What is the best way to schedule a home inspection?

By choosing your inspector early, when you begin shopping for a home, you can screen inspectors before the clock starts ticking on your contingency period.

Call your selected company as soon as you are notified that your offer has been accepted. Most home inspection firms try to work around your schedule to create an appointment time that is convenient for you, but this is not always feasible. An inspection must begin during daylight hours, and usually takes 2-4 hours. Since many home buyers request evening and weekend appointments, these times usually book up first. If you can be available during normal business hours, it will be easier to get the inspector of your choice during your contingency period.

Is this really so important? How much difference could there be anyway?

A tremendous difference! The worst inspectors are part-timers who have a little training, some experience in a related field, and a good advertising campaign. They tend to use a check-list approach, and may have difficulty relating their findings in a way that is useful to you. The less experience and training an inspector has, the greater the chance of missing something important.

For the best inspectors, this is a full-time profession. They work constantly to improve their understanding of how all the structural and mechanical aspects of a building relate to each other, and to keep abreast of developments in the building trades. They broaden their knowledge whenever possible, yet appreciate that all the knowledge is useless if their findings aren't clearly communicated to you.

This is your opportunity to learn all about this house - whether its condition is typical for this area or age or style, what may be needed in the way of maintenance, which problems are urgent and which are trivial. Are you wondering about that old boiler? How is it different from the heating system in your present home? What kind of efficiency is it likely to yield? Does it have unusual maintenance needs? What is its expected lifespan? A good home inspector will have the answers, or know where to find them!

Who should attend the inspection?

Your presence at the inspection is vital. By accompanying your inspector through the house, you will learn more about the house in a few hours than you normally would by years of living there. Not only will you better understand any problems that may be found, but you can ask any questions you may have about maintenance, potential improvements, etc.

One or both of the real estate agents involved in the transaction should be present to provide access and answer questions.

It is not necessary for sellers to attend the inspection. Of course they are welcome, but many owners find the process stressful. Further, the more schedules there are to accomodate, the more difficult it may be to create an appointment time within your contingency period.

If you have friends or relatives to whom you are anxious to show the house, arrange a time after the inspection. The inspection process can generate important information at a tremendous rate, and if your attention is elswhere, you will miss something important. For the same reason, its best not to bring young children.

If you have questions about the mechanical and structural features of the house, write them down as you think of them before the inspection, and bring the list. We are are happy to answer questions. If you wish to photograph, videotape or audiotape the inspection, be sure you get permission from the inspector andthe homeowner.

How is the inspector's report handled?

The report should be considered the property of the person paying for it. The American Society of Home Inspectors Code of Ethics states that the inspector should not release any information from the report without the permission of his client, usually the buyer. We will make an exception when an item is found that is an immediate danger to the occupants of the home. The inspector may then alert the occupants to that concern. Examples of dangerous items are substantial gas leaks and dangling energized electrical wires.

Report sharing (and fee sharing) can be arranged in advance; such an arrangement will be in your purchase offer. Be sure you fully understand these provisions before signing the purchase agreement.

Does the seller have to fix what my inspector finds?

In most cases, no. Within the contingency period, you usually have three options for responding to the inspection results: accept, reject, or renegotiate. In most cases, your acceptance of the home is automatic unless you notify the seller by the end of the period that you are rejecting it. If you choose to reject it (in writing) based on the inspection, the offer to purchase is simply voided. Renegotiation may be an option, but unless the purchase offer has specific language in this regard, there is no obligation on anyone's part to negotiate. Remember, purchase offer language can vary; consult your attorney for legal advice!

A basic truism of home inspection is that there is no such thing as a perfect house. Every home needs work. It makes little sense to reject a home solely because of a few small defects; you are likely to find similar problems on the next home you look at, and the next, etc. The purpose of the inspection is to discover any serious problems and to give you a handle on the smaller ones. You need to know which conditions are ordinary and common for the neighborhood, and which ones are unusual. A good inspector will gladly help you classify the work the house needs: safety and immediate problems, maintenance, and long-term improvements.

copyright 1999 Sherlock Homes Inspection. Ltd.