Home inspectors, question

[swamp]

I've found real estate agents don't do anything except bung up the process.

No, I wouldn't go with an inspector recommended by the realtor.

[zibazinski]

I wouldn't hire an inspector at all. They "miss" things on purpose and do as little as possible and have so many loopholes in the form you sign that they can't be held accountable for anything.

[HoneyBBQ]

No. Get your own. My preference is via word of mouth of friends who had a good experience.

[busymom]

I agree with the other posters. Hire an independent inspector. We've hired one with every house we've purchased.

[Deleted]

Darn right. I bought a house and used an inspector recommended by the realtor. He missed some blatant signs that the basement had had water problems (freshly-painted floor, mineral deposits on cinder block near the floor level, cans of sealer sitting around). It eventually cost me $8K to fix. I made $200K when I sold it so not a total disaster.

The next time I used one based on recommendations from another board I was on. Turned out he was the one the realtor had used when she bought HER house. That's how I knew I had the right guy. So far (bought the house 8 years ago) no surprises.

[swamp]

I used my cousin.

[Clever Username]

There's an obvious conflict of interest here. Find your inspector through independant sources.

[2kids10horses]

I'm a REALTOR. If a client wants an inspector, I have a list of 4 or 5 licenced inspectors. If they choose one of those, great, if they don't, I don't care. None of the inspectors I know will overlook anything on purpose.

The reason my clients want my list of inspectors is they have no clue about inspectors. At least the ones on my list are licenced.

[trytofindbalance]

Hi Lonewolf, my husband is in the process of getting his home inspection license. He has been a contractor for 20 years and has tremendous knowledge when it comes to homes. As part of the licensing process, he must complete 16 inspections with a mentor. His mentor has been in the business for about 4 years and he is also a union carpenter (again very familiar with home issues). My DH's mentor has well known, well respected business. He gets a lot of his business through realtor referrals. He gives a very thorough and honest inspection. His report is extremely detailed and that is why DH agreed to a business partnership with him, he felt that hew was very ethical.
I think it is very important to make sure your home inspection has a contracting/construction background. DH was shocked to find out that several of the members of his class had no background in his field; they were unemployed from various other fields (one was a computer programmer) and they decided to take the course and try to become an inspector.....NOT someone I would want inspecting my home.

I have purchased 5 homes and have had inspections on all of them. There were several things my inspector missed on one of my homes (I found him independently, he was a friend of my step-fathers) and they ended up being costly to repair.

My DH "inspected' or current home with the home inspector, who was referred by the realtor, he did a good job.

Keep in mind that they aren't necessarily going to find everything (they are not allowed to tear down walls or damage the home in anyway) and they can only report about the current state of the property. They can tell you if they think an AC or furnace is near the end of it's life, but they have no way to know if it will go the day you buy the house or 2 years later.

By the way, my DH has to carry a minimum of $500,000 in liability insurance to practice in our State. His field is highly regulated.

[Deleted]

The problem with inspectors is that many states don't license them, for example in CA (and given how consumer friendly CA is it's surprising). So there's no way to judge how competent they are and recourse for screwing up is usually limited to the cost of the report (read their contract).

I recommend that folks ask their agent for a referral from someone who is affiliated with ASHI (American Society of Home Inspectors). Before securing anyone's services take a look at their experience. I like former general contractors or municipal building inspectors with at least 10 years of experience.

Also request a copy of their report. The best have both a checklist as well as a narrative. The one I've used in the San Diego area also includes a home maintenance booklet which gives you tips on home maintenance and a log book.

Don't forget to check your BBB to insure there are no complaints. And make sure you are present at the inspection. S/he will tell you stuff that won't go in the report. In CA (and I suspect in many states) the home inspection is a matter of public record and must be disclosed to the next buyer. It's done because otherwise a seller could keep shopping around until s/he could find a ummm "more flexible" inspector. Therefore inspectors in CA are very careful about what findings are in the report so they can't be accused of going beyond their competency level and/or slandering the property. For example if you go with an inspector and he sees evidence of settlement, s/he may say "looks like a settlement problem, better do X" but the report will say "evidence of cracking around window. Suggest seeking the services of a qualified soils engineer".

Like any field there are some really good inspectors and some crappy ones. Do your homework. For most people their home is their second most (after their career) important investment they make.

[trytofindbalance]

I would also suggest, asking friends who they used and if they did a good job.

The people who bought my last house, used an inspector she got out of the phone book (she didn't want to use the Realtor's referrals), he did a terrible job. I couldn't believe some of the obvious things he missed. My home was in good repair, but when I got the report I laughed, because he has missed things that just about anyone would have noticed.

[8 Bit WWBG]

...:::"wouldn't it benefit the inspector to overlook problems with the house?":::...

The inspector gets paid regardless of the results. If the inspector finds problems, the buyer can use that to negotiate a better deal on the house. While the realtor will take less commission as a result, the buyer will be ecstatic, and may very well recommend said inspector to another client. IMO that is far more desirable than the alternative: a buyer trying to sue the inspector and realtor over something that should have been missed.

...:::"I wouldn't hire an inspector at all. They "miss" things on purpose and do as little as possible and have so many loopholes in the form you sign that they can't be held accountable for anything.":::...

This is how I feel about home warranties. Unless something breaks in an exact certain way, it is exempt.

[Wisconsin Beth]

May 17, 2011 12:29:26 GMT -5 @lonewolf said:

Does anyone watch the show Holmes on Homes? Great examples of what can happen if you get the wrong inspector.

His "new" show is called Holmes Inspections. "New" because the copyright dates are 2009 and I don't believe they aired previously.

I think Holmes' website offers tips on how to find a good inspector.

[zibazinski]

I want HIM to inspect any property I buy!!! Anyone watch INCOME PROPERTY? I love the laminate floors, solid surface countertops, ss appliances and then you get 7-9 hundred bucks a month in rent?!!! From a tenant who will probably trash it anyway? LOVE that show, kinda like what NOT to put in a rental.

[Urban Chicago]

I agree that you should use word-of-mouth, if possible. If you don't know anyone who can give you a referal, check at your local fire department. Lots of firemen moonlight as inspectors, and given their exposure to the problems that can occur, I think they'd notice at least the real hazards.

[Agatha]

I recommend that folks ask their agent for a referral from someone who is affiliated with ASHI (American Society of Home Inspectors). Before securing anyone's services take a look at their experience. I like former general contractors or municipal building inspectors with at least 10 years of experience.

To which I say a hearty AMEN! When I was shopping for my current home I got my inspector from ASHI. He was marvelous! He inspected the first house, or rather started inspecting then turned to me and pointed out four major problems. He said he could continue to inspect but he didn't want to take my money. I was impressed enough with his integrity/honesty to hire him for the next house, which I did buy. He forewarned me about some future problems right there on site and I still have his full inspection report with photographs on my computer.

[Frugal Nurse]

May 17, 2011 11:24:18 GMT -5 zibazinski said:

I wouldn't hire an inspector at all. They "miss" things on purpose and do as little as possible and have so many loopholes in the form you sign that they can't be held accountable for anything.

Do you have an alternative to using a home inspector before making a very expensive purchase?

I am thankful we used an inspector when we bought our house. The first house we went into contract on he found that the A.C. didn't work, the dishwasher was broken, there was a carbon monoxide hazard due to improper ventilation in the laundry room, and there was trash (like tires, oil, paint, other stuff you aren't allowed to throw away) under the crawl space. The seller refused to fix any of it, and was unable to lower the selling price, so we walked away. We lost the $500 we'd put down to go under contract, and the money for the inspection and appraisal, but we saved ourselves a huge headache with that home. I mean, the carbon monoxide could have killed us.

[zibazinski]

You were very lucky to have a good one. Most seem to do as little as possible and find "nothing" wrong.