Not hiring a home inspector may cost you money

When you’re buying a home, it’s easy to overlook the small things. There may be a minor leak in the roof that you didn’t notice, or the foundation may be cracking under your feet. These are easy to overlook if you’re not thinking about them, but they could cost you tens of thousands of dollars down the road to fix.

There is a way to ensure that even if you don’t see the small problems in the house you’re looking at, they still get spotted. All too often, hiring a home inspector is forgotten about in the exciting whirlwind that surrounds a major purchase of a house. It’s not something that should be thrown by the wayside, however, as a home inspection can not only point out the problem areas, but can give you leverage to get the house you want at a bargain price.

One of the most important things to ask any home inspector prior to hiring them is whether or not they do the repairs as well. As convenient as it may be to have a home inspector that is also a general contractor, it’s not something that is recommended highly. Home inspectors tend to have an unbiased view of what repairs may need to be done, whereas a general contractor could be looking at unneeded repairs just to line their wallet.

Another major thing to ensure prior to hiring an inspector is that they’re bonded and insured. A huge amount of inspectors don’t have insurance, which could lead to liability issues. There are two types of insurance that home inspectors should carry, which is worker’s compensation and errors and omissions insurance, just in case they miss something significant during the inspection.

Just imagine that the inspector is looking at the roof of your house. If he slips and falls, and the company doesn’t have the appropriate insurance, they may sue you or the current homeowners, or even attempt to place a lien on the property. Because of that, it’s a good idea to ensure that any inspector you hire has insurance before even setting foot on your property.

In addition, you’ll want to check what the inspection includes before hiring the inspector. If there’s a certain area that you’re wanting to have them look at, or if you need the appliances checked, then it’s important that you make sure that the inspector you hire will do that. Ideally, the more thorough the inspection the better off you are. Keep in mind, however, that the extent can vary by region depending on what may need to be checked. For instance, it’s common for Floridian inspectors to test irrigation systems, which wouldn’t be common in every state.

Hiring an inspector is one of the best things that you can do, whether you’re looking at buying or selling your house. You may have to spend a couple hundred dollars up front, but you’ll not only get peace of mind, you might save tens of thousands in the long run.

*Specialty Building Consultants specializes in Home inspection, EIFS inspection, Stucco inspection and Asbestos testing in Birmingham AL, Huntsville AL, Decatur, AL, Cullman, AL, Athens, AL, Montgomery AL, Tuscaloosa, AL and Nashville TN.Mold testing

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