There is a huge range of experience in the Home Inspections Profession and unfortunately for the unknowing home buyer it can cost many thousands of dollars and cause many months or years of headache and financial loss.
As mentioned throughout our website we do not recommend ANY Inspection Company that solicits or relies specifically on Real Estate Agents for their referrals as they are beholden to the person feeding them whether or not they will admit it in our opinion and we have seen time and time again where the Home Inspection received was sub-par at best from many.
How to look for a thorough Home Inspection Company.
- Ask for a sample report, it should be located on their webpage already for view. Ours is available on our website commonwealthhomeinspections.org and count the number of issues listed; at least 65 items should be listed on virtually EVERY home if they are thorough, our average is 85-100 per small home and up to 200 on large homes. We even include maintenance so those items do not become major items down the road.
- Ask how long they did construction and what type prior to becoming a Home Inspector and how long inspecting homes? A minimum of 10 years in construction is recommended and typically your best experience is in general construction, maintenance and remodeling as they have seen more, and a minimum of 5 years inspecting working full time inspecting at least 1000 homes is recommended as it takes this long even as a qualified contractor to learn the ropes and be thorough in general. I personally have performed over 6000 inspections and have 35 years in general construction, structural repairs and maintenance and remodeling.
- Ask how long per home a Home Inspection averages? The inspection portion for a small home should average 2.5-3 hours and a thorough Home Inspection report 2-3 hours, so 4.5 hours should be the bare bones minimum and 5-6 the average for both the Home Inspection and report writing combined. We average 5-6 hours total for the smallest of homes unless they are in absolutely great shape, which most are not.
- Ask if they walk roofs, enter crawlspaces fully and enter attics inspecting throughout which is what we do..
- And last but not least! Call us because I can assure you no Home Inspector is as thorough regardless what they claim or how much fancy equipment they own.. 🙂
Just to sum it up for us as a Home Inspection Company..
- We have been in business longer most all other Home Inspection Companies
- We were Members and Certified by ASHI, The American Society of Home Inspectors (Since transferred membership to other organizations) in 1998 many years prior to the KY Home Inspectors Licensing Law.
- We were the ONLY Home Inspection Company in Louisville KY or even the Nation as far as we know to give an iron clad guarantee of “if we miss any major defect not concealed we will fix it ourselves or pay for repairs” and never even got a call for repairs. (Well, other than the lady who sued us for not telling her her commodes were high efficiency which is the law of the land anyway LOL!)
- We never solicit Real Estate Agents period, never have and never will because we see that as a major problem for Home Buyers who so often get stuck with the bills for repairs since many Agents will not recommended a Home Inspector who finds as much as they possibly can.
- We never take “commissions or kick backs” from companies for referring them, if we know a good and reputable Company we gladly let you know, but unfortunately there are too few of them as well.
- Finally, we require you to walk along with us during the entire Home Inspection and teach you more about your new home than you would ever learn the entire time living there explaining what is major, minor and typical for age and area.