How To Hire a Home Inspector You Can Trust
Don’t waste time with inexperienced home inspectors
When it comes to buying or selling a home, a quality home inspector is an absolute must. Professional home inspectors near you specialize in searching homes for potential hazards, defects, and damage, helping buyers and sellers stay informed. Most states require home inspectors to pass a certified home inspector training course and/or pass a state-required exam in order to be certified. But how do you find the right inspector for you? Learn how to find a reputable home inspector with this guide.
How To Find a Home Inspector
When it’s finally time for a home inspection, finding the inspector is up to you. There are a few different types of home inspections, so figuring out which one you need will help narrow down your search from the start.
If you’ve never done it before, there are plenty of resources to help you. Tap into your network of friends and family who can recommend inspectors to use and ones to avoid. Your realtor may also have a list of suggestions. Professional organizations such as the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) and the National Academy of Building Inspection Engineers (NABIE) can also help you build up a list of potential inspectors.
Each of these organizations has a search function on its website to help you find home inspectors in your area. And, finally, home service sites (like Angi!) are a solid resource. If nothing else, all of these recommendations can help narrow down your search and give you a sense of the average home inspection cost for your area.
Characteristics of a Good Home Inspector
Buying a home is one of the most significant purchases you’ll ever make, so it’s essential to choose a home inspector you can trust. As you sift through names and narrow down candidates, you may want to consider the type of qualities exemplified by a good home inspector.
What to expect from a home inspection:
"The home inspector met my husband at the house. He walked my husband through the entire inspection. He identified some very costly repairs. He had all the necessary equipment to test for moisture and thermal heat. He explained everything to my husband that was found and was very professional. He also brought in a roofing specialist and a specialist for termites. Once he completed the inspection he sent us a report that included details about what he found and pictures."
— Nikki J., Coral Springs, FL
Ideally, your home inspector should be:
Experienced
Knowledgeable
Responsive
Organized
Detailed
An excellent communicator
Patient
Understandably, it may be hard to discern any of these characteristics from recommendations, online searches, and reviews. For that reason, you should interview potential candidates before hiring a home inspector. Interviews are still important, even if your friends and family gave glowing reports on their home inspector.
Before Hiring a Home Inspector
Preparation is essential to make the most out of your home inspection. Research any potential inspectors thoroughly, and give them a call ahead of time to discuss pricing and to ask any pertinent home inspection questions. Also, ask what the inspection process entails. A real pro will physically crawl into the attic and crawl space instead of just taking a quick look around from the opening or doorway. Here are a few other prep steps to help you:
Know What Kind of Home Inspection You Need
Determine whether you’ll need a pre-listing inspection as a seller, a pre-purchase inspection as a buyer, a new construction inspection, or specialized inspection services (e.g., lead inspection, asbestos inspection, pest inspection, etc.). Different inspection types might vary in cost and length, so you’ll need to have this info on hand.
Check Your Home Inspector’s Qualifications and References
Be sure to double-check that any potential inspectors are certified and qualified to perform home inspections in your state. Look at their references and reviews to make sure their past clients have been happy with their work.
Questions To Ask Your Home Inspector
One key prep step is to write up a few questions to ask during your home inspection, as well as beforehand. Here are a few to keep in mind as you shop around for the right home inspector.
Ask How Many Inspections They’ve Conducted
ASHI requires at least 250 inspections for membership, but that’s just the bare minimum of experience necessary to conduct a quality inspection. For maximum peace of mind, find someone who's performed at least 1,000 inspections and has at least three to five years of full-time experience in the field. The more experience they have, the less likely they’ll miss something.
Inquire About Insurance and Licensure
Ask to see proof of licensing if your state requires it, and inquire about proof of general liability insurance as well as errors and omissions (E&O) insurance. Even the most seasoned pros make mistakes, and E&O insurance protects both the inspector and the homeowner in these cases.
Ask About Technology
Like everything else in the 21st century, home inspection technologies have evolved. Modern technology enables inspectors to conduct more comprehensive inspections while making them quicker, safer, and more affordable.
While a major part of your home inspection relies on the inspector and their expertise, these experts use specialty tech items to help them make a well-informed inspection report. During your interviews with potential inspectors, you should ask them about what kind of technology they plan to use during the inspection.
Some technologies that home inspectors may use include:
Thermal imaging
Moisture meters
Electrical circuit monitors
Video scopes
Leak detectors for pools
Home inspection software
Drones
Ask for a Sample Report
Once your home inspection is complete, you’ll receive a written home inspection report that details any issues or red flags found during the inspection. To ensure a potential inspector will produce a well-organized and thorough report, you can request a sample report.
If the potential home inspector provides a sample report that only includes a series of checked boxes, you may want to reconsider. However, if the sample report offers explanations, graphics, and useful references, that’s reassurance that they’ll provide the same kind of report for you. As you interview candidates, try to determine whether the home inspector is open to (and has the patience for) answering questions—however many you may have.
Talk About Costs
An average home inspection costs between $200 and $500, but it’s advised that you get this number in writing before hiring anyone. The costs vary depending on the age of a home, its size, and other factors, so be sure to have that information ready to go as you make inquiries.
Different home inspectors charge varying rates, so it’s highly recommended that you take a little time getting a number of quotes from professionals in your area. You might be able to save a few hundred dollars while still getting a thorough, quality inspection.
Hiring Your Home Inspector Tips
Once you’ve narrowed your list of possible inspectors down to a couple, there are a few smart steps to take.
Interview more than one person, so you can get a good sense of what’s available in your area.
Ask for a background check to ensure the inspector hasn’t gotten into major legal trouble in the past.
Once you hire a home inspector, get the details in writing including scope and payment.
Home Inspector Red Flags To Watch Out For
Most home inspectors do good work, but you should still be on the lookout for a few common red flags to avoid when choosing an inspector. These include:
Missing Certification: Always ask for certifications before going ahead with an inspector, and steer clear of anyone who refuses to share theirs.
No Insurance: If there’s any room to believe that a home inspector did an inaccurate or incomplete report, it can lead to big legal and financial hassles later on.
Rock Bottom Pricing: Cheap inspections often indicate an inexperienced inspector, who might miss important problems during the course of their inspection.
Boilerplate Inspection Reports: Avoid inspectors who give out verbal, vague, incomplete, or unspecific inspection reports.
Overly Quick Inspections: Choose an inspector who’s known for taking their time and being thorough.
Lack of Experience: Experience helps inspectors know what to look for and where to find potential issues, saving you time, money, and trouble later on.
After Your Pro Finishes
A home inspection report reveals problems that need fixing and other points of interest to homeowners or potential buyers. In other words, once the inspection finishes, you still have a few things to do.
Read the Report Thoroughly
Many inspectors provide their reports on the same day of the inspection. Take some time to read the report thoroughly and internalize the findings. The best home inspection reports are easy to understand, precise, and feature multiple pictures and diagrams.
If you can't make heads or tails out of the information, you can look at a guide on how to read and decipher your home inspection report, or contact your pro and ask them to explain it with more straightforward terminology.
Store the Report Somewhere Safe
Once you have the report in your hands, store it somewhere safe with other necessary documents. Also, make a few copies for safety's sake, and use a scanner to create a digital version. You never know when you'll need the home inspection report, especially if you're in the midst of buying or selling your home.
Call With Any Lingering Questions
Disagree with any of the findings? Call your inspector for further discussion and elaboration. Home inspectors are human, after all, and make mistakes, so you could potentially get an item reversed, providing you have the proof. Even if you agree with the assessment, it’s helpful to follow up with your pro to go over the findings one last time.
Make Changes and Repairs
The inspector likely noted repair and maintenance issues throughout your home. If you're selling your house, get on those as soon as possible to keep your asking price competitive. If you're buying, follow up with homeowners about the status of the needed repair, and consider using the report to help you negotiate the home price after the inspection. If you aren't selling anytime soon, make a list of items in order of importance, and conduct repairs accordingly.