Eight Things You Should Know About Your House Inspectors
As you already know, the best house inspectors will help you select the best house at the price range you can afford.
Since you are investing much of your lifetime savings in the house you are buying, or will be paying your house over a period of many years, it is very logical for you to hire one among the best house inspectors in your region.
How will you know if you are hiring one of the best house inspectors? Use the following criteria:
The first criterion is home inspection certification or license. The inspector should be a licensed home inspector in your state and should be able to show his license immediately.
The second is home inspection checklist. Ask the inspector his standard inspection procedures. Look at his checklist and see to it that it is detailed and includes all the major systems of a house. How will you know if the checklist is adequate? Before meeting with house inspectors, you can download a recommended home inspection checklist from a reputable home maintenance or house inspection website.
Another is inspection specialty. Is the inspector a specialist in commercial buildings and doing part-time work in residential inspection? It is advisable that you hire a residential inspector with at least one residential specialty. You can get a discount if you get a general home inspection and a specialized inspection, such as a septic system inspection, from the same inspector.
Next is inspection experience in your area. Different areas of the U.S. have unique housing problems, such as problems related to radon, termites, roofing and drainage systems.
The length of the actual home inspection will also indicate the thoroughness of the inspection. The inspector must not be inserting your home inspection in between various appointments. Professional house inspectors must spend at least two hours looking for defects and damages.
The sixth factor is inspection cost. Regular inspection usually costs around $400. This increases if you are including a specialized inspection and decreases if the home inspected is relatively small. You should know the inspection cost before hiring an inspector.
Good house inspectors are more than glad to have you with them as they go around the house. Many inspectors even get a lot of personal fulfillment from being able to impart home maintenance knowledge to homeowners.
The eighth factor is membership in a home inspection association. If your house inspector is a member of a professional association, it means he is passionate about his profession and he is interested in being updated with best practice inspection methods.
Lastly, it is a good practice especially during these difficult times to educate yourself about home maintenance and home inspection.
