Q:  My Dad is a contractor - can he inspect my home?

A:  That's a great question, and I'm going to answer it two different ways:

First off, you're lucky to have someone who cares about you who is in the building trade.  I'm sure he will be able to tell you a lot about the home you are interested in buying!  So, by all means, let's set up another showing appointment so he can give your potential new home the once over before you write your contract. 

Just remember, unless we get the home owner's permission otherwise, this is going to be a visual inspection only.  Your Dad won't be able to open walls or ceilings, or move personal possessions to see what's behind or under them without the owner's permission.

In Pennsylvania, unless your Dad is a full member in good standing of a national home inspection association, or a person supervised by a full member of a national home inspection association, or a properly licensed or registered engineer or architect, his inspection will be purely for your education and peace of mind.

So that brings me to my second way of answering this.  If your contractor father is not a properly licensed or registered engineer or architect, or is not a full member in good standing of a national home inspection association, or a person supervised by a full member of a national home inspection association, his inspection will not help you when it comes to real estate negotiations.

When you exercise your rights to a home inspection in Pennsylvania, the inspection must be performed by  a full member of a national home inspection association, or a properly licensed or registered engineer or architect.  This protects both your rights, and the property owner's rights.

If you look at the standard Pennsylvania Agreement of Sale for residential property, you will find this description of a home inspection:

A non-invasive, visual examination of some combination of the mechanical, electrical or plumbing systems or the structural and essential components of a residential dwelling designed to identify material defects in those systems and components, and performed for a fee in connection with or preparation for a proposed or possible residential real estate transfer. The term also includes any consultation regarding the property that is represented to be a home inspection or that is described by any confusingly similar term. The term does not include an examination of a single system or component of a residential dwelling such as, for example, its electrical or plumbing system or its roof. The term also does not include an examination that is limited to inspection for, or of, one or more of the following: wood-destroying insects, underground tanks and wells, septic systems, swimming pools and spas, alarm systems, air and water quality, tennis courts and playground equipment, pollutants, toxic chemicals and environmental hazards. The scope of a home inspection, the services to be performed and the systems and conditions to be inspected or excluded from inspection may be defined by a contract between the home inspector and the client.

Pretty dense, I know!  But that's why they call it fine print! 

The best answer is that it is always best to get a licensed member of a national home inspection association to perform the inspection that counts -- the one you ask for in the agreement of sale!

So if you have any other questions about the home inspection process, please give me a call!