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by Wally Conway,
Host
of the Home and Garden Show on WOKV
Congratulations! You've decided to purchase a home. We all know
that when purchasing a home, every detail is an important one. And
choosing a home inspector is no exception. It's critical to choose
an inspector the same way you've chosen a real estate professional
- very carefully! You'll get a great educational experience when
you hire a professional with the right credentials.
Working with a home inspector isn't complicated; however, unless
armed with the right questions to ask, you may get stuck with a
less than capable individual. Here are my top 8 questions to ask
your next home inspector:
- Does the inspector come from a construction background?
It's great that your inspector is a nice person, but what did
they do before inspecting homes? Do they bring a wealth of knowledge
about the construction trades, building, or remodeling? Or were
they a hairdresser in a previous life? Don't get me wrong, I'm
not picking on hairdressers - but that occupation certainly doesn't
have anything to do with inspecting a house!
- Does the inspector hold the appropriate license and meet
all requirements for home inspectors in your area or state, and
where can you go to verify this license?
This question may not be applicable in all states - there are
states without licensing requirements for home inspectors (for
instance, here in Florida, there is currently no state regulation
of home inspectors). But if your state has some kind of requirements,
you need to know what they are, and where you can go to verify
that your chosen inspector has done what it takes to be state-compliant.
Verification is essential, because many states have the capability
to track continuing education of the inspector as well as complaints.
- Is the inspector a member of the American Society of Home
Inspectors (ASHI)?
This is critical! ASHI is the oldest, largest, and most respected
organization for home inspectors in the country. They also maintain
the highest standards and ethics for home inspectors. If your
inspector is a member of this organization, you can be sure that
they have passed rigorous testing, The National Home Inspectors
Exam, and they have completed all training and administrative
requirements for membership. You can even verify membership status
at www.ASHI.org. The inspector may be a member of other organizations,
but none have requirements as strict as ASHI. And don't be fooled
by those companies who claim to inspect to "ASHI standards"
- if they aren't a Certified ASHI Inspector, find someone who
is.
- How long has the inspector been in the inspection business,
and how many inspections has he performed during this time?
Longevity gives comfort that the inspector will be with you in
the future as new needs and issues arise. But if he's only done
12 inspections during his several years in business, that's not
good! Your home buying decision is far too important to be a practice
place for a part-time inspector.
- Does your inspector have experience in homes similar to the
home you are having inspected?
All homes have some systems and features in common, but a brand
new home has risks and issues that differ from an historic beauty
from the year 1855. Only someone who has walked the walk and crawled
the crawl numerous times in similar homes can sleuth out those
important items that are specific to your age, size, and type
of home.
- Will your inspector walk on the roof, crawl in the crawlspace,
go into the basement, and climb into the attic space (if any of
these are applicable)?
Your inspector should be capable of going and willing to go into
those places where others fear to tread! These are the places
that must be seen to best protect the customer. There times when
those locations cannot be completely inspected due to physical
risk to the inspector, risk to the equipment, or seasonal limitations.
But for the inspector to not inspect those locations because he
doesn't want to, is scared of the dark, or is too ample to fit
into those spaces is unacceptable.
- Does the completed report include photographs, including
infrared images?
Often, the report will contain descriptions of damage or defect
in locations of the home that only the inspector was able to access,
like roof-tops or crawl spaces. You will want pictures of these
areas to make the location of the damage clear. It also makes
the repair process simpler when a photograph is available, since
there is no confusion for the tradesperson making the repair.
But what of the scope of repair in those damaged areas? Peace
of mind does not come from a regular inspector raising questions,
and then leaving them unanswered. Peace of mind comes from knowing
precisely what the visual symptoms really mean. That level of
confidence can only be reached with the use of an infrared camera
in the hands of an ASHI Certified home inspector. Infrared allows
an ASHI Certified inspector to essentially "see the invisible",
which brings a level of understanding and comfort to the inspection
that cannot be reached with any other tool.
- When will the completed report be delivered, and can it be
emailed?
Often the buying decision is time critical, you want to be sure
you will receive your completed report in time to read, review,
and respond. The best companies can deliver the report to you
on-site, right at the home, just as the inspection is completed.
Your inspection company should also be able to email your report
to anywhere you need it to go - after all, it is the 21st century!
Finally, be sure to attend the home inspection. There
is no substitute for the complete inspection experience;
the report generated is only a small piece of the inspection. When
you attend the inspection, see the process, ask questions, and become
educated about your home, you'll gain great comfort and confidence
in your buying decision. Good luck, and happy home buying!
Copyright © Florida HomePro, Inc. and Wallace
J. Conway. All rights in all media reserved.
About the Author: Wally Conway is your weekly Host of the Home
and Garden Show on WOKV, and author of the book "Secrets of the Happy
Home Inspector", available at GoHomePro.com.
Wally's expertise and experience has been sought after by HGTV's "House
Detective", DIY Network's "Finders Fixers", the National Association
of REALTORS®, newspapers, and corporations. As a speaker, writer, and instructor,
Wally blends the right amount of up-to-date information with just the right
amount of humor, insight, motivation, and real-world application. Visit WallyConway.com
for more information!
Reproduction of this article: Permission is granted to use this article
in any media provided that the article is reproduced in its entirety as shown
above, with the authors resource box/bio included including links to http://www.gohomepro.com
and http://www.wallyconway.com
as the original publisher.
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