13 Things Home Inspectors Won't Tell you

I have been reading Reader's Digest for as long as I can remember.  It is full of great articles, but I really started reading it because of the cartoons.

Over the past couple years, they have had a monthly feature that lists things people you interact with wouldn't normally tell you.  This month, it is "13 things your Home Inspector Won't Tell You".

#1 on the list is "Don't find a home inspector through your real estate agent.  It's on the agent's best interest to have the deal go through quickly so some pitch inspectors who find few problems."

What a crock!

Real Estate Agents are acutely aware that the performance of anyone they recommend is going to impact their relationship with you, and affect future sales possibilities.  There is no way that an agent would refer you to someone who is known to do a poor job - it just isn't smart.  My clients get a list of inspectors to check out - 3 inspectors that have done good jobs for my clients in the past.  Then my client chooses and inspector, and if they wish, I make the arrangements.

The rest of the list - paraphrased and edited by me -  is:

#2 Inspectors should spend at least 2 hours at a house - Unless it is a really dinky house - this is true.

#3 If an inspector says "this house has a lot of issues" be prepared to spend a lot of money to fix it up - an inspector will tell you what is wrong - it is up to you to decide if the issues are overwhelming.

#4 If you are the seller, make sure your house is clean on inspection day - True, the buyer often attends the inspection.  If your house is a mess, it can impact the buyer's decision on repairs.

#5 Ask for a sample report before you hire an inspector - Not a bad idea.  I have seen some pretty sketchy reports

#6 Even Brand-New Homes should be inspected - True.  Homes are about the last thing built entirely by human hands.  Humans have a way of messing things up

#7 Read the full report, not just the summary - True.  You paid for it, you should read it.

#8 An inspector encounters hazards on the job like creepy-crawly things - True

#9 As a seller, an inspection prior to putting your house on the market is a good idea - True.  It can alert you to potential sales problems, and give you some extra time to have things fixed.

#10 Ask all your questions at the end of the inspection - good idea

#11 Inspectors can't see inside walls or under the slab so I might not find defects that are in these places - True

#12 Some of the worst homes are owned by Do-it-Yourselfers - True

#13 Roof and foundation issues can stop a sale fast - True

Here are a few things that the Digest left out:

#14 Sometimes inspectors overstate the importance of a fault - like reversed wires on an outlet burning down a house.  It doesn't matter that the outlet has been that way and functioning fine for the past 15 years, now it is a huge safety concern.

#15 Inspectors carry loads of insurance - I once knew an inspector to be sued because a roof leaked - 4 years after the sale!  

#16 You don't have to hire an inspector - I don't recommend this path, but you can do your own inspection if you feel capable, or want to save the money.  Inspections usually start at about $300, and then go up if the house is bigger than about 3500 sq ft.  This varies from inspector to inspector.

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