Finding a Great Inspector
Dan Osborn's interest in home inspections came after purchasing a home. The inspector he used walked through the house, gave him a confusing report, and asked for $375. After moving in, Dan found safety issues not revealed in the inspection report.
Dan felt there was a need for better inspectors. He turned that feeling into action and has a successful home inspection business, Upstate Home Inspection Service, in upstate New York. Dan says it is very important to find an inspector you understand, who communicates well. Always ask to see a sample inspection report first to make sure it is easy to read.
How do you find a good inspector? It is best not to ask the seller to recommend one. Of course, do not use the real-estate agent's recommendation, either. Even the most honest inspectors might avoid making too many waves for fear the sale will fall through and the agent will decide not to recommend him again.
Don't hire the cheapest inspector you can find; better inspectors charge more. If a low-price inspector misses even one problem a more expensive, experienced inspector finds, you've lost money. — Mark Cramer, Mark Cramer Inspection Services, Inc., Tampa, Florida
Some agents supply buyers with three or four names and addresses of inspectors/inspection services their other customers have used. That is different than making one recommendation, so feel free to check any, or preferably all, of those suggestions.
After the home inspection, you should be given a typed report, and quickly. Most companies will have this to you in a few days, if not sooner.
You can also ask friends, family, and coworkers for referrals. You might also call your mortgage lender or your lawyer for recommendations.
Finally, in a pinch, check out the Yellow Pages. You will find large, nationwide inspection services and small local firms. Neither type of firm is necessarily better than the other. You can also look for those who are members of a national home-inspection organization, which sets professional standards for its members. Three main organizations are:
When you make your initial phone call to an inspector, ask if he actually goes on the roof and into the crawl space under the house. Some check these areas as a matter of course, others charge extra, and still others will not go closer to the roof than standing in the driveway, looking up, and jotting down notes from there. Which would you want?
Attend the home inspection. You will come away with a better understanding of the problems and you'll learn a lot about the house. Be wary of inspectors and agents who discourage you from attending the inspection. Any good inspector wants the client to attend the inspection. — Mark Cramer, Mark Cramer Home Inspection Services, Inc.
Testing for radon and asbestos, well-water contamination, or mold usually costs more than a basic inspection. The home inspector/inspection service might direct you to someone else for those reports, perhaps to an individual or company that specializes in certain problem areas of a house, particularly environmental hazards.
Ask the inspector what type of written report you can expect. Look at a sample report from their firm. Does it give the ages of specific systems in the house or just a notion of their current state? Does it estimate the cost of those repairs and of remedies for existing problems?
Ask whether the inspection company carries any type of liability insurance to cover any damage to the house created by the inspector during his tour, or major defects the home inspector misses. The house inspector, incidentally, should not comment about the wisdom of buying a particular house, even if you ask.
