A structural issue in a home is kind of like sitting at a wobbly table at your favorite restaurant—it’s annoying, unstable, and your drink is probably going to slide off. An Advanced Structural Assessment is like having a keen-eyed waiter who spots the wobbly table, but instead of just slipping a coaster under it, tells the restaurant owner and gets it properly and professionally fixed!
Unfortunately, a visual inspection is not always enough to identify some structural problems. In modern houses, most of the structure is concealed by drywall and not visible. If you can’t see a defect, then how do you know it’s there? The answer is measurements. Detailed measurements of the house structure can often uncover a condition that would not be found under normal inspection practices. As part of the Advanced Structural Assessment service, the data your inspector collects will be analyzed by a Professional Engineer and an engineering report will be provided.
That said, if you didn’t get the ASA up front, and your inspector notices a structural concern like a foundation crack, termite damage, etc., then adding the Advanced Structural Assessment at that time is the right move. The data your inspector collects will be analyzed by a Professional Engineer and an engineering report will be provided detailing the various structural conditions that may exist.
We also get asked a lot if “the Advanced Structural Assessment necessary for a new house?”
The Advanced Structural Assessment is generally more beneficial the older the house is. Any house pre-1940 has a reasonable likelihood of around $10k in structural repairs and increased risk for repairs costing $50k+. Houses roughly from 1940 to 1990 often need $5k-$10k in structural repairs, but very rarely need repairs costing more than $30k. Houses After 1990 have a low-likelihood of a repair costing more than $10k.
FAQ's
To offer the Advanced Structural Assessment, an inspector must be qualified by ASA Engineering Group, LLC. It’s a big investment to get qualified. The training takes time. Many home inspectors are not experienced enough to collect the necessary data. It’s a specialty not every inspector is suited for.
We believe the Advanced Structural Assessment is the next big thing in home inspections. As home prices rise, homebuyers are looking for ways to learn as much as possible about their investment.
