Like with most professions, you will find qualified and unqualified individuals proclaiming themselves a professional. Home inspectors are no different. In some ways, it’s even more difficult to differentiate the good home inspectors from the bad home inspectors, primarily because few states regulate or license home inspectors.
This means any John or Jane Doe can print up business cards that identify the individual as a home inspector, and go about the practice of collecting fees from unsuspecting buyers while networking with agents for more business.
Here are a few ways you can protect yourself from hiring an unqualified inspector:
Review a Sample Home Inspection Report
A home inspector should be able to e-mail you a copy of a sample report or have one on their website. If it’s three or four pages long, don’t hire that person. While lengths of reports may vary, comprehensive reports average between 20 and 50 pages and often contain color photographs highlighting defects or problems. Check this link for a sample home inspection report: http://www.westcoast-inspections.com/sample-report.asp
Don’t Hire Inspectors Who Recommend Contractors or Perform Repairs
Home inspectors are in the business of inspecting homes. If a home inspector offers to direct you to a contractor to perform work, that inspector could be creating a conflict of interest. Some state regulations and inspector associations allow an inspector to undertake specified repairs, but I don’t recommend hiring such an inspector.
Inquire About the Length of Your Home Inspection
To do an adequate job, most home inspections take at least three hours, sometimes longer. A proper home inspection will require that amount of time to be precise and allow the buyer to be well informed on their potential important purchase.
Ask if the Inspector Charges for a Reinspection
The question isn’t if the inspector will find something wrong. All homes have defects. There is no such thing as a perfect house. Even new homes have imperfections.
However, if an inspector notes a problem, and the seller agrees to repair it, in many states, it’s considered a courtesy for the inspector to verify the repair without charging for a return visit. In other states such as Texas, for example, some inspectors charge for a return trip. When you interview inspectors, ask upfront about fee policy. Tip: If you elect to accept the seller’s word that the problem has been repaired, you may find yourself in Small Claim’s Court after the transaction closes.
Ask to Attend the Home Inspection
If your schedule is such that you can’t be present during the entire home inspection, you owe it yourself to be there for the last 30 minutes. Let the inspector walk you through the home to point out defects. Use this opportunity to ask questions about which noted “action items” are minor and which are major.
Sometimes a home inspector will suggest further inspections. Find out whether the inspector suspects a problem or if the inspector routinely suggests buyers obtain inspections for items the inspector does not generally cover.
An inspector may suggest a pest inspection because home inspectors are not licensed to perform pest control inspections. Such a suggestion does not necessarily imply the inspector found termites or dry rot. Not all home inspectors walk on the roof and therefore might suggest a roof inspection. In California, many sellers pay for pest and roof inspections.
Ask for Credentials & Qualifications
Certification. Choose a certified inspector. There is no shortage of home inspector associations. The California Real Estate Inspection Association (CREIA) certifies that Inspectors who have successfully passed a comprehensive written examination of the property system and who maintain 30 hours of continuing education each year may use the CREIA logo. The logo ensures consumers that the inspector has been tested and qualified to CREIA’s Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics. Most inspection services promote their business with brochures through real estate offices. Many claim their reports meet or follow CREIA Standards of Practice. Do not be fooled; look for the CREIA emblem on these brochures. Only inspectors who have met CREIA’s rigorous professional and educational requirements may qualify as a Certified CREIA Inspector and display the CREIA emblem. CREIA’s Code of Ethics requires a high degree of professionalism and integrity and that a Certified CREIA inspector act fairly and impartially. To find out more about CREIA please visit their website at www.CREIA.org
Qualification. Ask friends for referrals. Ask your real estate agent for a recommendation, and then double-check that inspector’s qualifications. Some inexperienced agents recommend inferior inspectors because they don’t want a full-blown inspection that could blow their deal. Reputable agents demand qualified inspectors because they want their buyer informed.
Always, always, always get a home inspection when you buy. And hire a qualified and accredited individual to perform the inspection — not your Uncle Joe or your buddy the contractor, get a real inspector. Be there for the inspection and ask questions. Pay close attention to safety issues. Be an informed buyer.
Call me at 818-266-2276 or check our website link below for further details or any information on our home inspection services.
Shawn Blaney,
President,
West Coast Home Inspections
http://www.westcoast-inspections.com/
Home inspection for the home buyer can make your dream home a worry-free reality. This is our mission statement at West Coast Home Inspections.
