While our tone is comical, there are several things you must know while shopping for a home inspector
Getting a home inspection is simply not an option anymore--there are too many potential
defects, safety hazards, and
undisclosed conditions in homes (including brand new homes) and you don't want to be stuck with major repairs & repair bills after buying what seemed be a "perfect" house. The thoroughness and quality of the Inspector and their inspection is
entirely up to you. You can pay for a "token" inspection, which often isn't worth the paper it's written on, or you can get a quality, thorough home inspection. The whole point of getting a home inspection is to give you more information. Since buying a home may be the most expensive single investment you'll ever make, you want to make sure
you hire a thorough, professional & unbiased home inspector. So here are some questions to ask yourself while shopping for a home inspector:
1. Do you want a professional, comprehensive inspection of the home, or a "feel-good" home inspection to give you a false sense of security?
2. Do you want a Certified Home Inspector with extensive experience & training or an unqualified part-time inspector?
3. Do you want an unbiased home inspector, or one who might "go easy" on defects in the home to protect his relationship with the real estate agent or their commission check (yes, conflicts of interest abound--Buyer beware!)
4. Do you want a thorough inspection (3-4 hours) to make sure the home is safe for your family, or a quick "once-over" by an "inspector" who simply walks through & looks around for an hour or so in order to give you a clean "bill of health?"
Buying a home (and having to make major repairs) can be the most expensive decision you'll ever make, so now is not the time to cut corners or use the "cheapest guy in town." A good home inspector is worth every penny because a thorough inspection usually finds more defects (and gives you more bargaining power) than a quick, cheap inspector. You get what you pay for, and the small difference in price between a "cheap" inspector & a thorough, unbiased home inspector is insignificant compared to the cost of a service call to make an average home repair.
A thorough home inspection includes descriptions of safety hazards and potential safety conditions as well, where a biased or less thorough home inspector may miss these entirely or not report on some of these items. So when it comes to getting the right information to make an informed buying decision, and when it comes down to your family's safety, you owe it to yourself to make sure your home inspector is working for you and you alone. So take your time, ask inspectors lots of questions. And please read on--we are dedicated to you as a potential client, and have designed this website to be truly informative, to help you decide on the right home inspector for you, even if you're still shopping around.
Below are some more very important issues to
consider when deciding who to hire:
Who will perform the home inspection?
The owner of the inspection company has a vested interest in you (the Client) and in the reputation of the home inspection company--he will usually work harder and find more defects than an ordinary employee. Be sure you ask who will actually perform your home inspection. Mr. Jones performs all our home inspections himself--employees rarely have the same mentality toward an inspection that the company owner possesses.
What about certification, education and training?
Did the home inspector attend an actual inspection school or institute, or did he complete a correspondence / online course instead (or worse, did he simply get "on the job training" under another inspector)? How many hours of inspection education and training does he have,
and how many hours does he maintain year after year (if at all)? Is he a certified residential inspector, and with whom are his certifications and credentials?
Mr. Jones is a Certified Home Inspector, a member
with the National Association of Certified Home Inspectors
(NACHI), and must maintain at least 24 Continuing Education
(C.E.) credit hours per year (although we have obtained double that
amount for the last several years). We believe more education
& training benefits you, the client.
What is the inspector's background?
Someone whose previous experience has nothing to do with homes, damage & repairs may not be a good choice. An inspector whose experience is limited to construction, repair or handyman work may not be the best choice either, in part because they may be used to "the way things are done around here" in Augusta, GA--they may accept defective construction, repairs & materials and even compromise on safety hazards because of their loyalty to real estate agents, builders and the like. We refute that kind of mentality because a defect is a defect regardless of the city or state where the home is located. My experience as a USAA claims adjuster (handling home damage claims due to water, electricity, fire, etc.) has taught me moderate (and even minor) defects can result in substantial, costly damage or worse, personal injury or death. This is the reality of owning a home. So you need an unbiased inspector who isn't afraid to point out defects on your behalf, not someone who is dependent on the "system."
How long does the inspection take?
An inspector who is "in and out" in two hours or less is simply not taking the time needed to perform a thorough home inspection and discuss the issues with you--period. A thorough, unbiased home inspection should take 3 or more hours (although older or larger homes, or homes with more defects may take longer).
Why is the length of the home inspection important?
The whole point of paying to get an inspection is to have a qualified professional observe & document the home's condition and defects. And it usually takes about 3 hours to complete the minimum standards of practice that most reputable inspection associations require (such as NACHI or ASHI). If the home inspector doesn't take his time to really observe the home's systems, if he just "goes through the motions" in under 2 hours, if he's rushing through your inspection to get to the next appointment, he is not taking enough time (except in very small or newer homes), and defects can be missed. If you're paying a professional, you should get professional results, but this is not always the case. That is why we take 3 or more hours (especially in older or larger homes, or homes with more defects). We believe if a home requires more time than "usual," then we will take that time, and we have never heard a client tell us that we took "too long"--they're glad we took the time to find the defects. Your family's safety and your biggest investment deserve a thorough home inspection. Click here to read actual testimonials from our clients.
Don't all home inspectors look for the same defects?
NO! Different inspection associations have different "Standards of Practice" and even these are minimum standards! While most inspectors are required to inspect the home's major systems to find defects (what many agents call "the important stuff") like major structural damage or major electrical problems, lesser (but still important) defects and concerns might be missed entirely--or worse, they might get "candy-coated" by a biased or less-than-thorough inspector. The bottom line is that using the wrong home inspector can result in substantial, costly repairs coming out of your pocket later. Not to mention the repair costs associated with lots of minor defects (they can add up quickly).
How many inspections per day?
We only perform 2 home inspections per day, since 3 or more hours plus office time to prepare a comprehensive report, complete with photos, requires a significant amount of time. If an inspector is handling more than 3 or 4 appointments in a day, beware:
1. He may have a "helper" or employee on site with him, who may not inspect as thoroughly as he does (see
FAQ# 1)
2. He may pay a secretary to write the inspection reports based on his field notes, leaving a lot of room for errors
3. He may be rushing through each inspection for maximum profit, trying to do too much in a day.
In any of these events, defects and details may get left out of the inspection report. We've actually seen where other inspectors have recorded defects from one home onto another home's inspection report….it makes you wonder what else might be wrong that didn't make it to your inspection report...
What about on-site reporting?
The physical act of inspecting a home & taking notes takes nearly 3 (or more) hours. An inspector who says they provide an "on-site" report may spend as much or more time writing the report than actually inspecting the home and defects may get missed, or you may end up with an unprofessional or confusing report, even if special report forms are used (click here to view samples of these kinds of reports). The other important point is that when you inspect a house, minor defects in one or more areas may point to a common defect or condition (such as old plumbing, ceiling stains and a spinning water meter). Elaborating on the defects or conditions might be needed, but cannot be done once an onsite report is filled out & completed. We provide your report the next business day so we can focus on performing the inspection, but also to review our findings, compare the digital photos we've taken and make the right recommendations. We believe you deserve more than a quick inspection with a hastily-made report.
What about professional tools & equipment?
Most inspectors carry a flashlight, an outlet tester, maybe a ladder, and if you're lucky, a digital camera. But if the point of getting a home inspection is to get more information about that home, the home inspector should have an array of tools at his disposal. Unfortunately, many inspectors are poorly equipped and do not see the "need." We believe that the more tools & equipment we have, the more information we can get for you about a home's condition. To this end, we carry numerous tools, testers and other gadgets--because thoroughness should be the point of a home inspection.
Buyer Beware!
There is an inherent conflict of interest when a real estate agent refers a home inspector--and the Buyer's and Seller's the agents only gets paid when the home sells--anywhere from 3% - 6% of the homes value. For a $250,000 house we're talking about anywhere from $7,500-$15,000, and let that just sink in a minute.
Agents know that if your inspector finds significant defects, you may decide to re-negotiate your offer or request repairs (when possible) but the Seller may be unable or unwilling to accept your "amended" offer. In cases of severe, major defects without the possibility of immediate repair, some Buyers will walk away from a sale--and this is your right--but many agents regard the home inspector as the "bad guy" or the "deal killer" because he did exactly what you paid him to do--to find defects. Some agents regard your right to walk away as something to be avoided at all costs, short of getting them sued! Meaning that they will recommend one to three inspectors whom they know will "go easy" on the inspection (or omit defects entirely) because that agent only refers to them--so they won't "bite the hand that feeds them" so to speak. So, regardless of how well you think you know your agent, when it comes down to them getting paid, you have to ask yourself one questions: will they refer you to someone who will protect you and give you an unbiased report on the condition of the property, or will they refer you to an inspector who will protect their commission check? That's why you need Jones Property Inspections, Inc., an independent, unbiased and professional home inspection company.
In Augusta, Georgia there are many agents who respect the fact that we will not waiver in our ethical obligation to provide you with a thorough inspection report. They refer clients to us because they prefer you to have full disclosure, and to prevent future problems or complaints after the sale. We appreciate these professional individuals and hold them in the highest regard, because they put the wants & needs of their Buyers before their own. The national real estate market would have a far better reputation if more agents would simply follow this example of honesty, integrity, and altruism.
Additional benefits when you use Jones
Property Inspections
As a Certified Home Inspector
and a former USAA Property Claims Adjuster,
I've seen hundreds of damaged homes, and all kinds
of damage, ranging from minor defects to catastrophic
losses!
Your family's safety and the proper
function of the home are my chief concerns
Since I'm acting as your eyes,
I provide photos of significant defects, so you
can see what I see.
Our comprehensive home inspection report includes
repair and maintenance recommendations, as well
as safety precautions. So don't settle for anyone
who is just "looking around." Insist on Jones Property
Inspections.
