Areas We Serve / Contra Costa County
Sloping lots, retaining features, and clear follow-up scope
For a Lafayette home with a sloping lot, retaining features, or a complicated addition, a useful inspection begins with specific questions. TCIS helps document accessible conditions and explain when an observation needs a contractor's investigation or an engineer's evaluation.
Proudly serving the East Bay since 2006.
TCIS provides buyer and seller/listing inspections, specialty property inspections, construction consulting, and executive Advisory Summaries in Lafayette. Plan the right services for your purchase, listing, or ownership needs.
Buyer and seller inspections in Lafayette
Buyer’s inspection
Understand the property before completing your purchase. A buyer’s home inspection documents the visible, accessible condition of the home and helps you identify repair needs, maintenance concerns, and questions that call for further evaluation. Choose additional roof, termite, foundation, sewer, or other inspections to fit the property and your transaction.
Seller’s inspection / pre-listing inspection
Prepare for the market with a clearer picture of your property. A seller’s or listing inspection helps identify conditions before buyer inspections begin, so you can plan repairs, gather records, and discuss how to present the findings with your agent. TCIS can coordinate the inspection services appropriate to your listing.
For either side of the transaction, an optional Buyer’s Advisory Summary or Listing Advisory Summary turns the report findings into an organized plan for the decisions ahead.
Property inspection and consulting services
TCIS serves Lafayette with the following services. Select the services you need when requesting a quote; specialty inspections and consulting are scoped separately from a general home inspection.
Home inspections. Buyer, seller/listing, and homeowner inspections, with the property’s accessible systems and components documented in the report.
Roof inspections and certifications. Roof condition evaluation, repair recommendations, and certification when the roof qualifies.
Foundation inspections. Focused review of accessible foundation and related conditions, with recommendations for appropriate follow-up.
Termite / wood-destroying organism inspections. A separate inspection scope addressing wood-destroying organisms and related findings.
Construction consulting. Help understanding repair needs, renovation plans, scope of work, and practical construction questions.
Repair estimating and remodeling consulting. Planning guidance on repair scope and anticipated contractor costs.
Sewer lateral camera inspections. Camera evaluation of the accessible sewer line to help identify conditions that an ordinary home inspection cannot show.
Pool and spa inspections. Evaluation of accessible pool and spa components and equipment within the agreed inspection scope.
Mold and indoor air quality services. Targeted evaluation and sampling based on the moisture or indoor-air concern being investigated.
Construction-phase and warranty inspections. Inspections during construction and 11-month warranty inspections before the builder’s warranty period ends.
Commercial property inspections. Inspection planning for commercial properties, with scope established for the building and intended use.
Additional property needs. Ask about ADU and detached-building inspection scope, follow-up inspections, chimney and fireplace evaluation with specialist referral when appropriate, sidewalk inspections, and fire escape certifications. We confirm service availability, jurisdiction, and the appropriate scope for the address.
Describe the site as well as the house
Tell us about retaining walls, changes in floor level, prior foundation work, or water collecting near the building. Provide any available engineering reports and repair plans. These documents can help frame questions, but they do not establish the present condition of areas that are concealed or inaccessible.
Ask what the observation can actually establish
A crack, stain, or uneven surface is an observation with context to investigate. An inspection should explain what was visible, where it was found, and what further evaluation may be appropriate. A general home inspection does not replace a geotechnical study, boundary survey, or structural design. Set the scope of any separate foundation service before booking.
Include the underground system in your planning
Central San lists Lafayette among the communities it serves. Confirm service and the relevant records for the exact address. A separate sewer camera inspection may provide condition information about the accessible lateral, while site drainage, sanitary sewage, and foundation concerns remain distinct systems with different investigation needs.
Build a useful follow-up sequence
Start with the property inspection and organize the findings by location and the question still needing an answer. If a specialist is recommended, share the relevant photos, narrative, and prior records. For buyers considering a remodel, keep existing-condition questions separate from the design and approval work needed for future construction.
Executive Advisory Summaries for buyers and sellers
Several inspection reports can leave you with a long list of findings and no clear order of action. TCIS offers two executive advisory options: the Buyer’s Advisory Summary and the Listing Advisory Summary for sellers. Each brings the available reports together into a practical decision guide.
Buyer’s Advisory Summary
Understand the findings that deserve attention before your purchase decision, the follow-up questions to resolve, and the repairs or maintenance to plan for after closing. The buyer’s edition organizes inspection concerns, explains their significance, and helps you discuss repair requests, credits, and priorities with your agent.
Listing Advisory Summary
Give your listing a clear plan before it reaches buyers. The seller’s edition helps you prioritize pre-listing repairs, organize supporting reports and repair records, and prepare for questions about remaining conditions. It also gives you and your agent a structured basis for discussing repair work, credits, and presentation of the inspection findings.
What the advisory includes
Executive risk overview. A plain-language explanation of the significant findings and unresolved questions across the supplied reports.
Priority ranking. An organized view of conditions needing prompt attention, further evaluation, planned repair, or routine maintenance.
Repair matrix and scope clarity. A practical list connecting each finding to its recommended action and the appropriate contractor or next step.
Cost planning. Approximate Contractor Estimates, where the available information supports them, to help frame a repair budget. These are planning figures; actual contractor pricing depends on the confirmed scope and site conditions.
Photo highlights. One to three selected report photographs, when available, that help explain the most useful findings.
Negotiation considerations and next steps. Buyer- or seller-focused discussion points, follow-up questions, and an action plan to review with your real estate agent.
Advisory Summaries are an optional service, included with the TCIS Premium package and available as an upgrade. They can draw on TCIS reports or reports from other inspection companies. The summary explains the supplied findings alongside the original reports; additional inspection or specialist evaluation may still be recommended.
Ask about a Buyer’s or Listing Advisory Summary
Questions about your Lafayette inspection
Can you tell me whether a retaining wall needs engineering review?
We can discuss visible observations and inspection limitations within the agreed scope. A structural adequacy determination or repair design may require a qualified engineer.
Should I provide an earlier foundation report?
Yes. Include its date, scope, and any subsequent repair documentation so the current observations can be considered alongside that history.
Local resources
Central San: service area and communities served
Better Understanding Creates Better Deals.
Get to know TCIS through our team, sample reports, and warranty information. Tell us the property address, your timing, and the questions you want answered. We will help you identify the inspection services to include in your quote.