4-Point Home Inspection

Four-Point Inspections in South Carolina’s Horry County and Georgetown Counties

What is a Four-Point Inspection?

A Four-Point Inspection focuses only on four main areas of interest in a home:

  • HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning)
  • Electrical wiring and panels
  • Plumbing connections and fixtures
  • Roof

The inspection and report describes the condition and age of these elements.

Why do I need a Four-Point Inspection?

Insurance companies have become increasingly reluctant to issue homeowner insurance policies on older homes (usually 25 years old or more).

Their common concern is that there may be conditions in an older home that could become a liability to them. For example, a home with a roof nearing the end of its reliable service life may fail while under the policy and the homeowner may seek reimbursement from their insurance company for damages to the home or its contents. Similar concerns extend to the condition of the HVAC, and electrical or plumbing systems in an older home. If these elements are in poor condition, in need of being updated or replaced, or were improperly installed, they may fail and cause fire or water damage to a home.

Newer homes are assumed (by the insurance companies) to not have these problems as frequently as older homes.

Is there a standard form to fill out?

There is no industry wide standard form for a Four Point Inspection. Some insurance companies provide their own forms; however, most insurance companies will accept forms from companies that perform home inspections provided that they are filled out by qualified individuals. CPM Real Estate Inspections has developed a form that meets the requirements of most insurance companies in South Carolina. They are signed by a licensed Professional Engineer.

To see a sample of our home inspection report >> CLICK HERE

You can copy this sample report and email it to your insurance company to see if it will satisfy their requirements. All inspection reports from LAB Home Inspections LLC are PDF files that can be easily distributed over the internet.

Can I fill out the form myself?

Insurance companies want these forms filled out by certain qualified individuals such as a licensed Professional Engineer, Electrician, and General or Roofing Contractor.

I had a home inspection before I purchased the home. Can I use that report instead of getting a Four-Point Inspection Report?

The insurance companies do not want large reports that contain other information. They want only specific information about the HVAC, plumbing, electrical system, and roof in a short one or two page, signed document. Before you pay for a home inspection, ask your insurance company if they require a Four Point Inspection Report. You can end up paying twice for much of the same service and information gathering.

Because of the size of a Standard Home Inspection Report from LAB Home Inspections LLC, it is not in a format that your insurance company needs. However, we will transfer all of the collected data to our Four Point Inspection form free of charge to clients who have paid us for a Standard Home Inspection. You should check with your insurance company in advance to see if our Four Point Inspection form will satisfy their requirements. We cannot guarantee they will accept our form and additional charges will apply if we have to use their form.

 

Me and my team at LAB Home Inspections hope you really enjoyed this article!

 

If you have specific questions about your home, or would like to schedule a home inspection, please contact Darren directly:

Darren Dawson, Certified Master Inspector (CMI)®

Myrtle Beach, SC

(352) 665- 9900

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