What should I ask a home Inspector before I hire them?

There are many things you need to consider when buying a house, including location, price, the school district, and more.  One of the other most important things you need to ask yourself is: Should I hire a home inspector to inspect my new home before closing?  The answer is always YES.  Not only do you need a home inspector, but you want to make sure your inspector is certified, licensed, and insured in your state.

Below are a few question you should ask your potential inspector before you hire them.

1. What qualifications do you have?

When calling local home inspection companies, try to find out if they are a one man inspection company or if they have multiple inspectors. If they are a company that has multiple inspectors find out the name of the inspector that would be assigned to inspect your property and find out what qualifications he or she has. Most home inspection companies are Limited Liability Companies (LLC) and only have the one inspector. He or she will be the owner of the company and in most cases will also be the person answering the phone, that way you can ask them the questions directly and you can get to know them a little bit better.

2. How long have you been in the home inspection profession?

Experience is very important when choosing your home inspector. Find out how long they have been performing home inspections in your state or any other state.  Also, you can ask them about their other job experience related to inspecting homes.  Most home inspectors have spent time in the construction industry and will tell you they have more experience than any other home inspector.  Its best to ask them for references from companies they have worked for.  Please keep in mind that home inspectors know a lot about how the home and its components function and operate but they are not experts in all fields.  Results from most home inspection reports will advise you to get a second opinion or consultation from a qualified person relating to that issue.

3. What will your inspection cost?

The cost of a home inspection can vary depending on a number of factors. The two factors that the home inspector will be most concerned about when quoting you will be the size and the age of the property.  The size of the home is important to the home inspector because this gives the inspector an idea on how long it will take them to complete the field inspection. Some inspectors have a set price which goes up every 500 sq ft or so and some inspectors will price the inspection on total square feet.  For example: $.10 per sq ft.  The age of the property is also very important to the home inspector, older homes tend to have more issues and will take the inspector longer to perform a thorough inspection.  There are also a few other factors the home inspector will need to know about the property before quoting you, including the distance from there office, is there a crawl space, are there any additional buildings, is there a pool or spa, and is the home vacant or occupied. These factors will determine the price the home inspector will give you, but just remember cheaper is not always better when hiring a home inspector. Home inspectors are professionals and pay a great amount of money every year on continuing education, insurance, and memberships to a variety of associations.

4. Do you offer to do repairs on your findings from the home inspection?

Most home inspectors will not offer to repair any of there findings for you as it would be a conflict of interest for them.  Also, most home inspectors are members of a professional association which have strict guide lines and codes of ethics. So doing repair work on properties a home inspector inspects is considered a big no no.  However a large number of inspectors have built relationships with various contractors a tradesmen over the years and will be glad to refer them to you. 

5. How long will the inspection take?

Every home is different and providing an accurate time on a home inspection is difficult.  If the home is perfect and there are not many of homes that are, it will still take the home inspector to go through his/her inspection checklist and thoroughly inspect every item on that checklist. If a home has been well maintained and is in good to average condition the field inspection should, on average, take around 2 to 4 hours. The home inspection will take longer if the home is in poor condition as the inspector will be continually making comments on his/her findings. Once the field inspection is complete, depending on your inspector, you might  receive a copy of the report on-site.  Most inspectors will provide you with a full written report the same day or within 24 hours of the field inspection via email.

7. Can I attend the inspection?

The answer is yes.  Most home inspectors will advise you to attend the inspection as it is a good time for the inspector to point out any issues they find and for you can ask any questions about the home.  Please keep in mind the inspector is working, so it is recommended that you write your questions down and ask your inspector at the end.  Also, try not to follow the inspector around, as this may distract him/her and he/she might not have their full attention invested in your new home.  There are a few things the inspector will not let you do, and that is enter the attic or climb onto the roof. 

8. Do you participate in continuing education programs?

This is very important because the building standards are are always changing to improve safety and the life of components in the home. Some states require home inspectors to a minimum of 14 hours continuing education every 2 years.  Remember that is a minimum requirement, so find out what continuing education your inspector has completed in the last 3 to 6 months.

9. Do you have a sample report that I can view and how long will it take to receive my report?

Most inspectors are very proud of their reports, so they will be very glad to email you a sample report. Some home inspectors will already have a sample report on their website.  Once you have a copy of the sample report ask yourself a few questions like; Is it easy to read?  Can I understand it?  Is it well written? Are there diagrams and photos?  Does it explain in detail the issues and how they can be resolved?  Is it a thorough report?

10. Do you have any references?

The home inspector you hire is reporting on the condition of the biggest purchase in your life, so you want to make sure he/she knows what they are doing.  Most home inspectors will be glad to give you some references.  Also, you can find reviews on home inspectors online and some inspectors will have reviews on their website but keep in mind the reviews you read on your home inspectors website will likely only be good reviews as they will not advertise any bad reviews. Try to get information from third party review sites like Angie's List.

By following these tips and recommendations you will be well on your way to finding a good home inspector.