Price of a Home Inspection Won’t Determine Value

When I first started as a home inspector I was desperate to do inspections. I had just gotten my license and wanted to be out there preforming inspections right away. When I researched marketing tactics, one was to offer low price inspections. As I researched I found a couple of things that were true about these low cost inspections.

First, they were often done by desperate inexperienced inspectors. These inspectors are recommended by inexperienced agents who mainly want to cover their backsides if things go sideways. A good agent will recommend an inspector who will do a thorough job. If an inspection takes only an hour to complete, you know they are skipping something somewhere. It’s not a good sign for your inspection.

” They have added enough add-on services to be equal cost to their competition.”

Sometimes they are good inspectors that are offering low price inspections, but they are only offering bare-bones inspections that by the time you get your thorough and complete home inspected they have added enough add-on services to be equal price as their competition. I recently went to a car dealer to purchase a vehicle. The salesman said, “sure come on in, I’ll have it ready for you”. When I arrived another salesman said mine was out picking up the vehicle, but while I wait we could look at some of the other vehicles. Went for a test drive, and when I got back my salesman showed up and said it had been sold, but heard I liked the other vehicle. Classic bait and switch. It’s not illegal, but its not really an honest way to do business.

“High price inspections do not mean better either.”

Expensive inspections do not mean better either. I recently visited a home who had a foundation issue. The corner of the foundation had sunk 1/2 inch at the crack and 3″ to the corner only 6 feet away. The lady had told me that she had paid a higher price to have a quality inspection, and not only did he fail to warn her of the settlement, but the owner of the company had done the inspection! This was a reputable company in the area and it angered me that he told her it wasn’t an issue. I offered her a free inspection at the next home she buys. These type of inspections give our industry a bad name.

So with all these horror stories out there, how do you choose a quality inspector? there are a few signs to look for that will help you choose wisely and give you the peace of mind you deserve.

How do you choose a quality inspector?

Look at reviews.

• Customers will leave reviews of their experiences, especially if they were a bad experience. If there was a bad experience, did the inspector respond? I find the more times I check reviews I learn more. When I check reviews after I hire a company, I typically kick myself for not checking first.

Next check into the qualifications.

• Is this new to them? You want an inspector who has some experience, as well as continuing education. An inspector who hasn’t learned anything new for the last 20 years probably is behind on recent changes.

Are they a member of an association?

• An inspector who is a member of an association such as NACHI, ASHI, or AHI are required to stay up to date on training and complete continuing education. So they will provide a more quality experience.

In addition to that what certifications do they hold?

• Many of these associations provide specialized certifications that show their experience.

What type of additional services do they provide?

• This is more of a convenience thing, but when having a home checked out, it can save a lot of work if you can have everything checked out by one guy. Even adding some costs is worth it in the long run.

When it comes to a home inspection a home owner simply wants a thorough assessment of their home. they don’t want to be taken advantage of and with the number of inspectors out there, they are unsure who they can trust.

When it comes to a home inspection a home owner simply wants a thorough assessment of their home. they don’t want to be taken advantage of and with the number of inspectors out there, they are unsure who they can trust. That is why a majority of people go with the inspector that their agents have recommended. By the time they get to the inspection the agent typically earns some trust, so they can be a good resource. You should still do your research and check the inspectors out before you hire them. Visit HRSinspects.com to learn more about quality inspection.