There certainly are many options when choosing your home inspector. I have lots of competition out there. Every inspector will likely charge a different price and sometimes the differences can be pretty large.
The wrost thing you can do is chose your home inspector based from their price alone. Here are some questions to help you choose your home inspector.
Ask:
1. Are you LICENSED by the North Caroline Home Inspector Licensure Board? This is not optional it is required by the state. However, some peopledon't know any better or just don't care and conduct home inspections without a license.
2. Is this your full time job? Obviously you want somebody that does this full time and not just a part-time job for extra cash.
3. Do you belong to any national Home Inspector associations? There are several well known associations out there. The largest ones are the National Association of Home Inspectors (NAHI) and the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI). Members are held to the standards of practice that each assoc. has set. In North Carolina these standards essentially parellel the N.C. Standards of practice set by the licensure board.
4. What insurance policies do you carry? Your home inspector should carry health insurance and a policy that covers them in case they get hurt during an inspection. If they don't the home/property owners could be held liable for any injuries to the home inspector. Although it is not currently required by the state of North Carolina, you should look for an inspector that carries an E&O (errors and omisions) Insurance policy. Ask any real estate professional that carries this type of policy and they will tell you that this is a very expensive insurance policy to carry. For me it almost equals my truck payment every month. Aside from my fuel bill, it is my single largest expense. I have met many inspectors that do not carry this insurance. It is as much for your peace of mind as it is for theirs. This insurance covers any errors or omissions that the inspector makes. This is different than general liablilty which does not cover mistakes made by your inspctor.
5. Do you make yourself available for questions or consultation after the report is completed? Will they be willing to spend some time on the phone or via e-mail after the inspection is complete to answer any questions that may have been sparked by the report.
This should help you when chosing a home inspector. Don't be shy, if you have a question, ask them. Your about to make a very large investment. Make sure that your home inspector is licensed will do the best possible home inspection for you to help you make the best decisions when purchasing the house.
Remember, it won't hurt to save money when purchasing some itmes, but a home inspeciton is NOT one of them. If you chose the cheapest home inspector it may save you $25, $50, or even $100 now, but it could cost you thousands in the weeks, months, or years to follow if the home inspector didn't do a thorough home inspection.
Nick Hodak
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