Buying a new home is a very big moment in a person’s life and an expensive endeavor to boot.
Add to this some context, e.g. a young couple buying their first home or a family with young children moving away from the hectic city into a more suburban area, and you see why it is crucial to make this a good investment.
Let’s take a look at the biggest home inspection mistakes that you should avoid if you want to save your money and your nerves.
1. Don’t cling onto your wallet with a death-grip
Trying to find the cheapest inspector is not a good tactic.
If you hire the cheapest home inspector, you should be willing to live with unreported items like structural or mold issues and end up to living in a health trap / money vacuum of a house. A cheap inspector will often end up costing you more in the long run as he/she will not be qualified to perform a thorough inspection and chances are he/she is not going to have a very extensive checklist, nor the capability to notice little details that can lead to major problems. To help insure that your inspector is properly qualified they should be certified by ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors. There are no acceptable alternative certifications.
2. Don’t hire “Janie’s cousin Bob” or “this guy I know, or the Realtor Buddy”
This is quite a common scenario, especially when people are not doing so well financially or they want to give someone in their family an opportunity to make a bit of money; or the realtor just wants the sale to go smoothly.
Even if someone is willing to “help you out” and do it for free, just respectfully decline and get in touch with a property inspection company that has trained and ASHI certified professionals working for them.
3. Don’t take their word for it – ask to see ASHI credentials
There are a lot of professional-looking and professional-sounding hacks out there, every profession has them. These loudmouths can talk the talk but can’t walk the walk, so ask to see the ASHI credentials.
Other questions to ask include:
- The American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) is the industry recognized nonprofit public-benefit organization of real estate inspectors.
- The American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), founded in 1976, is North America's oldest and most respected professional society of home inspectors. ASHI's goals have always been to build customer awareness of the importance of a quality home inspection and enhance the professionalism of home inspectors.
- ASHI's Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice are recognized by the California Business & Professions Codes and are considered the standard of care by the real estate industry and legal profession.
Other questions to ask include:
How long have they been working? What other types of inspection are they certified to perform – radon testing, indoor air quality, allergens, moisture, mold and safety? Ask to see a sample report and interview a few ASHI inspectors before making a decision.
4. Don’t just sit back and wait for the report
The best thing you can do is go along for the ride. Be at the inspector’s side and ask him about things that you don’t understand.
It’s easier to get a clear picture when you are staring at the problem point blank then when you have a short remark about it on a piece of paper.
5. Don’t rely on just one person to assess the state of the house
A property inspector can point you in the right direction and give you some basic information on the state of the plumbing, wiring, heating and structural integrity, but you will need to have a few specialists, e.g. electricians and plumbers, have a closer look at these specific defect aspects of your new home.
When all is said and done the best advice anyone can give you is to focus on getting the best property inspector available, then getting a more detailed look and following through with the recommended measures. A bit of knowledge early on saves you a lot of money and trouble down the road.
Steve Z. has performed over 7,000 home inspections, mold, energy and environmental inspections and is fully certified and insured to meet all your inspection needs. He personally provides all field inspection services and as a result is able to maintain the highest Better Business Bureau rating of A+.
Steve has extensive training and years of experience as a home, mold, energy, radon, EMF/RF and environmental inspections, that will guarantee that you receive the most thorough, state of the art and comprehensive inspection that follows current industry standards of practice and codes of ethics.
He conducts every inspection, as if he were moving his own family into the property. Steve also backs up every home inspection with a 90 day warranty, that is purchased on your behalf from American Home Warranty Association.
Unlike other home inspection companies, who will need to refer you to an environmental and/or energy audit contractor, Steve is a nationally certified expert that can handle the job without making you jump through hoops to hire additional people before the end of your inspection period, including the areas of: mold, asbestos, allergens, child safety, radon, formaldehyde, energy, EMF, water quality, and VOC's.
As a result of his advanced training, he is able to offer a FREE energy audit and FREE limited mold investigation as well, with each home inspection. . Please take the time to read through Steve's home inspector credentials and qualifications as this is so important when hiring an inspector. www.gpinspect.com
Don't focus on price alone, focus on value, quality, experience and professionalism. When you hire an inspector, any inspector, you are hiring their individual knowledge, experience and qualifications so make sure you hire the best, not just the cheapest. We are confident that you will be Steve's next satisfied customer.
About Steve Zivolich
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Steve Zivolich, M.A., the owner/operator of Guaranteed Property Inspection and Mold Investigation Inc. has been providing property and environmental inspections for over 15 years in Orange County and Southern California.
Steve Z. has performed over 7,000 home inspections, mold, energy and environmental inspections and is fully certified and insured to meet all your inspection needs. He personally provides all field inspection services and as a result is able to maintain the highest Better Business Bureau rating of A+.
Steve has extensive training and years of experience as a home, mold, energy, radon, EMF/RF and environmental inspections, that will guarantee that you receive the most thorough, state of the art and comprehensive inspection that follows current industry standards of practice and codes of ethics.
He conducts every inspection, as if he were moving his own family into the property. Steve also backs up every home inspection with a 90 day warranty, that is purchased on your behalf from American Home Warranty Association.
Unlike other home inspection companies, who will need to refer you to an environmental and/or energy audit contractor, Steve is a nationally certified expert that can handle the job without making you jump through hoops to hire additional people before the end of your inspection period, including the areas of: mold, asbestos, allergens, child safety, radon, formaldehyde, energy, EMF, water quality, and VOC's.
As a result of his advanced training, he is able to offer a FREE energy audit and FREE limited mold investigation as well, with each home inspection. . Please take the time to read through Steve's home inspector credentials and qualifications as this is so important when hiring an inspector. www.gpinspect.com
Don't focus on price alone, focus on value, quality, experience and professionalism. When you hire an inspector, any inspector, you are hiring their individual knowledge, experience and qualifications so make sure you hire the best, not just the cheapest. We are confident that you will be Steve's next satisfied customer.
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