10 Questions for Home Inspectors

10 Questions for Home Inspections

Before your clients make their final buying or selling decision, they should have the home inspected by a professional. An inspection can alert them to potential problems and help them make an informed decision. Before hiring an inspector, the buyer or seller should ask these questions, say Rob Paterkiewicz, executive director of American Society of Home Inspectors.

1. Will the inspection meet recognized standards? The inspection and the inspection report should meet all state requirements and comply with a well-recognized standard of practice and code of ethics.

2. Do you belong to a professional home inspector association? Insist on member of reputable, nonprofit trade organizations; request to see a membership ID.

3. How experienced are you? Ask how long inspectors have been in the profession and how many inspections they’ve completed. They should provide customer referrals on request. New inspectors should describe their training and let you know whether they place to work with a more experienced partner.

4. How do you keep your expertise up to date? Inspectors’ commitment to continuing education is a good measure of their professionalism and service. Advanced knowledge is especially important in cases in which a home is older or includes unique elements requiring additional or updated training.

5. Do you focus on residential inspection? Make sure the inspector has training and experience in the unique discipline of home inspection, which is very difficult from inspecting commercial buildings or construction sites. If your customers are buying a unique property, such as a historic home, they may want to ask whether the inspector has experience with that type of property in particular.

6. Will you offer to do repairs? Some state laws and trade associations allow the inspector to provide repair work on problems uncovered during the inspection. However, other states and associations forbid it as a conflict of interest. Learn about the rules in your state.

7. How long will the inspection take? On average, an inspector working alone inspects a typical single-family house in two or three hours; anything significantly less may not be thorough, if your customers are purchasing an especially large property, they may want to ask whether additional inspectors should be brought in.

8. What’s the cost? Cots can vary dramatically, depending on your region, the size and age of the house, and the scope of services. The national average for single-family homes is about $320, but customers with large homes can expect to pay more. Customers should be wary of deals that seem too good to be true.

9. What type of report do you provide? Ask to see samples to determine whether you will understand the inspector’s reporting style. Also, most inspectors provide their full report within 24 hours of the inspections. 

10. Will I be able to attend the inspection? The answer should be yes. A home inspection is a valuable educational opportunity for the buyer. An inspector’s refusal to let the buyer attend should raise a red flag.