Do I Hire A Home Inspector Or Do It Myself?
Should You Hire a Home Inspector?
Buying a home is usually the largest investment someone makes in a lifetime. Why would you not want to make a very small investment in a professional home inspection that could very well protect you from buying a “money pit”?
Buying anything without knowing exactly you are getting for your money is never a good idea. If you are considering buying a home, a thorough home inspection performed by professional inspector will give you an idea of the condition of the house and alert you to any potential problems that can come after the sale is complete.
For Example , if an air conditioning system is running inefficiently , a thorough home inspection would would bring your attention to the fact that you can expect higher than normal electric bills during the season. It may also indicate the unit may need to be replaced in the near future and considering a new systems can cost in excess of $5000, this is a potential expense a home buyer needs to be aware of before a final decision to purchase a home.
Professional home inspectors go through a tremendous amount of time in training and experience that cannot be attained in any other way, including home construction experience. The professional home inspector will actually perform about 300 to 400 inspections per year and is required to have several hours in continuing education credits.
There are many systems in the home that need to be checked by a trained eye that only a professional home inspector has acquired.
With literally thousands of items that need to be checked, only a professional trained inspector has the ability to take it all in.
A thorough home inspection will take 3 to 4 hours to complete. A normal home inspection includes the structural system, roof system, exterior, plumbing system, electrical system, heating and air conditioning system, interior, insulation, ventilation, fireplace, foundation, and in some cases specialized tests to detect carbon monoxide, radon, and black mold. Also, a separate termite inspection may need to be performed.
The report from a professional home inspector gives the buyer leverage in final price negotiations. It will give the buyer and the seller some options as to final price or getting repairs made before closing. It is really hard for a seller to argue with a professional home inspectors report that is a detailed list of items that need to be addressed. Either way the buyer does not have to come up with out-of-pocket expenses after the sale.
Keep in mind that a home inspection is in large part, a visual inspection, and if, for example, there is furniture against the wall blocking evidence of water or termite damage, a home inspector cannot move the furniture to take a closer look. A professional inspector will make a notation on the final report when an area of the home was inaccessible.
It is important that when looking for a professional home inspector, the lowest price should never be your deciding factor. In fact, in most cases, a quality, professional home inspector will in all likelihood be the most expensive. There is usually two reasons for a cheap priced home inspection: little experience or low quality. You do not need to be the “beta test” for a new or inexperienced home inspector.
In most cases top real estate agents are honest people. However, it is a good practice for you to select your own home inspector. This is your money, not the real estate agents.
You need to be present during your home inspection. A professional home inspector will point out and discuss what they are finding and it will give you the opportunity to ask questions and understand the final report in depth. Being present gives you a more personal understanding of what is going on and will give you a better comfort level with your purchase. You will also be given good information about future maintenance and costs.
Don,t let your home purchase experience become more stressful than it has to be. You can make the experience a lot more pleasant and have greater peace of mind with a professional home inspection.
You don’t want to have to look back later and regret not having hired a professional home inspector because of a major defect that was not discovered before the final purchase.
Ken Compton of Southern Home Inspection Sercices in Atlanta Ga, who teaches home buying classes, always advises his student to hire a professional home inspector.
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