There are a lot of different feelings about home inspectors and inspections... many expressed right here on ActiveRain. The bad news about Home Inspectors is that they are human - they're not all the devil! We make mistakes, miss things we should catch, and catch things we probably shouldn't worry about.
There are some very good inspectors, and there are some very bad ones. Many people feel that there are surefire ways to protect themselves from the bad ones... licensure, trade associations, years of experience, etc. Unfortunately, price doesn't help either. The "cheap" inspector may or may not be the best. The most expensive inspector may not be the answer, either.
Some people would like to see inspectors licensed. Most in the industry agree that this isn't really the answer. Quality of work in licensed states has not improved since licensing began. it just makes it harder to enter and stay in the industry. Some trade associations tout their members as being "better" than another association's members... that is not necessarily true. There are 3 major national Home Inspection organizations - National Association of Certified Home Inspectors(NACHI), American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) and the National Associaiton of Home Inspectors (NAHI). Each group has its own standards, ethics and practices. Many inspectors belong to more than one, so you really can't say one group is "better" than another.
So, where does this leave the home buyer and agent? Meet the inspector. Does he/she present well on the first impression?
- Meet with inspectors until you find one you'd want to inspect your house.
- Check their education and background. Did he/she attend an inspection school?
- Are they nationally certified - belong to a national association? These associations do require a certain level of continuing education. NACHI requires passage of their exam each year to maintain membership.
- Do they carry insurance? Both E&O insurance and professional liability? These policies cost $2-3K a year - an inspector must be serious about their work to fork out that kind of money. It's not a hobby.
- Ask to see a sample of their inspection agreement. Look to see if it has a "hold-harmless clause". This is something I put in at my attorney's advice. It essentially holds harmless the real estate professionals involved if I mess up - they're not liable for my mistakes, just because they referred me.
- Ask to see a sample of their report. Ask if they are willing to change anything if needed. That should not be a problem if it's a simple wording or format change, such as putting more of the info on the summary page, etc. As long as you're not asking to change the findings or content.
- And, of course, ask about their experience - how long, how many, etc. and what kind of properties - new construction vs. residential vs. commercial...
Overall, the role of the home inspector is not, and should not be, to keep looking until they find something...or to try to "kill the deal". We are part of the housing team. We try to learn everything we can about the property and use that education to teach the home owner about their property - the good and bad. All in a couple of hours.
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