Shopping for a home inspection is different from most of the other shopping you do. Shopping by price is common mistake, and here’s why:
Inexperienced inspectors get work by offering low prices.
Home inspectors who are not qualified have only one option if they wish to compete in business. They offer low-cost inspections. The cost of a home inspection is a direct reflection of the skill and experience of the home inspector. Shopping for low price is always a mistake.
Home inspectors who have done the work and spent the time are proud of their hard-won abilities. They enter the home inspection field serious about what they do, they intend to make a living and they charge accordingly. They are able to command fees that allow them to make a living because those for whom they have performed inspections appreciate their capabilities, professionalism and responsible attitudes.
Saving or Losing You Money
An experienced, qualified inspector can save you a lot of money.
An inexperienced, unqualified inspector can cost you a lot of money.
Compared to the cost of a home, the cost of an inspection is very small. The cost difference between the services of a good inspector and those of a bad inspector are smaller still, and that difference is tiny compared to what you risk in buying a home without knowing its true condition.
Homes are Complicated Systems
Without specialized training confirmed by certification, an inspector can miss things that may cost you a lot of money!
Homes of different ages, styles and quality are built with different materials, each with different aging characteristics and expected lifespans. These materials will be combined in different ways. Some materials are compatible and some are not. Those that are not compatible will fail prematurely. Home inspectors are trained to know where to look for failure according to the factors and variables they see.
As if that’s not complicated enough, homes are built with a number of systems, such as the structural, roofing, plumbing, electrical, heating/cooling and exterior/interior systems. Each of these systems, and their major components, can vary with the home location, its age, quality and the quality of their installation. Learning the ways in which these different systems and components fail takes dedication, education, discipline, and time.
Make sure that the inspector you hire is qualified and certified!