors

The 3 Phase Inspection Rip Off... click here

Foundations are not "repaired" they are leveled..... click here

How to Recognize a "Soft" Home Inspection Report ...... click here

Understanding a Realtor referred inspector.....click here

End of Warranty Inspection or Inspection Second Opinions - click here

Many Resale Homes Riddled With Deficiencies ....click here

Choosing the better inspector...click here

Problems, Safety Hazards and Concerns in Homes .....Click here

Incomplete Inspection Shackles Homeowners Buyer must ensure House passes muster. But City Hall says there's nothing it can do, and that it was the buyers' job to make sure house passed inspection...Read on

In the "Legal Aspects of Code Administration" it admonishes buyers that . . . "it is up to the purchaser to determine the soundness of the building prior to the finalization of the purchase or to hire a (i.e. code certified) professional inspector."

What's Important

With us you’ll know what’s about to wear out. A 10 year old home with the original roof, water heater, appliances, and heating and cooling equipment may cost you more than $20,000.00 over the next few years. It may not be such a bargain unless you prepare and budget. Click here

From Dallas to Houston to Galveston are reports of pipe leaks due to damage by rats. You should look for trails and tunnel holes in your attic insulation. Insulation should be smooth and level. It’s also estimated that more than 20% of all house fires that are labeled “unknown origin” are caused by rodent damage. Rats and squirrels loved to chew on things.

What's the Difference? Experience and Tools

Wall and ceiling with a standard home inspection

Same wall and ceiling with our inspection. See the A/C water on the ceiling running behind the wall?

There are hordes of cheap thermal infrared cameras. They are used for "smoke and mirror" gimmicks by the TREC inspectors because of affordability. The cheaper cameras will not identify water or rats in the walls. IF YOU CAN'T CALIBRATE TO SEEING NAILS IN THE DRYWALL THEN THE CAMERA IS SUBSTANDARD. We verify all anomolies with a physical moisture detector instrument as the infrared standards require. Cameras only indicate, moisture detectors confirm!

ICC/IRC Combination Code Certified R5 Inspector - 5188826

Southern Building Code Congress International
SBCCI Combination Code Certified, Legacy

County (IRC) Building Inspections - Texas HB2833

Texas Dept. of Insurance
Residential Property Inspector 16708061031

Texas Real Estate Commission
Professional Inspector 1646

Texas Real Estate Commission
Qualified Sponsoring Professional Inspector

Texas Residential Construction Commission Inspector
Combination Code Certified, Dispute Resolution Inspector; Legacy

(Nationally) Certified Master Inspector - CMI
Master Certified Inspector Certification Board

Texas Professional Real Estate Inspectors Association #435 -Master Inspector

Texas Mutual Inspectors Coalition, Top 1%

Qualified Litigation Support

Coastal Inspector

Coastal Homes, Bulkheads, Piers, Docks, Boat Houses

Member of International Association of
Certified Home Inspectors - InterNACHI

InterNACHI - Certified Property Inspector (CPI)

InterNACHI - Certified Home Energy Inspector

Infrared Thermography Certified

Builder 21+ years

BOI

*A TREC Inspection license is not a certification. It's a occupational licence.

Real Estate Brokers and Sales Agents, Time Share Interest Providers,
Home Warranty Companies, Real Estate Inspectors, Easement and Right-Of-Way Agents

Texas Real Estate Commission Consumer Protection Notice

NOT AFFILIATED WITH ANY OTHER COASTAL INSPECTION COMPANIES

Disclaimer - Links to any other internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement.  Nothing on this web site constitiutes legal advice or may reflect the opinions of the site owner. There is no warranty, expressed or implied with use of this web site. © 1996 - 2019, Coastal Inspections & James L. Hime LLC, all rights reserved

Privacy Policy - No cookies or other information is collected via this site.

Headlines & Current Events

End of Warranty Inspections

Resale, new construction,
1-year warranty inspections, second opinion inspections

Construction Phase Inspections

Learn about your home before it gets covered up. If your inspector is not ICC building code certified you are throwing away money.

The "new" gas line grounding concern with CSST gas piping is not new ... click here

Dangers of Buying a Flipped House..... click here

Almost every house, no matter how recently or expertly built, can be a money pit. The Wall Street Journal & the Natioanl Association of Home Builders study found that it may be cheaper to buy a new or fully remodeled home every 10 years than to deal with the mounting repair problems of an aging home.

Resale Estimated Cost of Repairs: generally figure 3/4 of 1% of the sales price for each year age of the property for repair and maintenance.

What's happening behind your stucco? Click here

To Install Stucco Right Include an Air Gap .. Click here

What happended to the TRCC?.....click here

There is no grandfathering in state law..... click here

Rankings

Nationally we are in the top percentage as a 2011 national survey showed that 82.2% of home inspectors are not code certified (building and mechanical). (They are not qualified to inspect to minimum standards and code.)

How Was Your Inspection?

A good inspection should pay for itself many times over. Inspections are simply night and day between inspectors. Inspections and fees are also not the same due to experience and education as well as the level of inspection you want. A cheap inspection initially sounds good but is commonly a waste of money. TREC inspectors get a business license and automatically become an expert in nothing.

The state does not certify any private inspector. It only issues a business license. Some inspections may not be worth the money and you still have potential untold safety and financial hazards. Some buyers may not have a chance to get a good inspection as the results may be pre-arranged via a hand picked list of inspectors given them.

If your inspector is not IRC code certified then they have no knowledge of code violations or construction defects. Code certification can take years to obtain through testing. Some may hide behind false standards they cannot substantiate or document.

The professional inspectors provide a source reference for each opinion of condition.

With thousands of inspections performed we hear time and again my clients say "I wish I had hired you the first time."

Meeting everyones expectation is challenging and may be impossible for some so if you want a detailed comprehensive inspection they are available.

Take the Challenge

SUPRA
Access

DOES YOUR COASTAL
or CITY HOME LEAK?

CAN'T KEEP PAINT ON THE COASTAL HOUSE?

SAFETY HAZARDS: LIABILITY IN RENTAL PROPERTIES

LAW GOVERNING CONTRACTORS AFTER A NATURAL DISASTER

NO SUCH THING AS A 30 YEAR ROOF

The dark spots are water inside the wall on a one year old production builder home. This is not uncommon. A wet/dry cycle can happen for years causing damages.