How to Identify a Qualified and Reliable Home Inspector
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Nothing beats experience. This is certainly true when it comes to Home Inspectors. While some Home Inspectors may be relatively new to Home Inspection, you want to be sure your Home Inspector is not new to Home Building. In fact, some of the best Home Inspectors were once Home Builders or Contractor who have the experience, not just the theory.
You may find your realtor has a recommended list of Home Inspectors. We would recommend you still do a little research to have confidence in your Home Inspector as a trusted advisor during your home purchase process.
So, here are a few questions to ask when choosing a Home Inspector:
– Is your Home Inspector certified?
- Be certain your Home Inspector has been certified by at least one national organization – ASHI, interNachi, etc. Most of these organizations are very thorough in there evaluations of Home Inspectors. Seven Stars Home Advisors carries the interNachi certification among others.
– Ask to see a sample report.
- A comprehensive report with accurate photos, images and even videos is the important output from your Home Inspection. Be certain your Home Inspector provides more than just a summary of problems found. The more details they provide on all systems, the more confidence you will have in your Home Inspectors work. Seven Stars Home Advisors provides a comprehensive on-line report where you can view all the facts about your home, not just the problems. We will support all inspection issues with photos, images or videos when appropriate. We also provide an inventory of all critical systems and appliances for later reference.
– Ask for referrals or reviews from other homeowners with similar sized homes as yours.
- Don’t hesitate to call a couple references if you need more confidence in your decisions.
– Does your Home Inspector offer a warranty as part of his inspection?
- Many Home Inspectors now provided a limited warranty for at least 90 days from the inspection. This will give you confidence your Home Inspector has inspected all items and is willing to stand behind his findings. Seven Stars Home Advisors provides a 100 Day Limited Warranty with all complete Home Inspections. In addition, we offer a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. If you don’t like the job we do, we will pay for another Home Inspector to do it again.
– Does your Home Inspector offer additional Inspection and Audit Services?
- Additional Services may include:
- Radon Testing
- Well Water Testing
- Septic System Inspection
- Sewer Line Inspection
- Air Quality Testing(Mold)
- Home Energy Audit
- Seven Stars Home Advisors offers all this and more.
– How long does your Home Inspector plan to take to inspect your home?
- A thorough Home Inspection should take several hours. Be certain your inspector has schedule plenty of time to complete your Home Inspection. At Seven Stars Home Advisors, we plan to schedule a minimum of 3 to 4 hours for each inspection. Often times more for Older or Larger homes.
– Does your Home Inspector encourage you to participate with him during the inspection?
- A Home Inspection is a great time for you to learn more about the workings of your home. Your Home Inspector should be eager to have you participate in the inspection and be open to any and all questions you may have. St Seven Stars Home Inspections, we want you to actively participate in the inspection as long as you can safely do so. Our technology allows you to see areas of your home from a safe position. And, we love your questions because it helps us be certain we are addressing all you concerns.
Remember, your Home Inspector works for YOU. Not your Realtor, not the Seller, and certainly not other Contractors. You should expect your Home Inspector to be completely honest with you about the health of your home.
Finally, make sure your Home Inspector is willing to be available after the inspection for any additional questions you may have. At Seven Stars Home Advisors, we will maintain all your information on a secure database for both you and us to access. We always want to hear from you about the health of your home. We always want to help.
Your home purchase is a big, big decision. Be sure you have confidence in all the professionals helping you through your home buying process, especially your Home Inspector.