Frequent asked questions

Should I be there for the inspection?

Yes, absolutely! We strongly advise your presence throughout the process and we will deliver an oral report right after the inspection to give your our opinions in a nutshell

Should my agent be there for the verbal report after the inspection?

It's up to you. We typically meet clients at a coffee shop near the inspection site to provide the verbal report, so it is not necessary for your agent to be present, and most clients opt to meet us on their own. In the past we have also found having agents present for the verbal report can be counterproductive to the review and discussion, given our commitment to providing an independent and unbiased evaluation. 

Why do we charge more than other inspectors?

Our principle inspector has more than 40 years experience in home inspection and is a certified architect who knows the building codes through the history. We provide inspection for over 350 items and our customers in the past used our reports as manual for fixture and successfully negotiated great deals with the sellers

Why should we trust you?

Registered Architect Stan Mitchell personally performs all residential and commercial building inspections. The majority of our clients are repeat customers, friends of past clients, or referrals from regarded members of the real estate and legal communities who do not have a stake in the transaction at hand. This means our sole interest in any inspection is our client's own. 

Nothing exhibits ABI's extensive knowledge of building technology, superior technical skill, and level of detail in our services better than our written reports. We would be happy to provide you with a sample excerpt upon inquiry.

Scope of the service?

ABI offers plaintiff and defense expert witness consultation services for: personal injury cases involving falls and impacts; construction defect and code issue litigation; and defect disclosure disputes in the real estate purchase/selling process. Once we are retained, we map out with our client the best approach to the case, based on incident date and location, available information, and what is at stake. Expert witness services typically involve at least one site visit and a detailed written report. 

What are the payment terms?

For most residential and commercial building inspection services, we bill upon completion of the written report. Clients are responsible for payment within 20 days of the invoice date. For ongoing consultation services we bill bi-weekly or monthly, depending on our level of involvement in your project.

For expert witness services, a retainer fee of $2,000 is required before work on the case begins and our involvement in the matter can be disclosed. We keep the retainer throughout our work on the case, until we receive word that the case is closed and/or our involvement ceases. In the interim, monthly invoices will be issued and should be paid upon receipt.

What payment methods are available?

ABI accepts payment by check only. Please make checks out to ABI, Inc., and mail to our office at 6850 35th Ave NE, Suite #5, Seattle, WA 98115.

What is the refund policy if I am not satisfied with the service?

ABI strives to provide superior and impeccable service to our customers. Should you feel our services do not meet your expectations, please contact us to discuss how we can work with you to achieve 100% satisfaction.

What should I expect to see in ABI building inspection reports?

Reports both detail our findings (descriptions of components’ type, quality, existing and foreseeable defects, remaining serviceable lives) and, where problems are found, indicate their severity and possible effects on related components. Our home inspectors also provide corrective, improvement, and/or maintenance suggestions and, for an additional charge, we will include a complete, separate listing of priorities and cost estimates for care and correction. 

Will you recommend contractors for fixture and construction?

For convenience only, ABI has developed a directory of contractors that have been recommended by past clients of ABI. In many cases, this means that ABI does not have personal experience with the firms and individuals included. Therefore, please keep in mind that ABI does not endorse or claim responsibility for the work of the contractors listed. As always, we suggest that you request bids and past client recommendations from each contractor before proceeding with his/her service. 

If you use or have used one of the contractors included in our listing and have or had either a very good or very bad experience with him/her, please do not hesitate to call or email us with your review. Likewise, if you have a notable (good or bad) experience with a contractor not included on our list, feel free to share that information with us as well.

Will there be referral bonus? 

Currently we do not have referral bonus or discount. ABI genuinely believes in the high quality work will speak for itself in the market.

Can I contact you after receiving the report?

Yes! Should you have any questions about your report or our findings stated in it, please do not hesitate to contact us.

How long do you keep the report?

ABI will keep your file for as long as we are in business. If you have any questions or need another copy of the report in the future feel free to contact us.

Can you perform a re-inspection following corrective work?

We can provide follow-up and re-inspection services, and charge an hourly rate to do so. Note that in some cases we advise against follow-up inspections of corrective and rehab/remodeling work, and in other cases it might not be economically prudent to have us return to a property for a re-inspection. Please call us to discuss further.