Question 1

I found another inspector who costs less

Accepted Answer

A home inspection is never something that you want to skimp on. Oftentimes, the way other inspectors charge less is by spending less time on each job so they can do more inspections per day, or by hiring less experienced inspectors. In contrast, MasterGuard spends far more time on each inspection than most (sometimes up to 6 hours!), generally performing only one extremely detailed inspection per day, per inspector. While you might be able to save a few bucks, a home-buying decision is far too important to risk on an inferior job. If you try to go the cheap route, you risk missing key defects in one of the single largest investments of your life. Contact us for a custom price quote based on your unique situation.

Question 2

What's included in a home inspection?

Accepted Answer

A MasterGuard home inspector will visually (and in some cases technically) inspect each segment component of the house listed below:

• Roof: The roof’s condition, the materials used, the drainage system, chimneys, skylights, and flashing. We will inspect for any visible repairs or damage to the shingles and gutters.
 • Foundation and structure: including the floor, walls, ceiling, and roof structure.
 • Electrical systems: We will check the electrical systems to verify they are functioning correctly and for safety defects. This includes the electrical panel box, grounding, wiring, electrical outlets, switches, and circuit breakers.
 • Plumbing systems: We will check the plumbing system, including the water heater system, accessible pipes, and fixtures, including bathtubs, showers, toilets.
 • Heating systems: We will check the heating equipment, chimneys, fireplaces, venting, and ductwork.
 • Air conditioning systems: We will check the central and other cooling systems and ductwork condition.
 • Built-in Appliances: We will check any built-in appliances such as stoves, refrigerators, dishwashers, microwaves, washer machines, dryers, etc.
 • Basement, Attic, and Garage: We will check the foundations, walls, floors, windows, framing, roof, wiring, and electrical systems, and garage door openers.
 • Exterior: We will inspect the condition of the exterior paint and siding, lights, outlets, and more.
 • Safety features: fire and carbon monoxide alarms, the condition of staircases, guardrails, etc.
 • Grounds: check the condition of sidewalks, driveways, fences, and lot drainage.

As a certified member of the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI) we make our best effort to adhere to, or surpass, the InterNACHI standards of practice (https://www.nachi.org/sop.htm)in addition to Tennessee State inspection requirements.

Question 3

Who needs a home inspection and why?

Accepted Answer

HOME BUYERS: For most, a home is one of the single largest investments they will ever make. It smart to learn as much as you can about a house before you buy it. With a MasterGuard home inspection, you can avoid expensive surprise repairs and maintenance problems. Our thorough, photo-rich report will give you a clear picture of the structural elements and systems that make up the home and property. Home buyers frequently use inspection reports to negotiate a reduced purchase price.

NEW CONSTRUCTION: Even newly constructed homes should be thoroughly inspected. Builders sometimes cut corners or overlook things. If you purchased a newly constructed home and it still has a warranty from the builder, it’s a good idea to have a home inspection before it expires. Those repairs or corrections can easily exceed the cost of an inspection. If you catch them prior to warranty expiration, your warranty may cover them.

REPAIR VERIFICATION: Some Buyers desire a follow-up inspection, wherein they ask us to come back to verify that repairs have been correctly made to the items flagged in an initial inspection report. This is a shorter, more targeted, less costly inspection.

SELLERS: Sellers who use us, benefit by knowing the condition of their home before they place it on the market. Then, any needed repairs can be made prior to listing. By taking this proactive step, you can reduce the chances of a buyer trying to negotiate a lower price. A seller’s inspection can also be used as a comparison to what the buyer’s inspector finds.

Question 4

What make MasterGuard the best home inspector in Nashville?

Accepted Answer

MasterGuard isn't your typical Middle Tennessee home inspection service. We provide concierge-level service tailored to seasoned real estate investors, homebuyers, and agents who demand maximum expertise, thoroughness, and professionalism—not boilerplate reports and rushed inspections. Unlike high-volume firms that rely on a rotating team of less-experienced inspectors, every MasterGuard inspection is overseen by our chief Inspector who has spent decades as a home builder. We deliberately schedule only one detailed inspection per day, allowing us to take our time and focus entirely on your property.
​​​
 • We use the latest tech ()to find things that other inspectors miss.
 • We don't just email you a generic boilerplate report and disappear—we meet with you in person or via Zoom to educate you about the house, explain its systems, our findings, our recommendations, and answer all your questions. 
 • Within 24 hours, you'll receive a comprehensive, easy-to-read report filled with annotated photos, videos, thermal images, and clear, actionable recommendations—all in plain English.
​
We offer purchase inspections ()for new homebuyers, pre-listing inspections ()for sellers and real estate agents, and follow-up inspections ()to review any repairs made. 
​
Our commitment to quality extends to our use of state-of-the-art technology: From drones ()for aerial roof inspections, thermal imaging ()to detect issues invisible to the naked eye, electronic moisture detection ()and radon detection—()we go above and beyond in our efforts to uncover even the smallest defects.

A MasterGuard inspection might cost a few dollars more, but the information you will receive from us will potentially save you tens of thousands of dollar (or much more), or even save you from a home-buying disaster that you will later regret.

Question 5

When will I receive my report?

Accepted Answer

Most home inspections reports are delivered to the client via email within 24 hours of the home inspection.  The detailed, photo-rich inspection report will outline all major areas of the home including plumbing, electrical, roofing, heating, air conditioning, and more.

Question 6

What if the home inspection reveals problems?

Accepted Answer

Our inspection report will tell you the condition of the house, including recommended repairs. No house is going to be perfect. It is up to you to decide how any of the potential problems the inspection uncovers might affect your how you proceed with the purchase. If the inspection discovers major issues, you may want to try negotiating with the seller to have the repairs completed before closing the sale. Or the seller may offer to lower the price as an alternative to making the repairs. The decision on how you want to move forward is up to you, but having the knowledge that a MasterGuard inspection report provides will give you the information needed to make an informed decision.

Question 7

Will you fix the problems you find during the inspection?

Accepted Answer

No. The international association of certified home inspectors (InterNACHI) standards prohibit their members from performing repairs on homes that they inspect.  This assures that there will never be any conflict of interest by the inspector. Our purpose is to provide an honest, unbiased, objective third-party report on the condition of the home.

Question 8

What is your pricing?

Accepted Answer

A home inspection is never something that you want to skimp on. That being said, our pricing is still lower than many others. MasterGuard's pricing for a typical single-family home inspection is around $500. For homes over 2500 feet, basic pricing is typically $0.20/square foot rounded up to the nearest $100. Note that multi-unit buildings use a different pricing structure than described above. We spend more time performing our inspections than most (sometimes up to 6 hours!), generally performing only one extremely detailed inspection per day per inspector. Typically, half the day is spent on your inspection, the other half on your report. Our fee may vary based on a variety of factors, including square footage, age of the home, unique features, location and optional add-ons like radon, termite, or drone. While you might be able to save a few bucks on another inspector, a home-buying decision is far too important to risk on an inferior inspection. If you try to go the cheap route, you risk missing key defects on one of the single largest investments of your life. Contact us for a custom price quote based on your unique situation.

Question 9

How long does a home inspection take?

Accepted Answer

Unlike many others, we generally limit ourselves to one, patient, meticulous, detailed inspection per day. Depending on the size and condition of the home, MasterGuard  inspections generally take a minimum of 3 hours and sometimes longer.

Question 10

Can I attend the inspection?

Accepted Answer

You are absolutely welcome to attend the inspection. However, know that a MasterGuard inspection is different from others in that we take our time, never rush, sometimes spending up to 6 hours meticulously going through the home with a fine toothed comb. For this reason, some clients get bored or have other things to do during the inspection. Instead, many of our clients opt to meet the inspector at the very end of the inspection to go over the findings. If you choose not to do so in person, the inspector will gladly review the findings either by phone or via Zoom, to answer your questions or concerns. Regardless of the post-inspection review meeting, we will provide you with a thorough, detailed, photo-rich report that will explain all our findings.

HOME INSPECTIONS

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Have a question that’s not covered above? Feel free to contact us anytime.

HOME INSPECTIONS