Mistake No. 3 - Bargain Hunting
The first problem with bargain hunting is that a dirt cheap home inspector usually means they're the least successful in the marketplace. To give the cheapest price, they usually avoid insurance, quality equipment (there are some tools that every inspector absolutely must have) and probably don't stay very busy. So they drop their price. The end result is that you get what you pay for. And the little bit of money you saved can up costing you more in the long run! Believe me, I've done the forensics on other inspections gone bad.
The second reason why hiring the cheapest home inspector is a problem is that you might get charged extra for things other home inspectors normally include in their quote in the first place. Washington State requires a Structural Pest Inspection done on real estate. I don't charge extra since it is a basic requirement to meet legal standards. My quote includes every essential piece you need. A good home inspector won't nickel and dime you to a higher fee.
To avoid buying on price alone, I suggest you choose two or three home inspectors and rank them in the order that is important to you such as Quality first, Service second, Availability next.
NOTE: Extra services like an infrared scan, energy audit or radon test should be clearly identified as extra and should be optional.
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