Who to Choose for Your Inspector
If you're looking for a good qualified Home Inspector, or any professional, you really have to do your research and homework. There are so many to choose from - so like fruit in the crates of the grocery store - you need to pick them over and give them a squeeze. Below, we provide some tips to help buyers and sellers find an inspector they can feel comfortable to protect their interests in the home purchase. So please read on!
If you're starting your search by shopping for the cheapest price, you can stop right here, as MHBI is not the cheapest around. Do a search for "flat rate inspections", "one price inspections", or "$250 inspections" and you will have what you are looking for. Caveat Emptor!
If you're starting your search by shopping for the cheapest price, you can stop right here, as MHBI is not the cheapest around. Do a search for "flat rate inspections", "one price inspections", or "$250 inspections" and you will have what you are looking for. Caveat Emptor!
What are the Credentials of the Inspector?
I was toying with what to put as the first, and maybe most important criteria for selecting an inspector, and settled on this - the credentials of the inspector. Look for the education of the inspector, the number of years, not only as an inspector, but how many in the construction industry. Construction experience is worth so much more because the person knows how things are put together and how they work in a home. Also, they have seen jobs done well and jobs done poorly, and can spot the difference between the two. Even though they may have been a framing carpenter, they rubbed elbows with most every other construction specialist in the years they were on the job and learned about those specialties and systems as well.
Also look at their training to become a home inspector. Is it listed on their website; was the training online or classroom, and how many hours were required? Maryland and Virginia require training for licensing and certification, respectively. In most cases it's probably not listed on their website, especially if they have been in the business for 20 or 30 years, but if you should ask for it. If you are going with a multi-inspector company, you'll want to know what training the inspector you will be seeing has completed. Many multi-inspector companies will list the credentials of all their inspectors in one long list so it looks most impressive (for the company). However, you might not get the owner or their top notch inspector. You need to ask and know who the inspector is that will be inspecting and reviewing the home you are planning to sell or purchase. If you can't get this answer, move on to another company. |
The Company They Keep
Is the inspector part of a reputable national home inspection organization that requires a proctored exam and continuing education? There are two main home inspection organizations in the U.S., and several smaller ones. The two largest have annual training requirements for continued membership. More important, are they part of a local home inspection users/meetup group? Do they engage in continuing education, either with their national home inspection organization, or with their local group? This last point is most important, because the code, regulations, technology, and systems change every year, and keeping up with as many of these changes as possible is critical to performing an inspection that can note something that is not properly installed or is defective. The more interaction that an inspector has with other inspectors and other trades is so much more important to sharpen the inspector's skill level over time, than just taking an online class.
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Ease of Contact
Before you engage an inspector to perform your inspections, call them to find out how easy is it to get a one-on-one conversation with them. If it's difficult before they even get your money, think of how difficult it might be once the inspection is complete and you have a question or problem, before or after settlement. Ask if they will answer questions once the inspection is complete and the report has been provided. Some inspectors do and some do not.
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Reporting
What type of report do they provide and how do they provide it? If they have a sample report on their website, take a look and see if it is what you would be satisfied with for your inspection report. Some reporting packages provide a bunch of check boxes and predetermined evaluation statements, while others have a more individual look and feel where the inspector can provide more detailed comments and descriptions. Look at the sample report and see if it looks like the kind of information and level of detail that would be useful to you, and if it is written in a way that you can understand the information provided. The report can give a good insight into how detailed the inspector is, and is one of the best ways to compare one inspector with another and determine what the final product is that you will receive at the end of your home inspection. Seemingly every inspector today provides pictures with their report, and some provide videos of the more complex situations or how to operate a specific device or system. However, there are still some inspection companies that provide a handwritten paper report at the end of the inspection (so make sure you will be getting pictures). See a sample page of our inspection report here. And here is a link to a good article about what to look for in a good information laden report.
How is their report distributed? Most now deliver their final inspection report as a PDF by e-mail. A few will provide a report on the spot at the end of the inspection. Some require you to log in to a secure website with a username and password where the report is stored online. Let the inspector know what works for you and your situation. If you are on a tight deadline, some can provide a critical item summary for you before the full report is complete, either on the spot or within a few hours after the inspection. Let the inspector know up front what you need and determine if their process is acceptable to you. |
Guarantee
Ask if the inspector has a guarantee for their work. Some do and some do not. If they do, you have a better chance of getting them to answer questions if and when you might have some in the future after the inspection is complete and you have received your report. Note that the inspection is a service and is only valid for the day of the inspection, as things can change or be changed at any point in time once we have left the home.
Some companies provide a 90-day or one-year third-party home warranty. But make sure to review the fine print. Some of the warranty companies have so many exclusions that only a few items are covered, and those covered may only have a partial monetary reimbursement, and only if submitted BEFORE the warranty expires. |
Reviews
Online reviews are certainly important in determining the level of satisfaction that others have had with the inspector and their "entire home inspection process" - just make sure to look deeply at the reviews that are posted on arms-length, dissociated sites such as Yelp!, Angie's List, etc. When we say "look deeply" we mean read the reviews with a critical view. Are all the reviews glowing with the same loving kindness and no real details? There are always those few who will have their friends or family post those glowing reviews. There should be some real variation in the tone and style. Any business person who has been in business for any length of time will have someone who was not fully satisfied with their service or interaction for one reason or another, so look for those reviews as well. Are the reviews detailed? The best reviews are those which provide specific details about the inspector or the inspection that they were really impressed with.
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Website Fitness
While most small businesses start with generic website templates, once they are up and running it should become more uniquely designed to represent their business. Have they put effort into providing quality information about their inspection business, how their inspection process works, and what you should expect? Can you contact them through their website, and do they respond within a reasonable amount of time (usually within 24 hours)?
Do they have a blog or a webpage where they talk about unique inspection situations and provide worthwhile information for consumers and other inspectors, and reflects their expertise and credibility in the world of inspections? The inspectors I follow have great inspection topics on their website that one can learn from, since every home can have a very unique problem or situation you may only ever see once. Through their posts, you can really tell that they love the work they do! |
So, unless you have a favorite inspector that you have used before, or have a recommendation from someone you really trust, you will need to do some research in order to find a home inspector that will provide a quality inspection and report that meets your needs.
Please don't hesitate to contact us if we can answer any questions you may have.
Please don't hesitate to contact us if we can answer any questions you may have.
Further Info
* US Dept of HUD - Guide to choosing a home inspector