Our whole house inspection is a non-intrusive visual inspection of the house STRUCTURE inside and outside, ROOF, FOUNDATION, and a MECHANICAL INSPECTION which includes the HEATING, AIR CONDITIONING, PLUMBING, ELECTRICAL, and all BUILT IN APPLIANCES.  This is a visual inspection by a TRAINED CERTIFIED INSPECTOR that follows industry standard methods and procedures.  We inspect areas that are visibly accessible without damaging the house.   A formal report is e-mailed after the inspection with digital pictures of all issues.  Our report is designed to help both you and your agent to determine which issues need to be listed on your unacceptable conditions as part of your contract for renegotiations.

 We offer our Whole House Inspection at a fixed price regardless of thesize or age of a single family dwelling.  We basically have ONE PRICE for a WHOLE HOUSE INSPECTION for any single family house less than 4500 square feet.

Most of our competitors have additional fees and costs that increase their inspection price:

1. Larger than 2500 square feet
2. Older than 20 years age
3. Has a crawl space
4. Is not occupied (vacant)
5. Is a bank repossession

We do not have additional fees for a Whole House inspection.  When you compare costs, make sure that your get the real cost of an inspection.

Included in our Whole House Inspection is free telephone consultation for up to 2 years after your inspection.  Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions on your home even after your inspection.  Our contact number is 816-922-9529.  We take pride in offering a service to help our customers that does not stop after the inspection.

This is an inspection for Wood Destroying Insects (W.D.I.) commonly called a Termite Inspection.  It is a visual inspection of readily accessible areas of the structure indicated on the report to determine the presence or absence of visual evidence of wood destroying insects.   It is a non-invasive inspection - meaning that moldings. floor coverings, wall coverings, siding, fixed ceilings, insulation, furniture, appliances, and or personal possessions are not removed, moved, or dismantled during the inspection.   This inspection does not include inspecting for mold, mildew, or non-insect wood destroying organisms   (see inspection report for scope and conditions).  Most lenders require a TERMITE or W.D.I. INSPECTION on a home before a loan is approved. 

In Missouri and Kansas this inspection by law, must be performed by a State Certified and Licensed W.D.I. (wood destroying insects) Inspector.  We offer W.D.I. or TERMITE INSPECTION s by an inspector with the required Certified Non-Commercial Applicator License with the State of Missouri and Kansas.  We can perform this inspection at the same time as the Whole House Inspection for considerable savings on the cost of a Termite Inspection.  This inspection will check for infestations, signs of prior damage, and make recommendations for W.D.I. treatments if applicable per state requirements.

Our Missouri Certification and License is No N5733 and Kansas Certification and License is No 21629.

The RADON INSPECTION is a test for the presence of Radon gas or its radioactive decay products in the home.  Radon is a naturally occurring, odorless, tasteless, colorless, inert radioactive gas that is known to cause cancer.  Radon is produced by the natural decay of Uranium to Radium in the soil and rocks.  Because it is an inert gas, it travels freely through rocks and soil and eventually through basement cracks and openings into most homes.  The test is to determine whether your home at the time of the 48 hour test has concentrations of Radon in excess of 4pCi/L (4 pico curies per Liter of air).  EPA State Residential Radon Surveys of homes in Kansas and Missouri indicated 25% of homes in Kansas and 17% of the homes in Missouri exceeded the EPA action level of 4pCi/L.  It is a Class A or Group 1 known carcinogen (highest risk group) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.  The action level of 4pCi/L is not a safe level of Radon but only a known level of being “at risk” in developing lung cancer.  At 4pCi/L your at risk for lung cancer is estimated by EPA to be at 7 in 1000 for non-smokers and 62 in 1000 for smokers.

Integrity Building Inspections offers Radon testing by a Certified Inspector in accordance with National Environmental Health Association (NEHA), National Radon Prevention Program (NRPP) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) protocols.  We use only NEHA – NRPP Certified inspectors, and Performance Tested Certified monitors, and follow EPA testing protocols for Radon monitoring.    See our RADON INFORMATION section for more useful information on Radon.  

If your Radon testor or his equipment is not Certified - you may not be getting accuract results (There are only 16 people certified for both measurement and analysis in the Kansas City Area as of August 2010.  Everyone else should be sending their results out to a 3rd party before giving you the results.  Our NEHA-NRPP Certification No is 105598RT for both measurement and analytical services.  You can check this at www.radongas.org (look for the "S" and "A" certifications or per protocol, your provider needs to use a 3rd party to give you the results).

For real estate transaction tests, the minimum test period is 48 hours with closed house conditions that must be maintained 12 hours before and during the 48 hour test.  Closed house conditions means that the house is kept closed and ventilation reduced by the following conditions:  windows and doors kept closed (except normal entry and exit), attic (whole house) fans, clothes dryers, central vacuum systems, shop exhaust, fireplaces, and any system exhausting air to the outside or bringing air to inside are kept off and not running.  Fans that should be operated are Radon abatement fans, HVAC burner fresh air & burner exhaust for safety, and small bathroom fans only for short durations.  Normal heating and air conditions systems can be ran as required if they circulate inside air with the fan switch set to auto position.  A signed consent to test agreement is required to insure that proper test conditions were maintained prior to and during the test and that the test and testing devices were not compromised.  Any Radon inspector not following these procedures is not certified or is not following proper EPA protocols.

If proper closed house conditions did not exist 12 hours prior to the start of the test, the test will be ran for 60 hours instead of the 48 hour period and the first 12 hours of data thrown out (using approved continuous monitors).  Integrity Building Inspections use several types of interference-detecting techniques that allow detection and documentation of test interference.  Any such interference will be documented on our Radon Test report.

There are several methods to measure Radon.  Some of our competition uses activated charcoal devices.   If Activated Charcoal passive test devices were used, two devices must be used side by side for a 48 hour period (or two sequential tests of 48 hours each in the same location) with closed house conditions maintained 12 hours prior to and during the test.  This type of Radon test device must be shipped off to an approved outside testing laboratory and the results will be e-mailed at a later time.  This type of testing causes further delays. 

Integrity Building Inspections uses state of the art Sun Nuclear continuous monitors so just one monitor is accurate enough and the results can be downloaded immediately after the test.  We can obtain and e-mail your results the same day the Radon test ends.   Click here for more Radon information on our Radon page.

The time it takes to inspect a home depends upon what type of inspection(s) are performed, how big the house is, and how many defects it has.  Whole house inspections often take an average of 2 to 3 hours - even 4 hours on very large homes (does not include time writing reports).  Inspections take longer when explaining defects, their cause, and solutions to our clients but this is the service we provide and our reason for being in the inspection business.  We are here to help you save money with the information provided during the inspection and we welcome your questions and your presence during the inspection.

Radon Inspections take much longer.  Per EPA protocols it must be a minimum of 48 hours provided that closed house conditions were maintained 12 hours prior to the start of the test.  A signed Consent to Test Agreement by the homeowner or occupant is required before testing can begin.  If continuous monitors were used the results can be obtained immediately after the test.  If activated charcoal devices were used, they must be sent out to an outside laboratory with additional delays.   Integrity Building Inspections only uses continuous monitors from Sun Nuclear so the results can be downloaded immediately after the test.

We want you to be present during the inspection.  Our inspectors want to show you specific issues that are observed during the inspection and will offer information about their causes and advice for corrections.  If you cannot be present, we can review the inspection report that will be e-mailed to you over the phone.  There will be plenty of pictures to help understand the nature of the items found.  Remember, we off free phone consultation for as long as you own your home so you can call back as often as necessary.  We want to make sure you understand your inspection and the condition of the home you are buying or selling.

Our Contract for Inspection and our inspection fee must be paid before the inspection can begin.  If you are present during the inspection you can handle these details in person. If you choose not to be present you can schedule and pay through pay pal.

We normally e-mail the formal report to our client and the client’s legal representative or real estate agent within a few hours but usually less than 24 hours after the inspection.  Inspections that have a large number of defects identified may take longer.  If you are up against your 10 day deadline (normal real estate contract window) please let us know so it can be expedited.

A summary page is an abbriviated listing of the defects found in the detailed complete inspection report.  It can easily be attached to your Unacceptable Conditions Statement and aids in negotiation during the real estate transaction.   One change in 2010 on the KCRAR inspection sheet is that now the complete inspection report must be attached to your unacceptable conditions - not just the summary sheet.  Be sure to check with your real estate agent as they are your legal representative you chose to help you through the regulations.

It is best to verify before scheduling the inspection that the utilities are turned on.  However, if the utilities are not on, we will proceed with the inspection as scheduled the best we can.  Your report will specifically list items that could not be inspected.  If the buyer signed a standard contract through a realtor, it is usually their legal responsibility to maintain the utilities through the closing date.  We will re-inspect for an additional fee to cover those items that could not be inspected during the first trip.

The owner of the house normally will write up a list or disclose items to the buyer that are wrong or have been previously corrected.  We will ask to have a copy of the owner’s disclosure so we can verify those items they stated indeed have been corrected or dealt with correctly. 

We cannot see behind or through walls.  Inspectors are detectives look for evidence that defective conditions exist.  We don’t move furniture or clutter to inspect items.  It is possible that a homeowner will place objects to block a defect.  We will do our best to observe defects but we cannot find items specifically blocked or deliberately hidden.  Too much clutter can prevent inspection of an area because we cannot move the items.  We cannot safely crawl or climb into areas not constructed for human occupancy so if access to an area is too small, flooded with water, too muddy to walk, we will make note of this condition on our report.  We will make every reasonable effort to inspect every accessible area.

Inspectors do not make requirements.  We cannot force someone to fix anything.  We are simply informing our clients of the conditions that exist in the home at the time of the inspection.  Our clients may take this information and with the advice of their real estate agent, use it to help them make a list of unacceptable conditions to negotiate a price and in making the decision whether the property is worth the price asked by the seller.  Clients may decide to repair an item themselves and save on repair costs.  Often inspections are for the home owner so they can obtain advice and information to budget and plan for upcoming future repairs and their expenses.  Homeowners also schedule inspections so they can perform repairs before putting their home on the market.  Often this helps insure the home sells quickly.

Areas that are blocked by stored items cannot be inspected.  If an access door is too small, a crawl space not high enough, an area is too wet or unsafe to enter, then the space cannot be inspected.  However, we will look in with a high power flashlight and zoom to inspect what we can.  If an access is painted or nailed shut we cannot damage the building by opening the access up.  In such cases it may be necessary to get permission from the homeowner to remove or open up the area to be inspected.  We cannot look inside walls but will look for clues of defects based upon conditions that can be seen.

 We do not inspect:  Outbuildings, sheds, detached garages, swimming pools, hot tubs, appliances not built in (permanently attached), walk in refrigeration room equipment, security systems, alarms, or luxury items such as;   intercoms, camera systems, built in home theaters, weather stations, and other low voltage systems.  Everything is spelled out in our Pre-Inspection Agreement or Contract.

Over the years every city adopted its own set of building codes.  Even though there is a Uniform Building Code, Codes change every year.  A house that was built 20 years ago does not meet the building codes for a home built today.   Some homes were built before any building code existed.  A home inspector is not a city code inspector.  If we spot a safety issue because a code has changed we will point the issue out as a safety issue.  Here’s an example;  We won’t tell you that the square footage of the old style windows don’t meet current Fire Department egress code requirements that have been changed since the home was built (larger windows are now required under new building codes).   We will let you know if the window won’t open for you to escape in case of fire, a safety issue. 

It would be very unlikely that the inspector would break something.  This is the reason we do not move furniture or clutter to inspect blocked areas.  It is the sellers’ responsibility to have everything moved and accessible ready for the inspection.  If an area cannot be inspected it will be noted on the report.  We will inspect the home by turning on the switches, operating built in fixtures, and built in appliances as they are intended to be operated.  If they do not work for the inspection, they will be noted as defective.  It is highly unlikely that it broke during the inspection just by being operated by normal means.

No inspector can guarantee that they will never miss anything.  At Integrity Building Inspections we follow specific industry protocols in performing our inspections.  By following these specific procedures the same way over and over for each inspection we are confident that the risk of missing something is extremely low.  We were trained by the best to be the best and we are confident that our inspections are the best service you can purchase for the money.  We are so confident of our inspection service that we offer free phone consultation for up to two years after you purchase your home.  Just call us at 816-922-9529 if you have any questions even on something not written in the inspection report.  We are in business to help you and we stand behind our inspections.

 It is remotely possible that a light switch was checked and worked during the inspection but as soon as the door was shut it stopped working due to a loose wire that could not be seen.  The conditions at the time of the inspection were reported.  If you believe we missed something give us a call so we can help find the problem or explain what is written in the report.  If  something was identified as being defective in the inspection and breaks down as expected and you simply want advice on the best repair options, call us, and we can often provide additional helpful information so you can deal with the repairs in an informed way.  We might be able to save you money in dealing with repairmen trying to convince you to buy something you don't need or to do more work than is really necessary.

 Yes, Gary holds many licenses and certfications which are listed below.

Gary and his wife were personally trained by one of the oldest and best home inspectors in the Kansas City area with over 29,000 inspections and more than 31 years of full time home inspections.   Trained by the best to be the best.    Our protocols for inspections insure that your home inspection will be the best value for your money. 

Gary is registered with the Kansas Home Inspector Registration Board and holds registration No 0310-0151.  All inspections in the State of Kansas, by Kansas law, must be performed with an inspector that is registered with the Kansas Board, and complies with Kansas Home Inspectors Professional Competence and Financial Responsibility Act.   Since this law took effect on January 1st, 2010 there have been several conflicts in the law which are being worked out.    At Integrity Building Inspections, we are intrepreting the Kansas Standards to be the bare minimum standard and we will continue to provide quality home inspections by folllowing  A.A.R.M.I. or Nachi Standards of Practice that are much more strict and complete.   Our contract (called PreInspection Agreement by the State of Kansas) and Pre-Inspection Notice both state what Standards of Practice we follow in our inspections.  We will continue to inspect all built in appliances even though the new Kansas law states they are not part of a home inspection  (HB 2260 Section 1. K.S.A. 2008 Supp. 58-4502 (c) (1)).    At Integrity Building Inspections we believe that our customers want a quality inspection performed to National Standards of the industry, not an inspection performed to comply to poorly written rules and a contradictory law that has been modified, amended, and rules determined unconstitutional by the Kansas Attorney General (in their Opinion No 2009-5) over time.   We will be watching to see what other changes will be coming in the future to correct the Kansas Law and Board Rules issues.

Gary holds the State of Missouri Certified Non-Commercial Applicator’s License for Category 7b wood destroying insects (Termites) as required by law for termite inspections (License No N5733) and also holds the Kansas reciprocal 7a Commercial Pesticide Applicator Certification (license No 21629). 

He is certified for both Radon Measurement and Radon Analytical Services by NEHA (National Environmental Health Administration) and NRPP (National Radon Proficiency Program).  In fact Gary is one of only 16 providers certified by NEHA-NRPP or NRSB for both Radon measurement and Radon analysis in the Kansas City metro area (as of March 2010).  By EPA protocol everyone else should be sending their Radon measurment results out to have someone else analyize the data.   Integrity Building Inspections can get you the results almost immediately after the test is complete.               

Integrity Building Inspections Radon testing equipment is type approved, calibrated by Sun Nuclear Inc.,  and all types sent to Bowser – Morner, an approved independent National Radiation Reference Laboratory, for performance testing.   Gary's NRPP Certification # is 105598RT for both standard and analytic services .

We perform our Radon tests consistent with National Environmental Health Association (NEHA), National Radon Proficiency Program (NRPP), and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) procedural protocols EPA 520-402-R-92-004; US EPA 1992, and EPA 402-R-93-003; US EPA 1993, Office of Air and Radiation.    For additional information please refer to Home Buyer’s and Seller’s Guide to Radon (EPA 402-K-05-005 EPA 1995) and the Citizen’s Guide to Radon (EPA 402-K02-006 EPA2005) at www.epa.gov/radon.

There are many private organizations that will "certify" an inspector or list them with their organization if you pay their fee, pass their test, and abide by their rules.  We have screened many inspectors in the KC area and found that they do not all follow the rules of the trade organization they joined.  At Integrity Building Inspections we give you the best inspection for you money.  Just belonging to one of the many trade organizations and being listed with them with their logo does not mean you get  a quality inspection. At the present time there are no state laws in Missouri regarding home inspectors.  That is why Gary is certified by the largest home inspection organization in the country.  Gary is a member of the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors with NACHI ID #NACHI09121901.   They are serious about continuing education which is being recognized by the Kansas Home Inspection Board.  Check them out at www.nachi.org.

Integrity Building Inspections is insured carrying both liability and E & O insurance.   All inspection companies who are registered with the Kansas Home Inspector Registration Board by law have to carry insurance.  Missouri has no laws governing home inspectors so be sure your inspector is insured.

Yes.  My wife, of over 30 years, is a trained home inspector and is very concerned about female safety as well as being very detail oriented.  She can be scheduled to be at and to help with your inspection.  We both believe in meeting your safety and security needs and we can provide this service at no extra cost.   In a sense you will be getting two inspectors for the price of one.

We provide inspections all over the Greater Kansas City area and surrounding suburbs.  We will travel 25 miles without additional costs for mileage.  Our business is located on the Lee’s Summit / Kansas City border.  We try to schedule inspections in the same area of the city on the same day to minimize travel time and costs.  If we are already in the area, we might be able to go further out than 25 miles without additional costs.  Call us and we can let you know if there are any additional costs for inspections in the county outside our normal 25 mile service area.