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If you've never been through a home inspection before, the process can feel opaque. Here's what actually happens — from the moment the inspector arrives to the report landing in your inbox.

Before the inspection. You'll book online, pick a time slot, and provide the property address and any notes you want the inspector to know. You'll receive a confirmation with what to expect on the day of. Most inspections are scheduled for a 2–4 hour window depending on the size and condition of the home and what services were added.

On the day. The inspector arrives on time and does a brief walkthrough introduction with you and your agent — covering the plan and what services are being performed. From there, the inspector works systematically through the property: exterior, roof, foundation, structural elements, electrical panels, plumbing, HVAC, insulation, attic, and interior living spaces. Advanced services like infrared thermography, radon, mold, or water testing are performed concurrently or immediately following the visual inspection.

Should you attend? Yes. Being present gives you the opportunity to see findings in context, ask questions as they come up, and get a feel for the home's systems rather than just reading about them later. Bring your agent if possible — your agent's experience with local repair costs adds context to the inspector's findings.

The report. Foundation First delivers digital reports within 24 hours of the inspection, straight to your inbox. Reports are organized by system, prioritized by severity, and accompanied by photos documenting every significant finding. They're optimized for mobile review — you don't need to be at a desk to go through it with your agent.

After the report. Use the report to ask for repairs, negotiate on price, request credits at closing, or in rare cases walk away with full information. Our reports are written to support your negotiation — clear findings, clear recommendations, and clear next steps.

In competitive real estate markets, waiving the home inspection contingency has become a common strategy for buyers trying to win offers. It works — sellers prefer clean offers. But it means you closed on a home without knowing what's in it. That's what the Hello Home inspection is for.

Why buyers waive. When a desirable home comes on the market in a hot area, multiple offers often come in within days. Inspection contingencies give sellers uncertainty — the deal can fall apart. To compete, many buyers remove or limit the contingency. In the Capital District and throughout the greater Albany area, this has been a routine part of buying since 2020.

What you don't know. Skipping the inspection means you have no formal record of the home's condition at the time of purchase. You don't know the age or condition of the major systems. You don't know what deferred maintenance is coming. You don't know if there are moisture issues, electrical concerns, or structural items that weren't visible during your showing.

What Hello Home does. Hello Home is a post-purchase walkthrough. There's no contract deadline, no negotiation on the table, and no stress. The inspection covers the same systems and areas as a pre-purchase inspection — exterior, roof, foundation, structural, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, insulation, attic, interior. You get a prioritized list of what needs attention now, what can wait, and what to keep an eye on over time. It's the information you didn't get at closing — delivered as a clear, practical guide to owning your home.

When to schedule it. The sooner the better. Ideally within the first few months of ownership — before you settle into routines, before small issues become larger ones, and while the findings are still actionable for your home warranty if you purchased one. Hello Home is also a useful baseline if you're planning renovations, budgeting for repairs, or simply want to know what you own.

No contract pressure. No negotiation deadline. Just the facts about your home.

Radon is a colorless, odorless radioactive gas that forms naturally from the breakdown of uranium in soil and rock. It seeps up through the ground and can accumulate inside homes — particularly in basements, crawl spaces, and lower living areas. It's the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, responsible for approximately 21,000 deaths annually.

New York's elevated risk. New York State has areas of significant radon concern. The Capital District — including Albany, Saratoga, Rensselaer, and Schenectady counties — sits on geology that produces above-average radon. The EPA action level is 4 pCi/L (picocuries per liter). Many homes in this region test above that threshold without the owners knowing it.

Testing is the only way to know. You cannot detect radon with your senses. A short-term test (48–72 hours) placed in the lowest livable area of the home gives you a reliable reading. If levels come back at or above 4 pCi/L, a licensed mitigation contractor can install a sub-slab depressurization system — typically a straightforward job that brings levels well below the action threshold.

What to do as a buyer. If radon testing isn't already included in your inspection package, ask for it. The cost is modest compared to the cost of mitigation or, worse, the health risk of not knowing. Foundation First includes radon testing in several of our buyer packages, or it can be added standalone. Our NRPP-certified monitors record hourly data across the full test period — not just a snapshot — giving you the most detailed picture available.

Bottom line: test before you close. Radon is fixable. Skipping the test means living with uncertainty in a state where the risk is real.

Mold is one of the most common concerns buyers and homeowners raise during inspections — and also one of the most misunderstood. Here's what you actually need to know.

What mold needs to grow. Mold requires three things: a food source (wood, drywall, insulation), moisture, and time. New York's climate — cold winters with heavy condensation potential, humid summers — creates conditions where mold can develop in basements, attics, crawl spaces, and around plumbing leaks. It doesn't require a flood. A slow drip behind a wall or inadequate bathroom ventilation is often enough.

What a standard home inspection covers. A standard inspection includes a visual mold check — the inspector looks for visible mold growth, moisture staining, musty odors, and conditions conducive to mold growth. This is included at no additional cost with every Foundation First inspection. If indicators are found, that's when a formal mold assessment becomes appropriate.

What a mold assessment involves. A NYS-licensed mold assessment includes surface sampling, air sampling, certified lab analysis, a written findings report, and a remediation plan specifying exactly what needs to be done and to what standard. Not every inspector in New York is licensed to perform this work — a standard inspector's license doesn't cover it. Foundation First holds both the NYS Mold Assessor and Mold Assessment Contractor licenses.

Remediation and clearance. After a licensed remediation contractor completes the work, a post-remediation inspection verifies the job was done correctly through clearance air sampling. This is the only way to confirm the problem is actually solved — not just visually cleaned up. Foundation First offers post-remediation inspection as a standalone service for homeowners who had remediation performed by a contractor and want independent verification.

For buyers: don't panic at the word mold, but don't ignore it either. Small, isolated mold issues are common and fixable. The key is knowing what you have before you close. For homeowners: address moisture sources promptly. Mold is a symptom — fix the water problem and you eliminate the conditions for it to return.