Top Five Things to Look for When Hiring a Home Inspector

Buying a house is probably the biggest purchase of your life and it’s crucial that your potential house has a thorough home inspection completed before you sign the papers. It will ensure that you’re not faced with unpleasant and costly surprises like hidden leaks or cracks when you move into your dream home. Home inspections can reduce your anxiety about buying a home and help you avoid expensive repair bills.

An inspector examines the house thoroughly for non-functioning systems, damages, and repairs that may be needed. An inspector checks structural elements such as the roof, foundation, walls, windows, doors, insulation, basement or crawlspace, and attic. Electrical, plumbing, heating and cooling systems are also thoroughly inspected to ensure they are functioning and in good condition.

Your inspector will provide a detailed report that forms the basis for continuing with the purchase, renegotiating the sale price, allowing the seller to make repairs, or for pulling out of the sale. In a nutshell, a home inspector ensures your dream home doesn’t turn out be a nightmare.

To help you get your home assessed by the right professional, here’s a list of the most important things to look for when hiring a home inspector.

1. Reviews.

Ensure your potential home inspector has positive reviews on Google, Facebook, and other websites. A home inspector that has several good reviews by other homeowners or purchasers will ensure they are experienced, thorough, and provide quality customer service.

2. Experience.

Hire a home inspector that has extensive experience in the field. An experienced home inspector will be able to diagnose problems quickly, see potential flaws easily, rate the severity of any issues, and advise you on whether to make the purchase as-is or hold out for repairs.

3. References.

Always go with a professional referred by your family, friends, and colleagues. If your friends and family aren't able to recommend anyone, ask your potential home inspector if they have any previous customers who might be willing to share their experience. A referral is a great opportunity to ask questions about what the home inspection process was like, the level of customer service provided, and confidence in the inspector's skills and knowledge.

4. Quality.

The home inspector you’re considering should provide high quality and effective home inspection services. They should make use of necessary equipment to find major defects or system inadequacies and have an extensive background in home inspection, as well as a solid knowledge of the structures and systems in homes.

If you’re looking for a home inspector in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Westchester County, New York, Queens, Long Island, Yonkers, Mt Vernon and Staten Island, contact House Pro Home Inspection Inc. Our licensed home inspectors are always looking to help you with the inspection process and in getting all the professional information needed about the property prior to your purchase. To learn more about services that we provide, please click here. To have a look at our home inspection checklist, please click here. If you have any questions about home inspection, get in touch with us here.