How to Hire an Inspector

What do you want to look for when hiring a private home inspector?

1. The person inspecting your home should be at least a licensed residential builder, and that license number should be on the report and any other documentation.

2. Find out what other credentials the person has. How long has he been involved in the construction industry? In what capacity? Keep in mind that inspecting a house is a “Jack of all trades” scenario. Someone who has been a carpenter (or other specific trade) most of his life can give you a lot of insight into their area of expertise, but may fall short in other critical areas.

3. Get referrals and check them out. Friends, relatives, realtors, attorneys, or lenders can supply you with a list if requested, AND THEN it is your obligation to get the best person for your needs.

4. Don’t fall for any gimmicks. Meaningless data is not what you are looking for. You want someone who conducts themselves as a professional, is looking out for you the client, and knows what they are talking about. It’s that simple. This is not a sidewalk bazaar.

5. Find out how long the agency or group have been legitimately performing inspections.

6. Make sure that there is no conflict of interest. Your inspector should not benefit by potentially repairing or remodeling your future home.

7. Find out what type of report you will get. Will you be able to understand it? Will it make recommendations and tell you what are priority items? Will you be able to take it to the lender? Is it a custom document tailored for you (or will it be a simple form type punch list with only the blanks filled in)? You don’t need a lot of meaningless, preprinted data included. You do need a legitimate comprehensive, specific report that is preferably essay in design and content.

8. Don’t shop for price. You know the old saying. “You get what you pay for.” The price spectrum for home inspections is quite expansive. Find out what the MEDIAN area is and stay there. The lowest and highest priced service may fall short of your expectations.

9. When interviewing your prospects, keep in mind any special needs your case may require. A new home is nothing like a historical home. When looking at a new house an inspector has to be more familiar with new codes and has to anticipate what may fail in the future and historical homes have to be looked at with a different set of glasses.

10. Finally, get a comfort level with whoever you hire. Depend on your instincts. Discuss all the above and gravitate to where you get the best feeling.