A Different Approach to Selecting a Home Inspector

You may be a first time home buyer and unsure of how to chose a Home Inspection Company. There is a lot of advice out there on the internet on how to select a Home Inspector. We wanted to present a bit of a different way of examining your options.

We will take you down a brief check list that will help stir up your thinking and give you a better idea of how to choose a Home Inspector. Keep in mind that there is no perfect inspector simply because there are no perfect people.

First of all, do not wait until the last second to hire a home inspector, you may end up with someone you really do not want and discover you do not like the style of inspection report. Once you sign a contract on your home you will have so many days to have all inspections done.

Your realtor may give you a list of home inspectors to choose from or you may decide to find one on your own, either way do some footwork here. Remember you are the one ultimately responsible for who you hire.

Make calls to some Home Inspection Companies, it is said that first impressions are important. Talk with the inspectors, ask your questions, this may help give you a feel for any possible personality clashes and get your questions answered in the process.

Also check to see if the Inspection Company has a website, this can give you access to information and give you more of an idea of the inspectors personality and where he or she is coming from.

Even though your encounter with the Home Inspector is a brief part of your process, there is nothing more unsettling then getting to your inspection and discovering for what ever reason you are uncomfortable with your inspector. This kind of experience can effect how you see your inspection report as well as have an emotional impacted on how you view the house you are looking at, especially if there are major issues found that could be worked out.

Here is a brief check list of some things to think about that can help get you started in the right direction in finding the inspector that will best suit what you are looking for and or need.

1) What kind of Inspection Report do you want? Some reports come with pictures to better help you understand what message the inspector is trying to convey. Some reports may not have pictures. Some reports can offer long explanations some times using technical terms, while others inspectors offer a brief and to the point report using a more down to earth language. Some reports also come on CD in addition to the hard copy. Keep in mind what you are really paying for is your Inspection Report; make sure it will be a Report you can understand.

2) Check for prices. We all have a budget, so find what fits your budget best. Some Inspectors offer money saving coupons. Keep that in mind when you are looking at websites. There can be additional cost for different things like crawl spaces, out buildings, radon testing Etc.

3) What about Credentials? Credentials in themselves are not bad, but credentials do not necessarily have any thing to do with a person performance or Integrity. Remember the Enron Corporation; I am sure their walls were filled with credentials.

4) Find out how long it takes to get an inspection report back. Some inspectors give on the spot reports for an extra fee, some change nothing for on the spot report. Some inspectors have reports ready in 24 to 48 hours.

5) Length of time in service. There is always a lot to be said for years of experience, but this also does not mean a newer Home Inspection Company does not know what there are doing. Many men and women who come into the Home Inspection Industry not only become licensed which means hours of schooling (some States do not require Inspectors to be Licensed), but they also bring in knowledge they already have in varies areas that they incorporate into their business and this too is experience.

6) Companies who are bonded and have Errors & Omission insurance. The insurances function is to help protect the Company from those who love law suits. In fact for any inspector to advertise his or her insurance as credentials could be inviting unwanted trouble. Having insurance really has no barring on the inspectors performance or Integrity it simply looks good and helps some clients feel more confident in the Inspection Company.

We hope this information has been of some help to you. Even though the buying and or selling process is a stressful time, have fun with it. Buying your first home is a very exciting time.

Robert A & Jo-Ann M. Falace

License # RBI. 2430