How to Get a Professional Home Inspection

Why pay for a home inspection? A home inspection will help buyers uncover defects in a home before they invest. For sellers, getting a home inspection before the home goes on the market will avoid unexpected costs, delays or cancellations after an agreement has been reached.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Phone Books
• Phone Books
• Inspectors
• Notebooks
• Flashlights
• Flashlights
• Notebooks

1. Include a clause in the purchase contract (if you're a buyer) making the purchase of the home contingent on the findings of a professional home inspection. Specify who will be responsible for the cost of repairing or replacing items discovered by the inspector.

2. Search your local yellow pages for listings of area home inspectors. Make sure you select one who is a member of the American Society of Home Inspectors or the National Association of Home Inspectors. Or, contact a local real estate broker who can give you a referral.

3. Set up an appointment with a qualified inspector immediately after the purchase agreement has been signed.

4. Schedule the inspection at a time when you can actually go through the home with the inspector so that you will fully understand the findings.

5. Expect to pay about $200 to $300 for the inspection - costs vary with geographic location, house size and the expertise of the inspector.

6. Expect the inspector to test the built-in appliances, electrical outlets, windows, heating and cooling systems, sprinklers, alarms, sinks, showers, tubs and toilets.

Tips & Warnings

• A thorough home inspection should take at least two hours.
• Remember that an inspection is not an appraisal, and market value has nothing to do with the findings of an inspection.
• Consider hiring specifically licensed inspectors to handle environmental inspections.
• As a seller, you will want to limit the amount of work you agree to do or to pay for.
• Don't let your desire to buy a house override the sensibility of having a home inspection done.
• For homes built before 1978, make sure you have a test for lead paint done.

[Bking6777]

on 8/26/2008 The safest way to have a home inspected is to not use the realtors favorite inspector. This will benefit you 98 percent of the time. Choose your own independent inspector who does not rely on realtors for income. Hire your own independent inspector at www.ihina.org

on 8/11/2006 The recent emphasis placed upon state licensing of home inspectors over the past few years, let alone the belief that licensing ensures one is hiring an experience and competent home/building, is altogether misleading and erroneous.

Unfortunately, what many fail to recognize and understand, is that while licensing of home inspectors is now a prerequisite in a number of states, it actually does very little to ensure you're hiring an experienced and competent inspector. The reasons for this are many but just to explore a few, 1) the licensing act usually provides for no more than a relatively easy to take state exam and a fee, 2) the licensing act is usually controlled by those in the real estate industry, a good example is the OBRE in the state of Illinois, 3) the standards or requirements as set forth by the state for performing a home inspection are minimal at best and abysmal to say the least, and it's not going to get any better. What this all means is simply this: While licensing may be a requirement in your state, this does not in itself guarantee that the person you are hiring is going to be experienced much less competent to perform your inspection.

Also is the fact that the state allows one to repeatedly take the licensing exam until s/he passes it. As such, many end up hiring an inexperienced and incompetent home inspector who is really learning the art of performing home inspections at the client's expense. The licensing act also favors the real estate profession in that agents are now in a much better position to limit their liability since they can now provide you with a list of licensed yet incompetent inspectors to choose from. In truth, licensing has had a negative impact upon the home inspection profession in that it has now opened the door for anyone, regardless of their background, who takes and passes the exam to pass him/herself off as a bona fide inspector. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth.

Needless to say, we could add more reasons to support our position w/regard to state licensing but suffice it to say, if you're hiring an inspector based upon licensing alone, you're in for a rude awakening! Elsewhere on this site, a comment was made relative to the time it takes to perform an inspection for a typical condo. I can assure you that if in fact the inspector is only taking the 2-hours as stated, s/he is merely looking at the four walls inside your unit, no more and no less. In reality, a condo inspection performed in this manner does very little to protect the client's interests therein much less mitigate their risk prior to purchase.

on 8/8/2006 AIS has the highest
standards and code of conduct in USA & worldwide. It has oral,
written and final exams with the only real hands-on training.
David Roach, AIS, was named inspector of the year. http://www.greatinspector.com/contact-insptyear-bis.html

on 7/3/2006 Professional Engineers may be good inspectors, however, they may have no training in home inspections. There is unfortunately no engineering course in home inspection that I am aware of. ASHI Members have had extensive training in home inspections and have had their knowledge tested and experience verified.

on 11/22/2005 New construction: Make sure you have a copy of all the subcontractors, and all warranty books. Especially owner-builders, meet in person with the builder and find out his background then determine the likelihood that he can stand good for the first year builder warranty. Never purchase without a qualified home inspection.