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Due to the lack of Regulations and/or Licensing, in most States, pertaining to the Home
Inspection Industry and the confusion this may cause Home Buyers, Sellers, Realtors and
others, we offer this list of questions to ask Inspectors, before using their services, to
make your decision more comfortable.
- ASK if they carry Insurance. (Liability and Errors and Omissions).
- ASK if they are Members of A.S.H.I®
(American Society of Home Inspectors). A.S.H.I®
is the recognized Leader in Education and Professionalism in the Home Inspection Industry.
A.S.H.I® membership requirements are
stringent and they require and monitor continuing education of their Members. This is an
Earned credential, Not one that comes out of a Cracker Jack box.
- ASK if they inspect under any
standard of Practice and strictly
adhere to a
Code of
Ethics.
- ASK if their service is Personalized. (Will you always be able to talk to the person who
did the Inspection).
- ASK if anyone else will be given a Copy of the Report. (Professionalism decrees that
Only the Client receives a copy, Unless the Inspector is instructed otherwise by his
Client.)
- ASK what kind of Report they generate. Is it Hand Written (scratch sheets) or Computer
Generated? Is it Personalized for the Home Inspected? How Long is it? How In Depth is it?
Is it Given Out at the time of the Inspection or given out as a Professional Package?
(Professional type, written reports and/or Combination Checklist/typed written reports,
take time, require thought and are normally assembled in the Office).
- ASK if the Inspector uses a Checklist to gather Information to ensure that all items are
Inspected, or does he/she do a random "Walk Through"?
- ASK how long the Inspection will last? Two hours is deemed the average amount of time
needed to complete an Inspection. (Small, modern house with Basement). Larger,
Multi-Family and older houses (100+ years) require more time.
- ASK if Home Inspections is their only Business. (Or just a filler for other businesses).
- ASK how long they have been doing Professional Home Inspections.
- And Lastly; ASK the price of their Professional Services.
PLEASE NOTE! Anyone in the State of New Hampshire can Call themselves Home
Inspectors and Do Home Inspections. There are No regulations Nor Licensing, whatsoever,
governing this Industry at this time.
BE SKEPTICAL OF LOW COST HOME INSPECTION SERVICES!
Top quality Professionals in this business, as well as in any Professional
business, require a fee that befits their degree of expertise.
When shopping for an Inspector, Remember;
"QUALITY HAS ITS PRICE, PRICE ALONE
HAS NO QUALITY"
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