Many home inspectors advertise that they preform re-inspections. This service seems to generate several questions from both real estate agents and clients; What is a re-inspection? Why have a re-inspection? Why do you offer free re-inspections? I will try to offer my opinion on how the industry answers these questions and how I answer them.
A re-inspection is when you have a home inspector come back and inspect a property that the home inspector has already inspected for a fee. This is an inspection that can range from component(s) to the whole house, to identify whether defects or issues have been corrected, or just to re-evaluate the property. Any inspection services that were not performed during the original inspection usually are not included, but may be added for a fee at the clients request. Now, the important part of this is that you have the SAME home inspector perform the re-inspection, as performed the original home inspection. If you were to call a home inspector to perform a re-inspection on a property that they did not perform a home inspection on previously, you will not be getting a re-inspection but a home inspection. This of course will cost extra dollars.
Whether you are the buyer or the seller, re-inspections are a great way to determine if an issue that was cited in the original home inspection has had the appropriate corrections. The service is usually limited to the services or components from the original inspection. Some inspectors will only re-inspect the noted defected items. Any additional services would be available for a fee. Some home inspectors offer free re-inspections, some charge a fee. Some home inspection companies may offer "free re-inspections" that may not be free. The inspection part is free, but they will charge a mileage fee, or a fee for weekends, or a fee for after hours. These fees can range from $25 to $150. To be clear, I am not saying that home inspectors that charge these fees are doing anything wrong, it is perfectly legitimate to charge such fees. I am only suggesting that when you are inquiring about hiring a home inspector; that this question be considered along with all the other questions you will ask.
I offer free re-inspections for one year from the date of the original home inspection.The free re-inspection not only covers any issues that were corrected, but it includes any future home inspections during that year that you may want. This is especially helpful if you have a warranty on your house that will expire within the one year free re-inspection time frame; call me at about the tenth or eleventh month of the warranty and I can help you identify any issues. This saves you money because home inspectors, as do I, charge for home warranty inspections as a separate service. I do not charge a mileage fee, after hour fee, weekend fee or any other fee.
I offer free re-inspections for several reasons.
1) You have already paid me to inspect the property, and had an issue(s) corrected based on my opinion.
2) If I were to charge you for the re-inspection, it would create what I believe to be a conflict of interest. What I mean is this; I remove the possibility that I told you that there was an issue so that I could come back and do a re-inspection and charge you a fee.
3) Many questions and issues will only become apparent after living in a home for a period of time. I will already be familiar with your home, and will be able to offer a more educated opinion based on my previous knowledge of your home.
4) Not providing free re-inspections would be like doing only half the job.
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