How to Hire a Home Inspector

WhSo you've found your dream home to purchase, and have decided to have a home inspection on the house. You may begin perusing the yellow pages or looking on the internet for a qualified home inspector. What should you look for when hiring a professional that will look at the home, and help you determine whether there are potential issues with some of the components of the home.

1. Look for experience. Obtaining a home inspection license can be as simple as passing a state licensing test. You should be sure that your inspector also has experience that would qualify him/her to inspect your home. How familiar are they with the components that they will be inspecting? Have they been in the construction industry for a substantial period of time that would allow them to become familiar with the inner workings of a house? These are questions you would want to ask before hiring a home inspector to inspect your home.

2. Whose interest are they protecting? I think that it is important that the buyer hires their inspector independently. The buyer should be aware of the inspector's qualifications, and ensure that their interest is being protected. A realtor will often be willing to hire an inspector for you, but you should always ask questions as to how frequently they use this inspector, how they know of this inspector, what type of experience does this inspector have, etc. You want the realtor to ask the hard questions of the inspector if you are not the one hiring them.

3. Obtain a sample copy of a home inspection report. Always ask the home inspector for a copy of a home inspection report that they have prepared in the past. Generally, home inspectors do not mind showing you a copy of a report that they have prepared once they have removed any identifying information. This sample report will provide you with an idea of what you can expect when you receive a report. This will show you how much detail this home inspector provides, and how in-depth the inspection might be. This is a great idea for getting a sneak peak at what your money will be paying for.