FAQs
You probably have a lot of questions. If you don’t have time or the inclination to peruse our website to find what you need, we encourage you to look through our FAQs below. If you can’t find it, give us a call, we’ll be happy to help!
Yes, Tri Star Pest offers homeowners several packages with year-round treatment options. Please call (865) 500-5656 to to schedule an appointment.
If you cannot locate your termite letter in your email, please look in your email’s SPAM folder. After that, please call Tri Star Pest at (865) 500-5656. They will be happy to re-send it.
Beginning the last week of October 2021, the fee for the termite inspection is included in your bill from 1st Choice Home Inspections. You will not receive a separate bill from Tri Star Pest.
The WDO inspector almost always arrives at some point during the home inspection. They try to be there at the same time, however, there are exceptions. If they need to do their inspection at a different time than the home inspection, arrangements will be made with the sellers.
No, you do not need to call the termite company when you schedule your appointment through 1st Choice Home Inspections. We take care of it for you.
The fee for a termite inspection is $75.00 in most cases. If the inspector must travel a long distance, the fee may be slightly higher.
Tri Star Pest performs all of our WDO Inspections, better known as termite inspections. They have more than 20 years of experience and do a wonderful job.
The best way to pay is with a personal check, business check, or bank check. You may bring it to the inspection and give it to the inspector.
Alternatively, you may use the link in your confirmation email from us to pay with a debit or credit card. Just follow the link and enter your card information in our online payment portal.
In addition, you may pay by calling our office and giving us your card information over the phone.
When you pay via debit or credit card a 2.9% convenience fee is added, whether online, in person, or over the phone.
No, we no longer allow anyone other than our client, spouse, and children to attend the home inspection. Please do not ask a friend to attend in your place; they will not be allowed to enter the property. Permission is granted by the home owner for the inspector to enter the home; friends of the buyer(s) do not have permission to enter the home.
In addition, we will not discuss our findings with anyone other than our client and/or their real estate agent.
Our technician collects two samples, places them in a sealed container, then ships them to the lab. Since removing samples from a home can be destructive, we do not perform asbestos testing on properties not owned by the client.
If needed, additional samples may be collected for a small fee.
A mold test involves collecting three samples: one outdoor air sample (used as a baseline), one indoor air sample, and a third sample (usually a swab). In larger homes, or homes where mold may be growing in multiple areas, additional samples may be collected for an additional fee.
Yes, we offer a $40.00 discount on a home inspection to United States Armed Services Veterans. When you order, please let us know you are a Veteran!
We do not offer any other type of discounts at this time.
Monday to Thursday: 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Friday: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
You may order a home inspection, or one of our other services, online, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
A residential asbestos test in Knoxville costs $350.00. The test includes taking three samples and delivering it to the lab. If needed, additional samples are $75.00 each.
Asbestos is known to cause mesothelioma, a cancer. Long term exposure is dangerous. If you have asbestos in your home it needs to be removed.
Anyone with a home built prior to 1980 should test their home for asbestos. Asbestos is found in many building materials from that time.
Yes, we are qualified to provide FHA / VA approved, third party, well-water testing for loans. The lab in Oak Ridge, Tennessee is a state licensed and approved lab for testing well-water.
We test the water, not the pumping system. We collect the water from the kitchen sink faucet after allowing it to run for a few minutes. The water is sealed and hand-delivered to the lab in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
We charge $300.00 for a well-water test in the Knoxville area. The charge is slightly more for locations farther away.
We accept personal or business checks, cash, money orders, certified bank checks, and credit/debit cards. When paying by credit/debit card, our system charges a 2.9% convenience fee.
Make checks out to: 1st Choice Home Inspections
Yes, long term exposure to radon gas causes lung cancer. In America, exposure to radon gas is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers.
A standalone radon test costs $250.00 in Knoxville. When ordered with a home inspection, the fee is $195.00. The fee for a radon test is higher for locations outside of the immediate Knoxville area. Please call us for a quote if you are outside the Knoxville area.
Yes, up to 30% of the homes we test in East Tennessee have dangerous levels of radon.
A proper radon test requires a minimum of 48 hours. When we drop off a radon monitor, we return two the three days later to pick it up and download the results. If we drop off a radon monitor on Thursday or Friday, we will likely pick it up on the following Monday.
The lab specifies that they need 2-5 days to return mold test results after the samples have been delivered.
1st Choice Home Inspections charges $400.00 for a mold test in Knoxville. This includes three samples: an outdoor air sample, an indoor air sample, and a third air or swab sample. Additional samples are $75.00 each. Mold testing performed outside of the immediate Knoxville area may be charged a slightly higher fee. Call for your address.
Yes, you may reschedule or cancel your appointment. We require a 48-hour notice. Rescheduled or cancelled appointments with less than 48 hours notice may be charged a fee of $100.00.
Yes, buyer’s are encouraged to attend the last 30 minutes of the home inspection. We ask that you arrive during this time so the inspector may complete the inspection without interruptions. He will do a better job for you and the results will be more accurate. Your inspector is happy to walk the property, discuss any findings, and provide you an opportunity to ask questions during the last 30 minutes. Please coordinate the arrival time directly with your inspector.
If we are responsible for access into the property through Supra or a lockbox, we cannot allow anyone to enter during our inspection until the appointed completion time, unless accompanied by a qualified representative (i.e. Realtor®). When we are responsible for access, we assume liability for the property and the contents. Because of this, it is essential that you follow these guidelines and only attend at the appointed time, unless you have a qualified representative present to accompany you.
Unaccompanied buyers may not walk through a home at any time; they must have representation present. This needs to be done by the real estate agent. If your real estate agent is with you, you may arrive at any time during the inspection.
A home inspection can take from 1.5 to 6 hours or more, depending on the size of the home. The average home takes between 1.5 to 2.5 hours. We always request access for 3 hours minimum.
The price of a home inspection varies by location and square footage. For example, a home in Knoxville up to 1,000 square feet, costs just $450.00 for the home inspection. A home in the same location, between 1,001-2,000 square feet, is $475.00. Between 2001-3000 square feet is $500.00. The fee goes up $50.00 for every 1,000 square feet above 3,000. Homes farther from Knoxville are charged a slightly higher fee. Please call for a quote.
