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Finding a Home Inspector

The Home Inspector

Qualified home inspectors are the surest way to find a house's deeper problems. Most real estate inspectors are from a solid construction background, such as contracting, engineering, or architecture. Simply put, their job is to crawl underneath the floors, squish through the attic and generally comb your home's structure and mechanical systems for shortcomings.

Inspectors give the buyer a complete report. The Home buyer can then better decide whether or not the house is a good deal, or at least put together a solid list of items that must be fixed (it's not unusual for a report to contain 50 items). The fee for this service generally runs from about $300 - $500 and up.

Usually, you are welcome to visit the prospective home with the inspector during the inspection. Doing so lets you discuss specifics and ask questions about the severity of some concerns. On the other hand, you probably won't want to accompany him/her, crawling under the floors, so it's important to get one you trust.

Finding a Home Inspector

You can find house inspectors through the Yellow Pages or by contacting the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI). Nationally, at least 1400 inspectors are members of this trade organization, which requires a minimum level of experience to qualify for membership. You can also go to InspectAmerica Home Inspections for more information about home inspectors or to ImproveNet for a searchable database of contractors.

Real estate brokers regularly refer house inspectors to clients, but it's best to ask a non-partial broker for references. Often the best sources for good house inspectors are friends who've recently bought houses and believe that their inspectors were honest, thorough, and highly professional.

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