RV Buying with Confidence

Pre-Purchase RV Inspections 

Available in the Hampton Roads-RVA areas, and southern MD

What is an Pre-Purchase RV Inspection? 

  • Used or new, private sale or dealership
  • Inspector spends 4-10 hours on site with the RV
  • Covers every system on the RV including plumbing, propane, electrical, and structure. 
  • Comprehensive reports 40-120 printed pages in length, delivered within 24 hours of inspection
  • Report breaks down any issues found into: 1- Life Safety, 2- Major issues, 3- Minor issues, 4- Inspector observations/comments

I offer two levels of inspection, Total and Premier. As an NRVIA Certified RV Inspector, I follow the standards of practice and the code of ethics as required by the association.  The comprehensive report you will get within 24 hours can give you leverage to have repairs done before signing the dotted line or lower the sales price- oftentimes effectively covering the cost of the inspection. Please note that for motorhomes, neither level of inspection includes an evaluation on the engine aside from turning the vehicle on and a visual inspection, as I am not an ASE Certified Mechanic. I also cannot drive the RV due to insurance. 

Fair and Transparent Pricing- everyone sees the same pricing below.

Total Inspections

Total focuses on functionality of the components (ie, does the A/C work at efficiency? Does the stove turn on?). On average, a total inspection takes 4-6 hours on site. Total inspection reports include around 50 pictures and are often around 50 pages in length.

  • Pop-Up: $250
  • Truck Camper: $350
  • Compact Travel Trailers (<15′ long): $350
  • Travel Trailers: $450
  • Class B/C: $550
  • 5th Wheel: $600
  • Class A: $650

Premier Level Inspections

Premier will also look at the condition and style of those components (ie, what brand of water heater is there? what is the type of roof?). A Premier level inspection takes 7-10 hours on site.  Premier inspection reports include 80-100 pictures, including 360 degree images, and are often around 100 pages in length.

  • Truck Camper: $550
  • Compact Travel Trailers (<15′ long): $550
  • Travel Trailers: $800
  • Class B/C: $900*
  • 5th Wheel: $1000**
  • Class A: $1200
  • *Super C: $1150
  • **Toy hauler: $1100
See example Total Level Report
See Example Premier Level Report

Please note that an inspection location greater than 75 miles or 1.5 hours from service area base of Gloucester Virginia OR greater than 50 miles or 1 hour from Huntingtown Maryland will include an additional $75 travel fee for both levels of inspection. 

“I selected her for her expertise and credentialing, especially on the Truma system. As a consequence of her work, the dealership replaced the a/c unit at no cost to me. Her communication was timely and accurate throughout. The report was VERY thorough - over a hundred pictures and very clear descriptions. I bought the RV with confidence and have been happy with it ever since. No surprises, definitely "At Ease"! Thank you, Katharine!"
Pat M
The name says it all. We had a terrific experience working with At Ease. She went above and beyond in performing the inspection and explaining all the details to us. Katie found and pointed out many things we weren't able to see or didn't recognize as an issue. We couldn't have been more satisfied with the thoroughness and responsiveness we had. I would trust At Ease to perform future work for us, whether we can see the RV ourselves or weren't. An inspection makes sense for finding and pointing out current and potential problems, and for providing peace of mind - we got it all.
Michael S.
Katie was great to work with. She was able to fit me in quickly which was important with purchasing the RV from a dealer. She answered questions beyond the inspection and gave many suggestions for future maintenance that needs to be considered. Her inspection took 7 hours which I think frustrated the dealer because she was so thorough which I appreciated. Will definitely use in the future.
Jimmy M.
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FAQ's

  1. You’ve found an RV you’re seriously considering buying! 
  2. Give me a call to ask any questions and to book your pre-purchase inspection. I will need the year, make, and model of the RV as well as the VIN. Please note that I do not hold available dates given without an actual appointment booking. 
  3. On your end, especially for a private sale, you’ll want to confirm that full hookups (water, electric, sewer) will be available and the date and start time work for the seller.
  4. When I book the appointment for you, the software will automatically send over the points of inspection, an agreement, and the invoice for you to review, sign, and pay. Again, feel free to ask any questions.
  5. I will perform the inspection of the RV. Upon arrival I will send you a time stamped picture. I take hundreds of pictures and videos, and spend 4-9 hours on site- depending on the type of RV and level of inspection. Every system is inspected, including water, propane, electrical, and the structure. I welcome sellers meeting me at the beginning and buyers meeting me at the end, though I appreciate time and space to do my best work during the inspection. 
  6. I provide a verbal report to you as I am wrapping up the inspection.
  7. I upload the written report by noon the following day. Essential inspections include around 40 pictures and are often around 50 pages in length. Premier level inspections include 80-100 pictures, including 360* images, and are often around 100 pages in length.
  8. I will be available for a follow up call within a few days of receiving the report.
  9. If you decide to buy- congrats! While I cannot work on your RV for a year following the inspection per the code of ethics, I’d love to stay updated on your adventures with your RV! If you do have any repair work needed, you can find an RV technician near you at https://rvtaa.org/locate/

Dealership PDI vs Independent Inspector: There are several different options of RV inspections out there, and I understand how confusing the different options and pricings are. You may hear the dealership say “We do our own inspection” and they do! It’s called a PDI, and it’s focused on life safety issues. There are many great dealerships out there, but would you trust a house seller to do their own inspection before selling to you? Getting an independent RV inspection is just like getting a home inspection before purchase. 

Value for pricing: There is a national company that does RV inspections. Their pricing starts at $449….for an 8 page report with one picture generated from an hour or two on site. You can see my pricing and standards above- far superior to this option. 

NRVIA Code of Ethics: All of our Code of Ethics can be found here. But two of the important ones for you, the buyers are as follows: we won’t list anything as broken simply so we can offer to fix it; we are not allowed to repair or upgrade anything on the RV for a year post-inspection. Instead, we will refer you to a tech locator so you can make the best choice for yourself on who you would like to work on your RV. We are also not allowed to accept any sort of compensation, monetarily or otherwise, from dealerships, so we won’t “not find” something in order to protect the dealership or the sale. We work for you, not the dealership or seller.

Other Certified options: The RVTI first level course also certifies an RV technician to “prepare an RV for customer delivery”, the PDI. It’s a 20 hour, online course designed for techs who are likely to work at a shop or service center. Having personal experience with this course, it’s valuable information, but in my professional opinion, can’t compare to the 3 weeks of in person training and the standards of practice NRVIA requires. 

Motorhomes are naturally a bit more complex than towables. In both motorhomes and towables, size and complexity ranges widely. For example, just by nature of it’s size, a travel trailer with 2 axles and 1 slide out will take significantly less time than a Class A (the ones that look like a bus) with an engine and multiple axles and slide outs. 

No I don’t. The state requires that the inspection location be a stationary, physical location that primarily works on motor vehicles. My inspections are a completely voluntary/optional service. Feel free to call me if you need recommendations for a inspection location though! The good news is that these annual inspections are very affordable at around $20. 

Same as above, for VA. My pre purchase inspection, while it covers life safety issues, does not fulfill the MD state standards for the registering of your RV. But you can use this link to find a station that does- call first to verify they inspect your class of RV! 

Katie has done inspections at Dodd RV in Yorktown VA, NIRVC in Manassas VA, General RV Center in Ashland VA, Camping World in Newport News VA,  and Leo’s Vacation Center in Gambrills MD. Also local to her are Gloucester RV, Scenic View RV in West Point VA, and Camping World in Ashland VA. She does not maintain any partnerships or collaborations with dealerships as the NRVIA code of ethics #5 prohibits this (RV Inspectors will not inspect any Recreational Vehicles under any type of compensation, contingent fee or future referrals that is dependent upon the reported findings or on the sale of the unit). 

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