Any home inspectors in York County PA ?

Today I viewed a home today and think this might be the "one" but I want a home inspector who knows the building code for York County PA to look over the home and other buildings.

Quick run down of the buildings and things this grease monkey thinks should be looked at:

House: Built in 1956 and seems to be in good shape but I found "GAS" lines with no use, an "odd" fitting (related to the gas line?) just outside the home in the ground, fire place, HVAC, and a few other small things.

Main shop: Looks to have been built in the late 70's and seems to be in good condition but had parts that I could not view due to a lack of keys and stairs.

"Station" building (best I can call it): Looks to have been built in the late 50's as a gas/ service station and has two rooms (no key again), seems to be in fair condition but more "GAS" line.

Barn: This building I would say is in poor condition, at best. It looks to have a good metal roof and I could not see any water coming into the building (raining today) but will need work to say the least.

If you can recommend me someone to use or not use I would appreciate it.

Thanks, Paul B

Sounds like you know your objective- that's a good start.

I can't offer any recommendations (because its been along time since I lived in PA), but I am a Home Inspector, and can give you a little feedback...

• If that's an actual gas station, look for underground tanks (and evidence of leaking). A Home Inspector will not do this- it's out of the scope of their work. Make sure you get it done. If there are underground tanks, they should be removed, and any associated cleanup should be the responsibility of the seller.

• Home Inspectors do not generally inspect in accordance with the Building Code, because it's not applicable. I guarantee the property is not up to Code. It's not supposed to be- the Building Code is for new buildings, not existing ones (it changes regularly). Home Inspectors inspect for safety and usability, not the Code.

• Abandoned gas lines are common, and not a problem (as long as they are truly abandoned). They may be LP lines, and you may want to use them (but will need to lease a tank from a gas supply company).

• Multiple buildings are often beyond the scope of a standard home inspection. Make sure you specify when you hire the inspector that you want all of the buildings inspected.

• It is also not a Home Inspector's job to tell you what it will take to fix stuff, only alert you when there are issues. Since you already know several of the buildings have issues, it may be worth getting a couple of estimates from contractors for repairs. It will give you a sense of what it will take, and solid fodder for negotiating the sale.

Good luck!

SVREX, thank you for the input on being clear about the scope of work I should include when dealing with a home inspector. I have asked for more information on any and all gasoline tank, fuel oil tank, brine tank, and other supporting plumbing related to this system. The realtor is checking into this today or tomorrow.

Thanks, Paul B