Central Iowa Home Inspection

Hello, my name is John Prohaska and I am the owner of J&P Inspections in Des Moines, Iowa. My business is run with you and your family in mind.

I am certified by The American Society of Home Inspectors http://www.ashi.org and the American Indoor Air Quality Council, http://www.iaqcouncil.org

If you give me the privilege of inspecting your home or prospective home, I will give you my very best effort using all my experience and education to make your dream of a safe and functional home a reality. I personally conduct all my inspections and you can be assured of complete professionalism from the time you hire me until the time I present you my findings and beyond. I am always just a call away.

Why you should do a home inspection

A home inspection is an objective visual examination of the physical structure and systems of a home, from roof to foundation. A home inspection is the equivalent of a physical examination from your doctor. When problems or symptoms of problems are found, the inspector may recommend further evaluation or remedies. A home inspection summarizes the condition of a property, points out the need for major repairs and identifies areas that may need attention in the near future. Buyers and sellers depend on an accurate home inspection to maximize their knowledge of the property in order to make intelligent decisions before executing an agreement for sale or purchase. A home inspection points out the positive aspects of a home, as well as the maintenance that will be necessary to keep it in good shape. After an inspection, both parties have a much clearer understanding of the value and needs of the property

Purchasing a home may be the largest investment you ever make. A complete analysis by J&P Inspections will provide you with the detailed information you need on the house before you buy, avoiding undiscovered, unpleasant, and costly repairs after you move in. A home inspection by J&P Inspections LLC will provide you with a clearer understanding about the property, giving you more confidence about the purchase of your new home. Our inspection will reveal any major problems with the house, as well as point out the positive aspects of the home. He will explain how the house works and answer all of your questions.

OUR MISSION: "We strive to provide quality home evaluations that exceed client expectations and bring value to the client by providing current and objective technical information so that an informed decision can be made regarding purchase of the real-estate investment"

We do not alarm nor magnify house problems, nor do we trivialize or minimize them. We present house problems in an unbiased manner so the client can put them into proper perspective. We explain how the home works; explain unfamiliar systems; suggest maintenance methods; recommend improvements including energy saving practices, and point out ways to correct or avoid problems that can occur in the future.

Infrared Survey

Infrared thermography is a powerful non-invasive means of observing a building. Infrared cameras see "heat", our natural xeyes see "light", therefore infrared cameras by definition can see what our eyes cannot see. In the application of moisture surveys, building materials that are wet will be subjected to the process of evaporation and therefore be represented as a "cooler" image on the LCD screen. This will alert the inspector that there is a "suspect" area and it will be documented using infrared photography and natural photography in the report.

U.S. Department of Energy Recommends Infrared Inspections

A publication from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) says thermographic scans by trained technicians are usually accurate enough to hold up in court.

INSPECTION SERVICES

Due to the economic downturn that the country is currently experiencing and my belief that every home buyer should have a home inspection I am offering my ASHI certified inspection at a low price of ($195.00). Same great inspection that I have always given, but at a price that that reflects the current economic times.

Foreclosure property inspections would be priced at (295.00) and the reason for the increase in the inspection fee is due to the complexity of these inspections. The inspections take longer to do and much longer to write up. This inspection comes with pressure testing of the water lines to insure their integrity. I will not do a foreclosure inspection without testing the water lines. I have seen too many failures of these lines to know that they have to be tested to avoid costly replacement and a added expense that could have been avoided with simple testing at the time of inspection.

Pressure testing only for foreclosures (125.00)

Also I am offering my infra-red inspection of the thermo envelope (exterior walls) which is very informative when looking for moisture and missing insulation at the low price of ($75.00). with the purchase of a home inspection.

In addition to the above services I also offer a whole house indoor air quality test that can be conducted while I inspect the home which looks at over 250 compounds in the air that could adversely affect your family. Indoor Air Quality has been in the news a lot lately because of the amount of time the average person spends indoors.This will be offered for the low price of ($125.00) with the purchase of a home inspection.($185.00) without inspection (there is a three day waiting period for results to come back from the lab).

Radon testing is also available at a cost of $135.00. It is strongly urged that you get a radon test because of the fact that Iowa is one of the worst states for radon in the country.

Mold Inspections are also available and they differ from the above indoor air quality tests in as much as I am only looking for just mold. This inspection consists of a investigation, and more specific air testing for the type of mold and it's specific toxicity. It allows me to test for the level of mold spores which I will compare to a baseline to see if they are elevated or not. I will then write up a plan to fix the problem and help you if necessary with the appropriate recommendations for help in resolving the problem (remediation) Cost ($295.00)(there would be a three day waiting period for results to come back from the lab)

I hope these price reductions will help in these cash strapped times to allow more people to get a home inspection which in my opinion is a must for anyone involved in a home purchase.

Give me a call at 515-240-5672 and avoid making a costly mistake on the biggest investment of your life. When you find the house of your dreams give me a call so it doesn't end up being a nightmare instead!

Regards, John