What Should You Consider When Hiring a Building Inspector?

When choosing an inspection service, one of the most important factors to consider is whether the particular company is fully bonded and insured. It not only shows responsibility on the inspector’s part, but it also adds peace of mind to you and your family. It is doubtful that a bonding company would knowingly allow unqualified inspectors into their premises, so why would they knowingly allow an inspector that is not adequately insured and bonded. A qualified and bonded company or inspector will not only complete the inspection quickly and professionally, but they will also return to your premises with their findings. There are several tips in choosing a bonded building inspector that you should keep in mind.

Certification, A licensed building inspector has always been appropriately trained and achieved the highest skill level possible. Most certifications are required because they demonstrate that the qualified professional inspector in question can fulfil the current guidelines for inspections in their line of work. By law, building inspectors must maintain their certification continuously. It is the only way to ensure that your inspector has not missed any previous inspections or that there are no gaps in their knowledge.

Experience

An inspection is an essential step in the buying process, so make sure you choose one that has plenty of experience. You want an inspection that is done thoroughly and honestly and from the heart. Choose building inspectors that have a great deal of experience not just in the state they are in but in your particular region as well. Ask the inspector to give you references from their clients. References are always a good indicator of how the inspector performs. It is essential not to take any inspectors at face value.

References

All home construction and building inspectors should provide you with a list of references. These people will typically include previous customers and clients. Ask for their names and then follow up with them. You should also call the references for more information.

Previous Home Inspections

It is a vital component of hiring a building inspector. When hiring someone for your home inspection, you want to know what their experience level is. You need to know how many different types of inspections they have completed and how many of those inspections were done over specific construction projects. Ask for a list of the specific projects for which they were hired and ask if there are any other clients they are attached to at present.

Previous Home Ownership

Look into your local real estate community to see who the building contractors belong to. A handful of new homeowners each year purchase a new home from a builder and hire the same company to do the inspection. Ask for the names of any of these owners for whom you may need to hire a building inspector. These people will be very familiar with the building contractors, and they will provide you with first-hand knowledge of what was done on the house they are currently living in. If this is a chance to get the inside of the home inspected before you buy, it may save you thousands of dollars when the time comes to put your new baby in it.

References

From satisfied clients is one of the best ways to determine whether the building inspectors you are considering will provide you with the quality services you need. If a company has no references or if the ones they provided did not pass muster, don’t hire them. Suppose a few people say that a particular professional inspector did a good job. In that case, there’s no reason to think that it’s not the same quality of work you can expect from them. Just because you’ve heard that a building inspector has a long history of excellent work doesn’t mean that’s the case. Sometimes the best way to find out if a service has been consistently good is to talk to someone who has used their services. Word of mouth is a powerful tool when you’re looking for quality services.