| This article is written for buyers of real estate in | | | | first. |
| California, but most of the tips are applicable to | | | | 5. What about licensing and credentials? |
| every state. The State of California and the California | | | | Few people know that the State of California does |
| Department of Real Estate now strongly recommend | | | | neither control nor license home inspectors! So it is |
| that every buyer of property in the State have a | | | | very important to investigate the qualifications of any |
| professional home inspection. | | | | inspector. Get references from the inspector or talk |
| 1. What is a home inspection? | | | | to agents who have worked with the inspector. Look |
| A home inspection examines the physical and | | | | for the inspector's membership in industry |
| operational condition of a property through visual | | | | organizations. Your inspector should adhere to the |
| means and through testing of plumbing fixtures, | | | | CREIA Standards of Practice mentioned earlier. Other |
| electrical systems, appliances and heating and air | | | | organizations include the National Association of |
| conditioning systems. Inspections include the roof, | | | | Certified Home Inspectors, NACHI ( and the |
| foundation, water drainage, walls, floors, windows, | | | | American Society of Home Inspectors, ASHI ( |
| doors, and more. Home inspections do NOT include | | | | 6. Be sure you know the background of the person |
| inspection for living organisms including mold and | | | | actually doing the inspection. |
| termites. However, most home inspectors will | | | | Many good home inspectors are one man companies. |
| comment if they see evidence of water, mold, | | | | Others are franchises with the inspector/owner |
| infestation and/or damage from any of those. | | | | running his local office. Others are companies that |
| 2. Are there inspection standards? | | | | have many inspectors on payroll with varying |
| To quote the California Real Estate Inspection | | | | amounts of experience. Any time you consider any |
| Association (CREIA) Standards of Practice, "A Real | | | | company, be sure to get the qualifications of the one |
| Estate inspection is a non-invasive physical | | | | person assigned to your job. |
| examination designed to identify material defects in | | | | 7. Look for a guarantee in writing. |
| the systems, structures, and components of a | | | | Unlike most other businesses, very few home |
| buildings..." and, "A material defect is a condition that | | | | inspectors fully guarantee their work. A good |
| significantly affects the value, desirability, habitability, | | | | guarantee does not just offer your money back for |
| or safety of the building." For the entire document | | | | the cost of an inspection, but actually pays to |
| see the CREIA Standards. | | | | correct any defect that was missed by the inspector |
| 3. What is reported? | | | | during an inspection. Don't accept any verbal |
| The inspection report itemizes each "material defect" | | | | comments about guarantees. An inspection company |
| that needs attention. Reports vary considerably. | | | | with a real guarantee will have it in writing on their |
| Some are complicated checklists and narratives | | | | web site. |
| without pictures. Others include full color pictures with | | | | 8. What should it cost? |
| captions explaining what is in the picture. Most buyers | | | | The cost of a home inspection will vary greatly. A |
| find reports with pictures are much more useful | | | | 1000 square foot condo will be lower in cost than a |
| because they make defects clearer to the seller | | | | 3000 square foot home. Never make a decision on |
| when you ask the seller to fix a defect. As you | | | | price alone. Saving $100 by going with the cheapest |
| know, "a picture is worth a thousand words". | | | | inspection can cost $1000s of dollars if something is |
| 4. Look for the latest InfraRed (IR) thermal imaging. | | | | missed. |
| Every inspection should include measurements of | | | | 9. How do I find the inspector's credentials? |
| electrical outlets with electricity monitors. Water | | | | Look for an inspector with an informative web site. |
| pressure should be taken with a pressure meter. | | | | You should be able to see the inspector's |
| Temperature probes are used to be sure heaters | | | | background, experience, qualifications, Certifications, |
| and air conditioners are working properly. The latest | | | | sample report and customer references. Look for a |
| technology is InfraRed (IR) thermal imaging. This is an | | | | guarantee, the details of which should be spelled out. |
| invaluable tool that some inspectors are starting to | | | | Call the inspector and ask any questions you have. |
| use. It can show defects the human eye cannot, | | | | Note: This article is copyrighted by the author but |
| such as the presence of moisture in floors, walls and | | | | buyers and home inspectors are encouraged to copy |
| ceilings. It shows defects in insulation and leaks in air | | | | and use this article as long as the author's name and |
| and heating systems. If you can find an inspection | | | | web site are kept with it. |
| company offering IR thermal imaging, consider them | | | | |