The Most Important Questions for Your Home Inspector

If you’ve recently bought a new house or are planning to renovate your house, you’ll want to hire a qualified, experienced home inspector. The problem, however, is finding a home inspector who’s experienced and qualified to help you. In order to do this, you’ll have to ask a series of questions. Be sure to be thorough and listen intently to the answers to make sure you’re hiring the right person for the job. Here are five questions for your home inspector to make sure he or she will do the job right.

The Most Important Questions for Your Home Inspector

“What’s Your Training and Experience?”

The first and most important question is the most straightforward and blunt. Never be afraid to ask your home inspector about his experience and training, as these are two of the most key considerations to make when hiring them. 

Your chosen home inspector should provide you with his or her prior experience and be able to tell you about a multitude of jobs he’s done in the past. Make note of his type of experience, as some contractors have residential experience while others have experience in the commercial sector.

“What Will You Check and What Won’t You Check?”

There are hundreds of features available within a house that your inspector may or may not inspect. Their jobs are expansive and highly important to your future stability, so be sure to ask about what they’ll be checking. You’ll want a clear understanding of the features they’ll be checking to ensure that your house will hold up in the future, whether you’re buying or selling it. 

In addition, there are many features inspectors simply aren’t able to check. Inspectors can’t cut holes in your house and they’re not able to assess items and objects they can’t see. You’ll want a list from your inspector of items that are not able to be inspected at the time of your inspection.

“What Will the Price Be?”

On average, home inspections can cost anywhere between three hundred and six hundred dollars. This price can fluctuate depending on what market you’re in and the size and scope of your house, in addition to what company you’re using. 

Typically, you’ll pay the inspector on the day he arrives, so you’ll want to know in advance what you’ll be charged for the inspection. If the price range is on the extreme end, or above or below the range, you should be wary of the service and look into why the price is so above or below the average.

“How Long Will the Inspection Take?”

This is actually a vital piece of information. You should ask how long the inspection will be so that the inspector doesn’t take too much of your time. 

Of course, you’ll never receive a specific, spot-on figure, but you can still get a rough estimate of how long you’ll need to stick around your house. In addition, the time it takes should also match your house and its condition; larger and older homes should take longer than smaller or newer houses. If your inspector doesn’t know how long it will take or gives you an odd estimate, it’s time to be wary.

“May I Attend the Inspection?”

You’ll absolutely want to stick close to your inspector when they come. Following around your inspector will be invaluable, both for the short term and long term because you’ll learn about any issues with your house and how everything should work when it’s in “working order.” 

Following along with the inspector and gaining their educational experience is great for future reference and will help you assess other homes. If your inspector doesn’t allow you to attend the inspector while he’s doing it, that should raise a red flag.

Have More Questions?

Do you have more questions about protecting your assets as you work to sell your home? We can help! Reach out today or visit our website thesecretinsuranceagency.com for advice on maintaining homeowners insurance as you sell and quotes for your new home.