4 Point Inspection

Online Scheduler

How To Pass a 4 Point Inspection

Read this and view videos of 4 Point Inspection in each section to get more details
Call Neil to ask questions if you have any
Have repairs made if needed
Schedule inspection

How to Pass the 4 Point Inspection Flyer

Electrical

Electrical: This is an area that you do not want to play around with. As a Certified General Contractor I myself do not attempt to do repairs, replacement or maintenance on electrical panels or electrical components. I call a LICENSED ELECTRICIAN! This is no place for the do it yourselfer, I do not care how handy you are or what electrical contractor your nephew once worked for. Whenever we inspect panels installed or repaired by unlicensed personnel without pulling a permit it is invariably done wrong. Don’t gamble with the lives of your loved ones. Hire a properly licensed electrician who pulls permits.

  1. Verify manufacturer of electrical panel. Many insurance companies will not insure Federal Pacific (FPE) panels along with a few other brands. Verify insurability with your insurance agent as this changes from one insurance company to another.
  2. Verify that electrical panel box and breakers are from the same manufacturer.
  3. Verify that Legend is filled out and legible so you can tell what circuits each breaker is controlling.
  4. Verify no open spaces in electrical panel. Sometimes there will be an empty space where a breaker or cover plate should be.
  5. Inspector will verify that there are no double taps and wiring is proper inside panel. Do not attempt to do this yourself. Unless you are a licensed electrician you have no business opening an electrical panel.
  6. Verify that there are no solid aluminum wire branch circuits visible.
Electrical Panel: (Remove objects from in front of electrical panel to make accessible before inspector arrives).
GFCI Protection, Receptacles, Switches and Wiring:  There is no “law” that requires upgrading to current GFCI protection standards if the home was built prior to the code requirement. But many insurance companies will not insure your home if the it does not at least have the bathrooms and kitchen protected.  Current building codes require that GFCI receptacles be installed at bathroom, kitchen and laundry sinks, tubs and showers.  They are also required in garages and on the building exterior. If you can stretch a 6′ string from the receptacle to the inside edge of a sink, shower or tub it must be a GFCI protected receptacle. I have found that if I can verify and state in the 4 Point Inspection that the receptacles within 6′ of any inside edge of a sink, shower or tub is GFCI protected then we do not have an issue with any insurance company regarding GFCI protection.  Consult a licensed electrician if you need GFCI protection installed.  There are multiple ways this can be accomplished.
  1. Cover Plates:  No cover plates should be missing from electrical switches, receptacles or junction boxes.
  2. Smoke Detectors:  All smoke detectors are in working condition. Located inside bedrooms, hallways leading to bedrooms and attached garages.
  3. Exposed Wiring:  No exposed romex wiring or electrical connections in any room including attached sheds, laundry rooms and workshops. This includes romex wiring at garbage disposal.

HVAC System

We examine the air conditioning equipment and controls for proper operations, condensation leaks and water damage.  The insurance company wants to know that the equipment is there and functioning.  One popular scam is to acquire insurance after equipment has been stolen or damaged and then file an insurance claim shortly after acquiring the new insurance policy.  The insurance company wants to prevent that from happening.
  1. Air conditioner and heating system should be installed, complete, and operable.
  2. There should be no signs of water damage, condensation leaks, or signs of previous condensation leaks below the air handler.

Plumbing

We check for leaks and evidence of previous leaks at valves, supply lines, drain lines, sinks, faucets and water heaters. The plumbing is of great concern due to the amount of damage that is done by water.  Insurance companies will want to know the plumbing type and age before they will even consider binding insurance.  For most of the insurance companies, polybutylene plumbing is un-insurable.  Insurance for galvanized and cast iron plumbing is harder to to find and likely more expensive because of its age.

Sinks, Toilets, Tubs and Showers
  1. Types of plumbing materials present (copper, PVC, CPVC, PEX, polybutylene, galvanized, etc.)
  2. Any water leaks at sinks, drains, supply lines, valves and washing machine hoses.
  3. No evidence of previous leaks.  The insurance company requires that the report contain pictures of plumbing under the sinks.  If they see evidence of previous leaks they will assume damage was done and not repaired. Painting over water stains is all that is necessary.
Plumbing
Water Heaters
  1. No leaks
  2.  Electrical wiring in protective conduit. Electrical covers installed.
  3.  ¾” TPR Valve Drain Line installed properly. Needs to be made of rigid material, have no more than 4 elbows, terminate within 6″ of floor, no threads permitted at termination point. May terminate at floor next to water heater, not required to be plumbed to outside.
Water Heater: (Remove objects from in front of water heater to make accessible before inspector arrives)

Roof

Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book of 4 point inspection. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum.

  1.  No lifting, curling, broken or missing shingles.
  2. No missing aggregate
  3. No indications of leaks.
  4. No damaged flashings including pipe flashings.
Roof