RV Pre Purchase Inspection in Brea, CA
An RV pre purchase inspection in Brea, CA is a paid, written assessment of a specific used coach performed before money changes hands. We take moisture meter readings across the roof, walls, and floor, examine the structure and any evidence of prior collision or water repair, function test the plumbing, electrical, propane, climate, and appliance systems, cycle the slides and awnings, check tire dates and load ratings, and deliver a photographed written report you can use to walk away, to renegotiate, or to buy with confidence. The deliverable is the report itself, not a repair.
This is deliberately separate from an estimate. An estimate prices repairs on a vehicle you already own. An inspection tells you what a vehicle you do not own is actually worth taking on, and it stays neutral about what happens next. We do not require that any resulting work be done here, and the report reads the same either way. Nothing on this page is offered without charge, because an inspection that costs nothing is an inspection with a sales motive attached.
- California BAR licensed ARD00288521
- 35,000 square feet facility
- All work performed in shop at our Yorba Linda facility
- Direct billing with 16 carriers on covered claims
Ready to get this looked at?
We inspect on the lift, document the damage, and give you a written scope. The estimate fee is credited against the repair when you authorize the work.
What this inspection covers
A used RV is a house, a vehicle, and a set of appliances at once, and the failure modes that matter most are the ones that are cheapest to hide. Water intrusion, prior structural repair, and delamination are the three that turn a good deal into a total loss, and all three are routinely invisible to a buyer walking through on a Saturday.
We inspect what we can access without disassembly, and we say clearly in the report what was not accessible and why. An inspection that claims to have seen everything on a closed up coach is not being honest with you.
What the inspection includes:
- In scope: pinless and pin type moisture readings mapped across roof, sidewalls, floor, and around every penetration.
- In scope: structural assessment, sidewall and roof delamination checks, and frame and running gear visual inspection.
- In scope: evidence of prior collision or water repair, including overspray, mismatched fasteners, and non factory sealant.
- In scope: roof membrane and sealant condition, seam by seam, with photographs.
- In scope: plumbing pressure check, tank and valve function, and water heater operation.
- In scope: electrical testing at shore power, generator operation, battery condition, and converter or inverter function.
- In scope: propane leak check, appliance ignition and operation, and climate system performance testing.
- In scope: slide out and awning cycling, seal condition, and mechanism inspection.
- In scope: tire DOT date codes, load ratings, and visible sidewall condition.
- In scope: VIN and data plate verification, weight ratings, and cargo carrying capacity.
- Out of scope: engine and transmission internal diagnosis, and any repair work.
- Out of scope: title history, lien search, and valuation, which are yours to obtain separately.
What we find most often
The same findings repeat across hundreds of inspections. These are the ones that change a buying decision, ranked by how much money they represent.
Moisture at the front and rear cap seams
The seam where a molded front or rear cap meets the sidewall and roof is the highest leak risk area on almost every coach, because it is a joint between two different materials that expand at different rates, sealed with a bead that has to survive twenty years of flexing.
We take meter readings on a grid inside, at the ceiling corners, in the overhead cabinet interiors, and low on the walls beneath. Readings above baseline in a pattern that follows the seam mean water is getting in now. Sellers frequently know, and a fresh bead of sealant slathered over an old seam with no cleanup is one of the most reliable signs that somebody knew and did the cheapest possible thing about it.
Delamination that has not shown itself yet
Sidewall delamination is the outer fiberglass skin separating from the substrate underneath, and it usually starts long before you can see a bubble. We check by tapping across the wall in a grid and listening for the change from a sharp report to a hollow one, and by sighting down the wall in raking light to find shallow waves.
This is the finding that most often ends a purchase. Delamination means water has been in the wall long enough to break an adhesive bond, and a full sidewall repair on a large coach is one of the most expensive jobs in the industry. Finding it before you buy is the single highest value item in an inspection.
Undisclosed prior collision repair
Coaches get repaired and resold without disclosure constantly, because there is no equivalent of an automotive accident report covering RV body work. The evidence is physical: overspray on rubber trim and inside compartment jambs, paint texture that changes between panels, rivet patterns that do not match side to side, replacement rivets in a different diameter or color, sealant that is a different product than the factory used, and fasteners with tool marks.
Repair itself is not disqualifying. Hidden repair is a warning about everything else you have been told. What matters is whether the underlying structure was straightened correctly or simply covered, and we look at frame rails, sidewall framing where visible, and door and window openings for squareness rather than judging by paint.
Roof membrane and sealant at end of life
EPDM and TPO membranes chalk, thin, and lose their protective layer over roughly ten to fifteen years depending on exposure, and the lap sealant around every penetration has a shorter life than that. We photograph every seam, vent, antenna, air conditioner base, and skylight, and note cracked, lifted, or previously patched sealant.
The trap for buyers is that a roof can look acceptable from the ground and be at the end of its service life. A full roof replacement is a five figure repair on a large coach. Knowing that a roof has two years left rather than fifteen changes what the coach is worth by more than most buyers negotiate over.
Slide out seal and mechanism wear
Slides are the highest maintenance mechanism on any coach, and they fail expensively. We cycle every slide fully in and out under power while watching for uneven travel, listening for motor strain, and checking that the room seats squarely against its seals in both positions.
Common findings are hardened or torn wiper seals, worn rollers, a room that sits low on one side indicating a rail or gear rack problem, and floor damage at the threshold from water tracking under a failed seal. A slide that binds is a repair. A slide that has been binding for years has usually also been letting water in, which is why we take moisture readings at every slide floor.
Tire age, load rating, and the sticker nobody reads
RV tires almost always age out before they wear out. The DOT date code on the sidewall gives the week and year of manufacture, and a tire past seven years is at the end of its service life regardless of tread depth. We record the date code and load rating on every tire including the spare.
The related finding is the federal weight sticker and the cargo carrying capacity printed on it. Many coaches, particularly Class C and shorter Class A units, have very little capacity left once a family, water, and gear are aboard. Buyers rarely check this before purchase, and it is not a fixable problem. It is a fact about the coach that should be part of the decision.
Systems that have been off long enough to fail quietly
A coach that has sat for two years has a generator that will not run, an absorption refrigerator that may have crystallized, dry rotted plumbing seals, a battery bank that is finished, and slide seals that have taken a set. None of that is visible on a walkthrough with the power off, and sellers often present a coach cold for exactly that reason.
We run everything. Shore power, generator under load, all appliances lit and operated, air conditioning and furnace through a full cycle, water system pressurized, and tanks checked. What does not work goes in the report with a note about whether it looks like a service item or a replacement.
How the inspection runs
An inspection is a documented process with a fixed sequence, so that two coaches inspected months apart get compared on the same basis.
How we run an inspection:
- Confirm identity and paperwork basics. VIN against the data plate and the federal weight label, model year, chassis manufacturer, and the cargo carrying capacity sticker, all photographed.
- Map moisture before anything else. A pinless meter on a grid across ceilings, walls, floors, and inside every overhead cabinet, with a pin type meter used for confirmation at elevated readings, and every reading logged to a location diagram.
- Inspect the roof on foot where the structure allows. Every seam, penetration, and sealant bead photographed individually, membrane condition assessed, and any soft decking noted underfoot.
- Tap test and raking light survey of both sidewalls and the rear cap for delamination, plus a straightedge check on any area that reads suspect.
- Underbody and running gear inspection. Frame rails, welds, suspension components, tank supports, exhaust, and any evidence of a strike or a repair, with tire date codes and load ratings recorded.
- Look specifically for prior repair evidence. Overspray in jambs and on trim, rivet pattern and diameter comparison side to side, sealant product differences, panel gap variation, and door and window opening squareness.
- Run every system. Shore power at both legs where applicable, generator under real load, propane leak check with a manometer, every appliance lit and operated, both climate systems cycled with a temperature split measured, water system pressurized and tanks checked, slides and awnings cycled fully.
- Deliver the written report. Photographs indexed to findings, the moisture map, a list of items by severity, a clear statement of what could not be accessed, and no repair pricing unless you separately ask for it.
What this costs and how we quote it
The inspection is a paid service, quoted as a flat fee based on coach length, type, and whether it has slides, a generator, and hydronic or complex systems. It is a professional assessment with a written deliverable and it is priced as one. We do not perform inspections at no charge, and we would be skeptical of anyone who does, because an inspection with a sales motive attached is not an inspection.
The fee is not credited against repairs, because crediting it would give us a financial interest in finding work. That neutrality is the entire product. If the coach passes and you buy it and never come back, the inspection did its job. Where you want repair pricing on the findings, that is a separate estimate quoted after you decide to pursue it. The current inspection fee structure is on our pricing page.
Vehicles we perform this on
The inspection scope changes by platform because the failure modes do. A diesel pusher inspection weighs heavily toward the hydronic system, air suspension, slide mechanisms, and cap seams. A travel trailer inspection concentrates on roof, frame, axles, and the front cap. A camper van conversion inspection is largely about the quality of the conversion work itself, since those are often owner built.
What this page does not cover
- repairing the water damage we find The inspection reports it. That page fixes it.
- collision repair on damage found Repair pricing is a separate estimate, not part of the report.
- cleaning and reconditioning Sellers preparing a coach want that page, not this one.
Get a written scope before the damage spreads
We inspect on the lift, document the damage, and give you a written scope. The estimate fee is credited against the repair when you authorize the work.
Using an inspection before a claim
A pre purchase inspection has a second life as documentation. If you buy a coach and something fails within weeks, a dated inspection report with photographs and moisture readings is the difference between a plausible claim and a dispute about whether the damage predated your ownership.
It also matters at the other end. A coach with existing documented damage that you bought knowingly is a coach where a later claim for that same damage will be denied, and knowing that before you buy is worth the inspection fee on its own. If you already have a claim in progress on a coach you own, our claims process page explains how documentation is used and where an independent assessment fits.
Why Brea owners bring this work to us
The coach has to come to us. We are an in shop facility on La Palma Ave in Yorba Linda, minutes from Brea, and we do not perform inspections at a seller's location, a dealer lot, or a storage yard. That is a limitation and also the point: a proper inspection needs lifts, roof access with fall protection, full shore power, water, and a level surface, and none of those exist in a gravel lot.
Most Brea buyers arrange with the seller to bring the coach here, which is a reasonable request and a useful test in itself. A seller who refuses to allow an independent inspection at a licensed facility has told you something. We have inspected coaches here since 2015 under California Bureau of Automotive Repair license ARD00288521 and EPA identification CAL000367879, and the report is yours regardless of what you decide to do with it.
Frequently asked questions
What do I actually receive from a pre purchase inspection?
A written report with indexed photographs, a moisture reading map keyed to locations on the coach, a findings list organized by severity, results of every system test performed, tire date codes and weight rating data, and an explicit statement of anything that could not be accessed and why. It is a document you can hand to a seller during negotiation or keep as dated evidence of condition on the day you bought.
Do you charge for an RV inspection?
Yes. It is a paid, flat fee professional service priced by coach length, type, and system complexity, and the fee is not credited toward repairs. That is deliberate. Crediting the fee against work would give us a reason to find work, and the value of the report depends entirely on it being neutral. You are buying an opinion, and an opinion you did not pay for has someone else's interest in it.
How long does an RV inspection take?
Plan on most of a day for a large coach with slides, a generator, and complex systems, and less for a small trailer. The moisture mapping and the roof seam documentation are the slowest parts and the least worth rushing. The written report is typically delivered within one to two business days after the coach has been inspected, since photographs have to be indexed to findings.
Can you inspect an RV at the seller's location?
No. We are in shop only, with no mobile or field service of any kind. A proper inspection needs lifts to see the underbody, safe roof access, shore power to load test electrical systems, water to pressurize plumbing, and level ground to cycle slides. A gravel lot inspection is a walkthrough with a flashlight, and it will miss the findings that matter most.
What is the most expensive problem you find in used RVs?
Sidewall delamination and structural water damage, in that order. Both mean water has been inside the wall or floor long enough to destroy an adhesive bond or rot structural material, and both are five figure repairs on a large coach. They are also the two findings a buyer is least likely to spot alone, since delamination often has no visible bubble in its early stages and floor rot hides under intact flooring.
Can you tell if an RV has been in an accident?
Often, yes, though there is no title record for RV body work the way there is for cars. We look for overspray in door and compartment jambs and on rubber trim, paint texture and color shifts between panels, rivet patterns and diameters that differ side to side, non factory sealant products, panel gap variation, and out of square door and window openings. Repair itself is not a problem. Undisclosed repair tells you about the seller.
Should I get an inspection on a coach that is still under a factory service plan?
Yes, and possibly more so. A manufacturer service plan does not cover pre existing damage, water intrusion from deferred maintenance, or anything the previous owner caused, and those are exactly the findings an inspection surfaces. Knowing the condition on the day you take delivery also gives you a dated baseline if you later need to argue that a defect existed before you owned it.
What if the inspection finds problems? Do I have to repair them with you?
No, and there is no expectation that you will. The report contains findings, not repair pricing, unless you separately ask us to estimate the work after you decide to proceed. Many people use the report to renegotiate the purchase price or to walk away entirely, and both are successful outcomes for an inspection. The fee buys the assessment, and nothing about it is contingent on what you do next.
Written and reviewed by the OCRV Center Technical Team. Last updated .
Book your paid estimate
We inspect on the lift, document the damage, and give you a written scope. The estimate fee is credited against the repair when you authorize the work.
Related repairs and pages
- water damage and subfloor repairThe most common serious finding and what fixing it involves.
- sidewall delamination repairThe finding that most often ends a purchase.
- roof membrane and sealant serviceRoof age is one of the largest single value factors on a used coach.
- frame and structural repairWhat undisclosed collision damage usually needs.
- slide out mechanisms and sealsThe highest maintenance system on any coach with rooms.
- reconditioning before a saleThe seller side of the same walkthrough.
- diesel pusher inspections
- fifth wheel inspections
- travel trailer inspections
- conversion van build quality
- Class C weight capacity
- how we document a claimWhere an independent, dated assessment fits into a claim file.
- the inspection fee structure
- schedule an inspection