Luxury Home Inspections

Signet Home Inspections

Luxury Home Inspections

When buying or selling a luxury home, there are special considerations that should be taken into account when deciding which company to enlist to perform a luxury home whole house inspection.

So just exactly what is considered a “luxury home”?
Although luxury homes are defined differently across different markets, they are generally homes that are valued within the top 10% of properties in the local market. Luxury homes tend to be considerable in size, located in optimal areas, constructed and finished with high-end materials and designed with uncommon architectural details and exceptional amenities. In the Northern California market, the size typically starts at 4,000 sq ft and can be as high as 10,000 plus sq ft. with prices usually starting around 1.5 million and climbing from there.

Can I use any reputable home inspector to inspect a luxury home?
Most people assume a licensed home inspector can inspect any type of property, no matter its size, age or features. However, most home inspectors are not adequately skilled, experienced, or have the assets required to effectively perform a luxury home inspection in a reasonable amount of time. The sheer size alone of a luxury home makes the luxury home inspection more difficult. Whereas a smaller home inspection can be completed in just a couple of hours, a luxury home inspection may take one to two days to complete for a single inspector. So for many reasons not the least of which is expediency, an experienced multi-inspector company is far and away the best option.

What other factors distinguish a luxury home?
Although a luxury home is still technically considered a residential property, these properties are typically designed and built with commercial applications or contain commercial features such as substantial square footage, multiple HVAC systems and commercial kitchen equipment. It is not unusual to find a luxury home with an exercise room, wine cellar, high-end fixtures, multiple fireplaces, complex swimming pool, sauna, spa, water features, and if on a lake a dock and boat lift. So clearly enlisting a company with commercial inspection experience is important.

What about my privacy?
Another aspect of inspecting luxury homes that should not be overlooked is that of confidentiality. Both high-end buyers and sellers require discretion when purchasing or selling their homes and it is important that the company they choose has a high degree of integrity from top to bottom. Working with industry leaders, political figures, top executives and celebrities can be distracting for the average home inspector who doesn’t have experience with luxury homes or their home owners. This can lead to inefficiencies due to nervousness or preoccupation and result in an incomplete or inaccurate home inspection.

Because of all these factors, it only makes sense to hire a company who has the necessary qualifications and assets to effectively and judiciously execute a luxury home inspection in a timely manner.

So what makes a great luxury home inspection company?

• A great luxury home inspection company should have a high degree of integrity.
• A great luxury home inspection company should be a multi-inspector firm using the TEAM approach with all inspectors having the necessary experience.
• A great luxury home inspection company should have loads of experience in commercial building inspections as well as luxury home inspections.
• A great luxury home inspection company should be able to provide the necessary ancillary services that may be needed e.g., certified mold, radon and water tests. Pool and spa inspections, FAA drone inspections and underwater boat dock and lift inspections.

As you can see, Signet Home Inspections checks all the boxes and is widely considered the gold standard when it comes to Northern California luxury home inspections. Call us at 530-273-1300 to order yours.