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Date Posted: 12/15/2007
How would you grade your Home Inspector?
When making what is likely the biggest investment of your life (a home
purchase), it is a wise thing to hire a home inspector. In some states, this is
even required by law as a routine part of any real estate transaction. Idaho has no such
requirement… leaving the decision to inspect a home as merely an “option” to
both parties in the transaction. Not very long ago, there were no Home
Inspectors at all, as the Home Inspection industry is a fairly new phenomenon.
So, you are about to buy (or sell) a home and you decide to hire a home
inspector. How do you find a good one? The right one for you? You could ask
your Real Estate Agent for a referral as most people do. This is generally a
really bad idea, and is discussed in detail at http://www.oxbowinspections.com/conflictinterest.php
The internet is your best resource to find the home inspector who’s right for
you. Go to any search engine (Google, Yahoo, etc…) and type the words “xxxxxxx home inspector”… just replace the “x’s” with the name of the major city nearby. Pick 3 or 4
and compare them. And keep in mind, that just because an inspector comes in as
the #1 entry does not mean he is the best. It merely means that his web site is
better optimized… so it is wise to spread out your choices amongst the top 15
or 20 presented to you.
Idaho has no
laws or regulations that control who may call themselves a “Home Inspector”.
That’s right. The night cook at Denny’s can pick up a clipboard, pick out a
name, and then pick your pocket. No experience or education is required. When
comparing the web sites… look for experience in construction. Look for engineering
backgrounds. Look for education. Also… the Home Inspection industry as a whole
is self-governed to a degree by several major trade organizations. These
include NACHI ( National Association of Certified Home Inspectors) and ASHI
(American Society of Home Inspectors) just to name a few. Make sure that your
inspector belongs to at least one of these. The reasons are many… but primarily
these organizations have established standard operating procedures and ethical
guidelines which their inspectors must follow. They also establish certain
education and experience standards which are critically important since the
State of Idaho
has no standards at all.
Knowledge of building codes is an important part of being a home inspector.
These codes exist for a reason… usually as a response to construction issues
which went wrong and caused death and/or property destruction. Understanding
how all the building systems (Plumbing, Heating, Electrical etc…) are connected
and designed to work together to achieve the minimum standards set out in codes
and regulations is vital to accuracy when inspecting any building. Your
inspector of choice should be real familiar with the International Code
Council.
Proper equipment is an important part of home inspections. Do you want the
quickest way to tell if your home inspector is truly a professional? Look at
his vehicle and the type of ladder he is using. I know of several “Inspectors”
who use a small economy car or an XUV and have only a collapsible ladder that
will fit inside. So ask yourself… how is he going to inspect your roof with a
ladder that collapses? Most (not all) ladders of this type only extend to 21.5
feet and are rarely rated for more than 200 pounds. This would be like hiring a
man with a hatchet to cut down a 70 foot Oak tree. As for me: I drive a full
length Suburban which is professionally adorned with company logo and
identification, and it not only carries all of my tools, test equipment, and
reference materials… it also gets 22+ mpg and runs on corn/flex fuel… it also
carries my three ladders which range from 8 feet to 30 feet (none are
collapsible).
Look for those details that set your inspector out from the rest. Things like
his dress. Does he have a uniform or monogrammed shirts, or is he wearing blue
jeans and a t-shirt? A necktie is a bad idea… would that guy be willing to
climb into an attic or a crawlspace? Likely not. I wear stretch slacks and a
monogrammed polo-type shirt for maximum flexibility, with traction shoes for
those tough roofs. My uniform is blue and black… just like my Suburban and my
web site. Other details: his weight. If he is grossly overweight… how in the
world can he negotiate a crawlspace or an attic? He can’t. Also, look for
identification. The trade organizations that I described previously (NACHI,
ASHI) do issue formal identification tags. These identify a member in good
standing. Ask to see his I.D.
What about his pricing? Most inspectors have fairly low prices in order to stay
competitive. If so… you should beware. This is the kind of guy who will tack on
an extra $25 (or more) for gasoline fees beyond a certain distance. They also
tend to charge more for older homes; charge more for larger homes; charge more
for outbuildings; and charge a lot more for things like a Radon test. Before
you know it, your “real” final bill will be several hundred dollars more than
his advertised “base” price. And since I mentioned Radon… many inspectors will
conduct a Radon test for a large extra fee. They use the same cheap charcoal
canisters that you or I can purchase at Lowe’s. Do they know anything about
Radon? Likely not. Ask for their certifications or identification. At the time
of this writing, I am the only Home Inspector in all of Idaho who is certified by the National Radon
Safety Board.
The inspection itself: How long does it take your inspector to complete? Most
will finish in the 2 – 3 hour time frame so they can squeeze in 2 – 3
inspections per day and maximize their income. Rediculous!
I will often spend 2 hours in the crawlspace alone! On average… my inspections
take about 7½ hours. A professional Home Inspector will take you around your
home, not only pointing out defects but also showing you areas that will
require future maintenance. He will educate you on where shut offs are located
and explain discrepancies that he cited in his report. Whenever you book a home
inspection, you should never miss this golden opportunity to learn about the
systems and features of your home.
The bottom line is: Choose your own Home Inspector. Grade several of them… then
choose the one that’s right for you. When your Inspector arrives… grade him
again. It is still not too late to choose someone else. Keep in mind that this
is a huge investment you are making, and you should protect your investment by
using the best inspector you can find. You are likely spending several hundred
thousand dollars… so choosing an Inspector based on price in order to save a
hundred bucks is just not smart. You will likely get exactly what you pay for.
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