Hiring A Home Inspector
A home inspection is a necessary part of the home buying process. But what about hiring an inspector? Check out the table below what information is essential when hiring a home inspector.
| Factors to Consider | Why It Is Important |
|---|---|
| Qualifications | It is important to ask questions about your home inspectors qualifications. Depending on the age and location of your home, you may need an inspector who is particularly qualified to deal with things like asbestos or lead-based paint. Know the inspectors qualifications and experiences to make sure they are fully able to assess your new home. |
| Scope | Be sure to ask which aspects will and will not be included as part of the inspection. Assuming every aspect of the house will be covered by the inspection can be disastrous. |
| Sample Report | Ask to see a sample report of the inspection report. Does the report list problems in detail? Or, are answers just simple "yes" or "no"? Does the report detail what problems could be a present safety hazard? Be sure to know how detailed you inspection will be prior to hiring an inspector, that way you are getting the answer you want out of you inspector. |
| References | Be sure to get references for your home inspector whether it is past clients, a reference from your realtor, or a recommendation from your lender. If they are recommending the inspector, more than likely they are aware of the inspector's track record. |
| Memberships | See if you inspector is part of any local or national associations. They don't necessarily have to be a member of every association, however, being a part of associations means they are taking part in training and certification programs about industry practices and inspection standards. |
| Errors and Omissions | All humans are prone to make mistakes. Ask what policies the company has if something is missed during the inspection. Does the company have errors and omissions insurance? Or, does the company stand behind the report? |
Have questions about the inspection process? Feel free to shoot me an email, or give me a call at 865-696-9002. I’d love to help in anyway that I can.
