Frequently Asked Questions
Choosing an Inspector
Start by confirming the inspector holds an active Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) Professional Inspector license, which you can verify on the TREC website. Then look for local experience, recent reviews, and sample reports. From The Ground Up has served Southeast Texas since 2004 under TREC license #7259-PI, with more than 9,000 inspections completed and 400+ Google reviews. You can view one of our sample reports here.
Yes. Home inspectors in Texas must be licensed by the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) and follow the TREC Standards of Practice. Owner Troy Priddy is a TREC Professional Inspector, license #7259-PI.
Cost and Timing
Home inspections start at about $460 in Port Neches and about $465 in Beaumont, and generally start under $525 anywhere in our Southeast Texas service area, for a newer home under 1,500 square feet. Your exact price depends on the home's size, age, and distance from our Port Neches office. Add-on services like sewer scope, WDI/termite, pool and spa, and foundation measurements are priced separately. Get your exact price in about a minute when you book online.
Most home inspections take about 2 to 4 hours, depending on the home's size, age, condition, and any add-on services. Larger homes can take longer than 4 hours.
Your written report is delivered within 24 hours of the inspection, with photos and clear explanations of what was found.
During and After the Inspection
We encourage it. Attending lets you see issues in person and ask questions while we're on site. If you can't attend the full inspection, coming for the walkthrough at the end is the next best option.
The three most common serious issues we find in Golden Triangle homes are: 1. Foundation movement. Expansive clay soils in our area cause slab foundations to shift, and pier-and-beam homes can settle or develop damaged supports. Signs include sloping floors, sticking doors, and cracks in brick or drywall. 2. Water intrusion and drainage problems. Poor grading, roof and flashing leaks, and storm-related damage let water into the home, which can lead to rot and microbial growth in our humid climate. 3. Electrical hazards. Older panels, aluminum branch wiring in some homes built in the 1960s and 1970s, and do-it-yourself wiring can create fire and safety risks. We also commonly find attic ventilation and humidity issues, aging drain lines, and wood-destroying insect damage.
No. A Texas home inspection is not pass or fail. The inspector reports on the condition of the home's systems using the TREC inspection report, noting items that are deficient. You and your agent then decide what to ask the seller to repair or negotiate.
You'll receive your report within 24 hours. Review it with your real estate agent to decide on repair requests or negotiations before your option period ends. If anything in the report is unclear, call us at (409) 363-9868 and we'll walk you through it.
Southeast Texas Homes
It's strongly recommended. Pier-and-beam foundations in Southeast Texas are exposed to moisture, settling, and wood damage that a standard visual inspection can only partly assess. Our foundation evaluation adds elevation measurements, and we can use a crawl bot where access is limited.
For older homes, yes. Many older Golden Triangle homes have cast iron or clay sewer lines that can crack, sag, or fill with tree roots. A sewer scope uses a camera to view the main drain line, which a standard home inspection cannot see.
Yes. We inspect manufactured and mobile homes throughout our Southeast Texas service area.