Level 2 Inspections for Home Sales

Why the Chimney Line Shows Up in Escrow

A general home inspection in Woodland Hills usually spends a few minutes on the fireplace. The inspector opens the damper, shines a light up, looks at the chimney from the roof or the yard, and writes a line or two. Very often that line ends with a recommendation: have the chimney evaluated by a qualified chimney specialist, Level 2. That sentence is where most of our real estate calls begin, usually with a contingency period already counting down.

The reason is simple. A general inspector cannot see inside the flue, and a flue that looks fine from the firebox can have cracked tiles or open joints twenty feet up. NFPA 211, the fire code standard most inspectors follow, names a property sale as one of the triggers for a Level 2 inspection. So the recommendation is not padding. It is the general inspector saying what the job was outside their scope.

What a Level 2 Covers That a Walk-Through Does Not

A Level 2 includes everything in a Level 1, the firebox, damper, smoke chamber, exterior masonry, crown and cap, plus three additions:

• - A camera run up the full height of each flue, recorded from bottom to top.
• The attic and any crawlspace around the chimney, where framing clearance and water staining can be seen.
• The roof areas next to the chimney, including the flashing.

On houses in the West Valley, the camera often finds the same things. Clay tile liners with open mortar joints between sections, sometimes dating to the 1994 Northridge earthquake. Tiles cracked by an old chimney fire nobody knew about. A liner offset where the chimney shifted. None of these can be seen from the firebox, and all of them matter to a buyer.

What the Report Looks Like for a Buyer or Seller

Our Level 2 report is written so the people in a sale can read it quickly. Page one is a one-paragraph summary in plain English, plus a short list of anything marked fix before the next fire. An agent can read that page on a phone between showings.

The pages after it walk through the findings. Each one has a still taken from the video, a height measured from the damper, and a sentence describing it: open joint at seven feet, crack across the tile at twelve feet, gap at the liner joint at fifteen. Every finding is rated safe to use, watch it, or fix before the next fire. The full video file comes with the report, unedited, so anyone who doubts a still can watch the footage.

The last page is the next-step list. Where the video shows enough to price a repair, it gives a written figure, numbered to match the finding. Where it does not, it says what further look is needed. That page is what buyers and sellers negotiate from.

Price and Timing During Escrow

A Level 2 with us costs $380. Tell us about extra flues, a tall stack or a steep hillside roof when you book, so we allow the time.

Timing is usually the bigger worry. Most contingency periods give a buyer a couple of weeks, and the chimney is one of several reports being gathered. Same-day slots open up often, and the report arrives the same day as the visit. If the house is vacant or the seller's agent is handling access, tell us when you call so we can coordinate the lockbox or a meeting time.

The things that decide price and turnaround are the number of flues, roof access, and who needs to let us in. If you are inside a contingency window, send the address, the listing photos of the chimney and your deadline through our form. We will confirm price and the earliest slot in writing.

For Sellers: Inspecting Before You List

A growing share of our sale-related inspections are booked by sellers before the house goes on the market. That works well for both sides. The seller learns about any problem with time to fix it calmly instead of under escrow pressure, and the report, along with any completed repair, goes into the disclosure package. A buyer who sees a clean Level 2 report, or one showing a repair already made with before and after photos, has one less thing to renegotiate.

If the report does find something, our repair quotes use the same finding numbers. You can fix the lines that matter most to buyers, often anything marked fix before the next fire, and disclose the watch-it items as they are.

For Buyers: Reading the Findings

Buyers often ask us what a finding means for the deal. We do not advise on negotiation, but we can tell you what each finding is and what it costs to fix where we can price it. A few general points help:

• - A finding marked watch it is not a defect that stops the fireplace being used. It is wear to keep an eye on.
• A finding marked fix before the next fire should be repaired before anyone lights a fire, even if the sale goes through as is.
• A cracked or offset liner usually means relining. That is quoted in writing from the video, and the quote names the liner type and length.
• Crown cracks and cap problems are common and relatively simple to fix. A missing cap installed by us costs $160 to $650.

If you plan to add a gas insert after closing, mention it when you book. Changing the appliance is its own reason for a Level 2, and one inspection can cover both purposes.

Talking to the Agents

With your permission, we will talk through the report with either agent. We keep our explanation to what the photos and video show. We also keep the video on file, so if the sale falls through and the house is relisted, or the buyer's lender asks for it later, it can be resent without a second visit.

Booking a Sale Inspection

We take Level 2 inspections for sales across Woodland Hills, Tarzana, Canoga Park, Encino, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Calabasas and the rest of our area. When you are ready, call us with the phone button on this page, tell us the address and the deadline, and we will put you on the schedule.