Are All Home Inspectors Created Equal?

By Linda Liu

The time for that big investment has finally arrived and you need to find home inspector services that will guarantee that it is money well spent. Sure, a good home inspector can save you a world of unforeseen financial heartache down the road, but if your inspector is going to find potential problems in your future home and you are going to re-negotiate with the seller for a better price, then time is of the essence.

Once you've narrowed down your search to a few inspectors how do you ensure that you are choosing the right one? You're going to need to ask the inspectors some key questions. Find out if their inspection includes the appliances. It seems silly as one in five problems new home-owners encounter are with the appliances. Maybe the inspector can't give you the rundown on the production specs for the furnace in your possible soon-to-be home, but they can surely let you know if the pilot is lit or not.

The tools of the trade are also important in a good evaluation. High-tech gizmos might not be indispensable for the experienced inspector, but they definitely help to spot any possible areas of concern in your new house.

Does the inspector really know what they are talking about? Are they simply going to rely on a bunch of tests ordered at your expense, or will they be able to judge when those tests are really necessary? Some of the best inspectors believe in a simple home inspection and a single radon test as a base. Any other tests for water or mold contamination are only ordered if the inspector truly sees it fit.

Don't forget the final report. Anyone with a pencil and a clipboard can run down a checklist, giving items predetermined evaluations of good, satisfactory and poor. A proper, narrative report allows the inspector to go into real detail about their discoveries. This is an advantage to you, the layman, and to your lawyer or realtor, who will know if you are getting the deal you thought you agreed upon, or if re-negotiation is actually in order. A good narrative report can help you make an accurate estimate of what kinds of costs you might incur with the house before making the financial commitment to buy it.

One last thing to keep in mind: the best inspectors are trained, experienced professionals, but they are generalists. A good home inspector will know when they are out of their league and recommend that a specialized expert should take a closer look at a potential problem. Often, if the purchase price is particularly high, it is a prudent idea to hire two inspectors from different companies. You can count on both to give their sincere evaluation, but where so much money is at risk, a second opinion is always welcome. In cases where one inspector is in doubt over a particular factor (not at all unheard of in such a generalized profession) perhaps the other can offer some insight into the problem.

This is a big buy, and the details deserve your utmost attention. You can plan on spending between $400 and $650 to get a solid evaluation of the safety and integrity of your new home. A good inspector will be experienced, well-equipped, and will only order the necessary tests to complete the inspection. This can make all the difference in what should be the biggest and best purchase of your lifetime.