(603) 568-5936 tom@grade2gable.com
Who are we and Why do we do this?
My name is Tom Snow, and I am the owner/inspector for Grade-2-Gable Home Inspections, which was established in 2012. I started this business because I enjoy helping people and felt like I had a lot to offer from an educational standpoint to perspective home buyers who may not be familiar with the systems that keep a home functional. I also enjoy performing inspections because I enjoy problem solving and looking beyond the obvious to see underlying issues, and I have a depth of knowledge when it comes to home construction.
I was raised in the construction industry and still maintain employment with my family performing excavation services in New Hampshire. My grandfather was a general contractor for my entire life, and I work for my father who is an excavation contractor; he started his own company in 2003 and I have been an employee since the beginning. This employment is the primary reason I perform septic evaluations as well as home inspections, since I have been installing and replacing septic systems for 20 years.
My experience has allowed me to see the evolution of structures as they are being built, since excavation contractors are typically the first to be on site and the last ones off it. I have interacted with contractors from all disciplines in the construction industry and have absorbed a lot of my expertise from other professionals.
I also have a degree in Civil Engineering from the University of New Hampshire, which has greatly contributed to my detail-oriented report writing style. I strive to make every deficiency clearly stated, what consequences the deficiency will have on the property, and direct my clients to the proper type of contractor to get the deficiency corrected.
What to expect from your inspection?
Before we arrive on site, I will send you a copy of my inspection agreement to review, so that if you have any questions, I can answer them on inspection day. You will also receive a copy of the NH Joint Board of Home Inspectors standards of practice, so that you can be aware of what I am required to inspect as a licensed home inspector. My inspections typically go beyond this minimum standard, but it is important for clients to review the document so they are not surprised when I mention that certain things will not be within the scope of inspection.
At the inspection, I encourage my clients to follow me around so that I can explain deficiencies as I come across them. This helps clients have a visual location of comments when they are reading my report later on. I also encourage questions as the inspection progresses, I believe in more eyes being better than just two, so if you see something that raises your curiosity, feel free to ask about it. Home inspections are not just a critical overview of a home, they are intended to be educational for the perspective owner and it is part of my job educate my clients about where important parts of systems are and why they are important. Inspections on a 1,500 square foot house tend to take about 2 hours and a septic evaluation will tend to take an additional hour.
Within 48 hours of the inspection being completed, you will receive a written report summarizing the inspection complete with pictures and descriptions of all deficiencies found. My reports are delivered in PDF format over email along with copies of any document associated with the inspection, such as the signed inspection agreement. My reports are computer generated so they are easy to read and provide color photos of each deficiency as it appeared at the inspection.
Remember that home inspections are a visual inspection of a structure over a short period of time and may not represent its condition under all weather conditions and there may be issues hidden by finish surfaces or occupant belongings.
