Structure & foundation
Foundation, visible framing, floor systems, and signs of movement, settlement or water intrusion.
A property inspection is the one purchase in a real estate transaction that exists purely to protect you. It is also one of the few where the person inspecting the building benefits from knowing how buildings are actually put together — which is the case here. The same person who inspects your prospective home has spent years framing, siding, and repairing houses in this county.
Inspections are performed by Nick Douglas, certified through Inspection Certification Associates after completing the 120-hour Professional Real Estate Inspection Certification Program (certification #19257).
What the inspection covers
What the inspection covers
Roof & exterior
Roof covering and penetrations, flashing, gutters, siding, trim, grading and drainage away from the building.
Plumbing
Visible supply and drain lines, fixtures, water heater, functional flow and drainage, and visible leaks.
Electrical
Service entrance, panel, visible wiring, outlets and fixtures, and safety issues such as missing GFCI protection.
Heating & cooling
Heating system, distribution, venting, and cooling equipment where present and safe to operate.
Interior
Walls, ceilings, floors, windows, doors, stairs and railings, plus attic and crawlspace where accessible.
Moisture & ventilation
Attic and crawlspace ventilation, insulation levels, and evidence of past or ongoing moisture problems.
North Idaho
What we look hardest at in North Idaho
Every inspection follows the same standard, but the failure patterns here are regional. In Bonner County the recurring ones are roof and attic problems caused by snow and ice damming, crawlspaces that have been damp for years, decks and stairs built without proper ledger attachment, and older lake-area cabins that were built or expanded before permitting was consistently applied.
Buildings up at elevation, including anything on the Schweitzer side, get extra attention on roof structure, snow shedding and how the building handles meltwater. Lakefront and river-adjacent properties get extra attention on moisture, drainage and the underside of the structure.
The report tells you what is wrong, how serious it is, and what it will likely take to fix — in plain language rather than a wall of checkbox jargon.
How it works
What to expect
Book the inspection
Call with the address and approximate square footage — that is all we need to give you the exact price from the table below.
On-site inspection
A full walkthrough of the property, inside and out, including accessible attic and crawlspace areas. You are welcome to attend, and it is worth doing.
Written report
A detailed report with photographs, findings, and a clear separation between safety issues, real defects, and ordinary maintenance.
Follow-up
We will go through the findings with you. If you want to know what a repair would realistically cost, we can tell you — we do that work.
Pricing
Published inspection pricing
These are the published flat prices for a standard property inspection, set by square footage. Commercial and unusual properties are quoted directly.
| Property size | Inspection price |
|---|---|
| 0 – 1,200 sq ft | $325 |
| 1,200 – 2,500 sq ft | $375 |
| 2,500 – 3,500 sq ft | $425 |
| 3,500 – 4,500 sq ft | $450 |
| 4,500 – 5,500 sq ft | $475 |
| Over 5,500 sq ft | Call for price |
Pre-Inspection Service — $99
A seller's pre-listing inspection. Find the problems before a buyer's inspector does, and decide on your own timeline whether to fix them or price them in.
Book an inspectionWhere we work
Home Inspections across North Idaho
Available in every community we serve — click through for local detail.
FAQ
Common questions
A standard property inspection runs from $325 for homes under 1,200 square feet up to $475 for homes between 4,500 and 5,500 square feet. Anything over 5,500 square feet is quoted directly. A seller's pre-listing inspection is $99.
It is an inspection you order on your own house before you list it. You find out what a buyer's inspector is going to find, while you still have time to fix it, get competing quotes, or price it into the listing deliberately. For $99 it is generally the cheapest negotiating leverage available to a seller.
Yes — we inspect both residential and commercial buildings. Commercial properties are priced individually rather than off the residential square-footage table.
It depends on size and condition, but most residential inspections take a few hours on site. You are welcome to walk it with us, and attending is the single best way to understand the report you get afterwards.
Need home inspections?
Call and describe the job, or send photos. Estimates are free and we will give you a real number rather than a range.