Service
Pool Inspections
An inspection is a different job from a leak call. Nothing has to be wrong; you simply want to know the condition of the pool and its equipment before you commit to something, usually a purchase. Most people who request one are not pool experts, so the most valuable part is not the visit itself but the written report you receive afterward. We inspect pools for buyers and sellers in Wilmington and throughout coastal North Carolina. Are you a real estate agent? See how we work with realtors.
What an inspection covers
We check the shell and its finish, the waterline and tile, the skimmer and returns, visible plumbing, the equipment pad, and whether the pool is holding water. Where something warrants a closer look, we test it rather than just note it.
That is the key difference. A general home inspector records what can be seen from the deck, which is reasonable, but it does not tell you whether the pool is sound. Leak detection is our specialty, so if the water level, the equipment or the ground around the deck suggests a leak, we can test for it ourselves rather than recommend that someone else does.
It is just as important to be clear about what this inspection is not. It is not a general home inspection and does not replace one. It is not a code or permit inspection, an engineering assessment or an insurance report. It is an independent assessment of the pool, its plumbing and its equipment.
You receive the findings in writing. In a property sale, that document is what matters most: it lets you negotiate, plan for costs, or walk away with a clear reason.
Who requests an inspection
- Buyers
- Before closing on a house with a pool. This is the most common reason, and the one where the written findings matter most.
- Sellers
- To learn what a buyer’s inspector will find, early enough to decide how to handle it.
- Realtors
- A written report with an agreed turnaround, so a sale is not held up by questions about the pool.
- Property managers
- To assess the condition of pools across several properties, or before taking on a new one.
- Owners
- A record of the pool’s starting condition, usually after buying a house whose pool nobody explained.
Tell us about your pool
Describe what you are seeing, and we will tell you what it may mean and what a visit would involve. If the water level is dropping fast, call us. You will reach a family-owned, owner-led team.
Is an inspection the same as leak detection?
No. An inspection assesses the pool’s condition and reports on it. Leak detection answers one specific question: where the water is going. An inspection may recommend leak detection, but often it does not.
Is this a general home inspection?
No, and it does not replace one. A home inspection covers the house. Ours covers the pool, its plumbing and its equipment in more depth than a general inspection usually does. Buyers often arrange both, and ours is the one that answers questions about the pool.
Should I get one before buying a house with a pool?
If the pool is a meaningful part of what you are paying for, yes. The most expensive parts to fix (the shell, the underground plumbing and the equipment) cannot be judged by looking at the water during a showing. If you know about a problem before closing, you can negotiate instead of absorbing the cost.
What happens if the inspection finds signs of a leak?
We tell you what we saw and what it suggests. Confirming and locating a leak is a separate leak detection job, not part of the inspection, so we will tell you plainly whether we think it is needed. During a sale, knowing that a pool probably has a leak, and why we think so, is usually enough to act on.
How quickly can you complete an inspection before a closing?
Call us with your deadline and we will tell you honestly whether we can meet it.
Do I get a written report?
Yes. You receive written findings with photographs, not just a verbal summary at the end of the visit.