Picking a home inspector.

[Xavier434]

The title and summary says it all. I will need to be picking a home inspector sooner than later and I am in need of knowledge from those with experience. What I am trying to do overall is create a master checklist of everything I need to look for both when choosing an inspector and during/after the inspection. I am not coming to you guys looking for advice empty handed so allow to me to quickly brief you on the info I have already gathered.

Everything I have researched so far involves how to choose an inspector:

1. Try to find one that is both a member of American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) and/or National Association of Home Inspectors (NAHI). They have strict standards for membership requirements.

2. http://www.ashi.org and http://www.nahi.org. Both sites contain search features to find inspectors in my area.

3. Make sure inspector has at least a bachelor?s degree in a technical field.

4. A proper inspection of both interior and exterior will take at least 4 hours plus an additional hour or two to compile the results of the inspection into a form that I want. 2-3 hours is often advertised, but not realistic unless the inspector is overlooking things.

5. Make sure the inspector carries Errors and Omissions Insurance (E&O). It is an expensive insurance that all quality inspectors are willing to pay for. In addition, The Foundation of Real Estate Appraisers (FREA) provides E&O insurance to home inspectors and provides training for home inspectors to help keep insurance costs down.

6. Many inspector warranties are near worthless. If they are included with all of the other prereqs above then that?s fine, but DO NOT consider them a replacement or safety net for any of the prereqs.


That is what I got so far. Please feel free to comment and add anything and everything that you know. I want to be as prepared as possible in order to avoid as many pitfalls as I can.

As always, I want to thank you very much in advance for your time and help.

 

[RKS]

ask a reputable real estate agent

 

[Xavier434]

Originally posted by: RKS
ask a reputable real estate agent

I thought about doing that, but I don't trust them enough to rely on them for something so important. Especially since they may not have my best interests in mind beyond getting me in a house that I like when I go to see it. I don't mind relying on them to find a home for me like that, but the inspection is something I would rather take care of myself in terms of research and choosing one.

 

[Scarpozzi]

Most of the major home inspector services will come out to the property with a laptop. They have a checklist of common problem areas and local codes that they follow. I used a company called Pillar to Post for my inspection a few years back. It was pretty standard, but my house wasn't very big or complex, so there wasn't too much I learned from the inspection.

Go through the yellowpages and see which ones look more national than local...they usually come with some kind of guarantee on service, since the quality of the information could potentially cost you thousands of dollars.

 

[Chryso]

Why does the inspector need a bachelors degree? I would try to get an old guy who is over 60 and has been doing it for over 30 years.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Get recommendations from friends/co-workers.

Based on your list, it will vary from state to state.

 

[sdifox]

know anyone in the reno business? they would know better than a home inspector.

 

[pnad]

Originally posted by: Xavier434

Originally posted by: RKS
ask a reputable real estate agent

I thought about doing that, but I don't trust them enough to rely on them for something so important. Especially since they may not have my best interests in mind beyond getting me in a house that I like when I go to see it. I don't mind relying on them to find a home for me like that, but the inspection is something I would rather take care of myself in terms of research and choosing one.

Agreed.

I went with the guy all the local agents hated

He is the guy that finds problems and fouls up their deals.

 

[Xavier434]

Originally posted by: Chryso
Why does the inspector need a bachelors degree? I would try to get an old guy who is over 60 and has been doing it for over 30 years.

That is one of the points where I might be more flexible about. He doesn't necessarily need one, but I would prefer it. Experience is one of those things which can be challenging to confirm. I am in South Florida which means there are lots of shady people in these kinds of businesses and I need to be careful. For example, they may claim to have 20 years experience, but the truth is that they have 18 years of experience pounding nails and 2 years doing inspections. How will I know the difference for sure especially with all the con artists out there?

Having a degree means that there is a better chance of not worrying about that sort of thing. It is no guarantee of course, but nothing ever is.

Originally posted by: Capt Caveman
Get recommendations from friends/co-workers.

Based on your list, it will vary from state to state.

Ya, I plan to but I will need to do thorough checkups on all recommendations anyways. When it comes to state to state that all revolves around the state standards and reqs. I want the type of inspector which goes above and beyond the minimum. I am willing to pay for it.

 

[loki791]

Also, when selecting a home inspector, in addition to making sure that they have a license issued by the American Society of Home Inspectors, it's a good idea to ask to see their resume. Just having a license is not enough, as you can get a license without actually having performed an on-site inspection. When reviewing their resume, make sure that they have performed an inspection recently, as codes and regulations and science in general changes over time, and also that they have done inspections in your area, as there are regional differences, such as weather conditions, proximity to lakes and rivers, differences in topsoil and groundwater, etc. And it's also a good idea to have your own home inspections checklist so that you know they are inspecting everything they need to be inspecting (http://AccurateInspections.com...spectionchecklist.htm). And since you'll be using a checklist, you'll be present during the actual inspection, so do yourself a favor and ask lots of questions. A good home inspector will be able to give you valuable advice on how to maintain the value of your home -- and in some cases, even give you great tips on how to increase its value -- something that we should all be concerned about during this downturn in the housing market!

 

[BrokenVisage]

Larry the Cable Guy

 

[BrokenVisage]

Originally posted by: loki791
Also, when selecting a home inspector, in addition to making sure that they have a license issued by the American Society of Home Inspectors, it's a good idea to ask to see their resume. Just having a license is not enough, as you can get a license without actually having performed an on-site inspection. When reviewing their resume, make sure that they have performed an inspection recently, as codes and regulations and science in general changes over time, and also that they have done inspections in your area, as there are regional differences, such as weather conditions, proximity to lakes and rivers, differences in topsoil and groundwater, etc. And it's also a good idea to have your own home inspections checklist so that you know they are inspecting everything they need to be inspecting (http://AccurateInspections.com...spectionchecklist.htm). And since you'll be using a checklist, you'll be present during the actual inspection, so do yourself a favor and ask lots of questions. A good home inspector will be able to give you valuable advice on how to maintain the value of your home -- and in some cases, even give you great tips on how to increase its value -- something that we should all be concerned about during this downturn in the housing market!

WWYBYWAR(ealtor)?

lol, "why-buy-war"