It seems hard to imagine that there was a time when one bought houses without the benefit of a comprehensive home inspection, but the truth is that the stand-alone home inspection industry is a relatively new creation. It used to be that you were on your own, complete caveat emptor, and if you bought a house that had problems, then you were stuck with them.
The idea behind an official home inspection is that you have a trained professional look at your prospective purchase and offer up an informed opinion as to the condition of the property. While this works great in theory, the practical reality is that there are some pitfalls in the way that the system actually operates in the real world.
Look For An Experienced Home Inspector
Some home inspectors have never worked in the construction industry, and are only licensed because they took a training course and obtained a certification. Paying a little more for experience can pay off big time. Look for a home inspector or home inspection service with a proven history of ground-level experience in the things they are passing judgment on.
For some, a home inspection is simply a required box-checking exercise for approval on a mortgage application, and any inspector will do. However, if you really what to know what potential issues you may run into in the future, or existing issued that require immediate attention, you need to hire an independent inspector with real-world building experience. Certification and licenses are important of course, but an inspector with years of industry experience will notice things that are easily missed by someone without the experience. It’s that trained eye that can spot issues that can cost hundreds or even thousands later on if not properly addressed. They take the time to search high and low and to thoroughly inspect all of the major home systems and appliances. Professional inspectors will usually provide a detailed report with color pictures showing that they found, and even in some cases their recommendations to remedy the issue.
If you are purchasing a new home, do a little due diligence on the home inspector, – you’ll be glad you did.
Monday, February 26th, 2018, 8:38 pm | 
Home Improvement | 
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