How do I choose a home inspector?
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Most REALTORS® (99%) recommend a home buyer to have a home inspection; as a good qualified home inspector is crucial to the home buying process.
There are many ways to find a good home inspector in Colorado Springs, and referrals are one of the very best ways. You can also look online with a search engine, or check the local phone book. But regardless of which way you choose, here’s a list of potential questions you could ask before you hire an inspector:
- What are your qualifications? How long have you been in the business? What type of training do you have?
- What organizations do you belong to? Do you belong to the Better Business Bureau in Colorado Springs? (see previous article: Don’t forget about the Better Business Bureau)
- Do you have a list of past clients with phone numbers and emails I can contact?
- How many inspections do you do a year? How long have you been doing this?
- What will the inspection cover? What doesn't it cover?
- What systems will you check? Electrical? Mechanical? Plumbing? Heating? Roof? Sprinkler System?
- How long will the inspection take? When will I receive the finished report?
- Do you take pictures with the report? Will they be included with the report?
- How do I receive the report? Hard copy? Email? Will it include pictures of “problem” areas?
- How much will the inspection cost?
- Do you offer to do repairs or improvements based on the inspection? (The answer should always be no as this is against the Code of Ethics of most inspection organizations because it might cause a conflict of interest.)
Also, here’s a list of some of the major home inspection associations and each one includes many articles and lists of their members.
American Society of Home Inspectors
932 Lee St., Ste. 101
Des Plaines, IL 60016
Tel. 800/290-2744
http://www.ashi.com
National Association of Property Inspectors
303 W. Cypress St.
San Antonio, TX 78212
Tel. 800/486-3676 or 210/225-2897
http://napi.lincoln-grad.org
National Association of Certified Home Inspectors
1750 30th Street
Boulder, CO 80301
http://www.nachi.org
National Association of Home Inspectors
4248 Park Glen Rd.
Minneapolis, MN 55416
Tel. 800/448-3942 or 612/928-4641http://www.nahi.org/
National Academy of Building Inspection Engineers
P.O. Box 403
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18703
Tel. 800/294-7729
http://www.nabie.org
