Just recently I received an email from a Boston home inspector that I would like to share with my readers:
Hello John, We are writing to let you know we are thinking of you and working hard to be thoughtful and careful in these very unusual times! This is definitely a challenging time, with a lot of uncertainty, but we are all in this together. In the spirit of working through all this, we have been staying on top of all recommended safe practices and best practices during this time. Please feel free to reach out if you want to chat about this – we are here, and it can be lonely out there dealing with this stuff. We can also learn from each other and see how we are all dealing with this situation.
We’re keeping a level head, watching what’s happening, staying on top of the news, and at the same time, remaining positive. This will not be with us forever; in fact, we’ll be looking back on this as a blip in time when things were strange, but we got out of it through grit and determination, working hard, and keeping our heads on straight.
At this time, we are continuing to conduct Home Inspections and all of our other services. We are following all CDC recommendations and believe that this is still safe, as we are not in contact with many people during the course of this process. However, we continue to be concerned about everyone’s health and safety in this current climate. We’ve adjusted our procedures and are taking specific steps to protect everyone involved in the inspection process.
Covid-19 Coronavirus Special health and Safety Notice
Home Inspection Practices – Social Distancing
Guidelines that we are enacting for our inspection process:
Our Clients:
We’re suggesting to our clients that they do not join us at the inspection. This is to minimize contact and maintain social distancing. We also support any client that chooses not to be present at the inspection. If they do not attend, we will conduct a phone review of the inspection after we’ve sent out the report. If client does choose to be present, we ask that only one party be present, and not any other family members or additional people. This is to maintain the best practices of social distancing and minimize interactions.
Our Inspectors:
While on-site, our inspectors will take the following steps to help maintain a sanitary environment:
- Wash hands immediately upon entering home, and multiple times during every inspection, especially after touching things like faucets and door handles.
- Bring our own hand towel(s) for drying our hands after washing.
- Keep alcohol-based hand sanitizer and/or disinfecting wipes nearby and use it frequently.
- Use disinfectant wipes on faucets and door handles.
- We will not shake hands, or bump fists or elbows.
- We will avoid touching our faces.
- If requested, our inspector will wear a mask during the inspection.
- If any of our inspectors have a fever or cough, we will not conduct the inspection, and notify all parties in as timely a manner as possible
Buyer’s Agents:
Please understand that we will be following all safe practices for social distancing. Our usual friendly greeting will be at a distance for the foreseeable future. We’re eliminating “elbow bump” and any other contact greetings at this time. We’d like to request that agents minimize interactions with inspectors wherever possible and maintain distance from the inspector and client.
Listing agent:
We are requesting listing agents to not be present at the inspection. Of course, if the listing agent needs to be present or their presence has been requested by the seller, we are fine with this, but we also want the agent to be aware that our usual friendly greeting will be at a distance.
We are also requesting that the listing agents request the seller to cleans the home and disinfect all high-traffic cooking, cleaning, bathroom, doorknob, and switches in the home with wipes or other antibacterial cleaner prior to the inspection.
Additionally, we are requesting (via an email to the buyer’s agent) that they notify the buyer’s agent if anyone living in the home is unwell or has a fever/has had a fever in the last 14 days, and to let everyone know immediately if this is the case.
Sellers:
We are requesting that the seller take extra measures to not be present at the inspection. We recognize that sellers may be present in the home because they are doing their best to practice social distancing from their workplace. In this case, we will maintain social distancing, and we will request that the sellers choose a room in the home to remove themselves to during the inspection. Our inspector will then not enter that room (best for it to be a living room or bedroom).
If any home has only minor(s) present without a supervising adult, we cannot conduct the inspection.
We understand that all of this may be an inconvenience, and yet we are doing everything we can to keep everyone safe. We realize that things are subject to change at any time, and we will continue to be safe. Please call our office with any questions. Thank you.
Thank you,
Morgan and The Team at MKC Associates
