Questions about home inspection/inspectors

CountryWannabe · #1 02/14/12, 01:02 PM

DH and I are starting to look for a different/larger property. The ones we can afford are a bit older, and most are in need of at least a face-lift. That is fine, as long as the structure is basically sound.

My questions are:
Can someone give me a ball-park figure for what a home inspection costs?
What exactly do the inspectors inspect?
Are inspectors independent entities or are they hired by the realtors?
Do they give cost estimates for fixing the major stuff they find wrong?
Is it customary for the prospective new owner to be present while the inspection is being done?

I am sure that doesn't cover it by any means, so any further info would be greatly appreciated. We didn't need an inspection on this place because it was brand new when we bought it, so this is unknown territory for us.

Thanks
Mary

cfabe · #2 02/14/12, 01:44 PM

My questions are:
Can someone give me a ball-park figure for what a home inspection costs?
A few hundred dollars.

What exactly do the inspectors inspect?
Mostly, only what is visible. Some may take the cover off the breaker panel or furnace, but they are usually not certified to give mechanical systems a clean bill of health. You should consider bringing in a professional to evaluate the hvac, plumbing/well, septic, pest inspection, radon/asbestos, etc.

Are inspectors independent entities or are they hired by the realtors?
They are independent, do NOT let your realtor hire one for you or suggest one - they may be in cahouts.

Do they give cost estimates for fixing the major stuff they find wrong?
Maybe a vauge estimate, but don't rely on it for an accurate cost. If you need to negotiate a repair cost with the seller, get real estimates from contractors.

Is it customary for the prospective new owner to be present while the inspection is being done?
Yes, it is customary and you should absolutely be there in person. Take notes, pictures, ask questions etc.

idigbeets · #3 02/14/12, 03:30 PM

Also be there to point out where things are flawed etc.. I've had these guys come through a property in 10 minutes and try to call it good.

DarleneJ · #4 02/14/12, 04:26 PM

The inspector we used last year gave us a quote over the phone based on the square footage of the house. He was able to point out some things that would need attention and confirm the soundness of the house (which we really needed to hear). Yes, absolutely be there for the inspection. Make sure the realtor is available to let you and the inspector in so he can verify that the H2O, electricity, heat, A/C (they'll only test if it's warm enough) works, all the outlets, etc. It is your right as a potential buyer to verify what you're paying for.

We were buying a forclosure that appeared to us to need only minor repairs. The inspection helped to put us at ease, establish priorities and was informative for general home ownership (although we had owned before). The inspector also confirmed that we were getting a good deal (although they don't all do that.)

Definately don't go with your realtor's recommendation. Either start asking around, people that you trust, or maybe you'll find someone in the yellow pages like we did.

You can call a couple of inspectors and get quotes. Someone that competantly knows their trade can even help you feel at ease over the phone.

Wis Bang 2 · #5 02/14/12, 05:14 PM

The guy who inspected my Mom's property looked everywhere! He noted the condition of the septic tank and fields and tested, and found, radon...he found things we never saw!

wharton · #6 02/14/12, 05:45 PM

As a builder I have a real simple rule. If the inspector has anything to do with a realtor, run don't walk. I know that there are competent honest inspectors out there. That said, I have seen many folks end up getting horrifically screwed by inspectors who have no interest in the truth, and a vested interest in closing the deal for the realtor. The realtors all know inspectors who have a reputation as "deal killers" because they actually do their job, and give a detailed report of the actual condition of the home, warts and all. They also know who to call when they have a real dog on their hands and need to get it passed, regardless of who gets hurt. A giant ranch next to my place sold a few years back. The roof was at the end of it's life. ANYBODY with any training or experience in the roofing field would be well aware of the fact that the place needed a new roof, immediately. The shingles were curling, cracking and starting to blow off. There was obvious water leakage visible inside the exposed garage roof. A year or two after the new owner took over, the roof really headed downhill, and I sent my guy over to do an estimate. The homeowner was devastated that he need a new $10,000 roof, since his inspection report clearly stated that the roof had additional 15 years, or more, or service life left. Unfortunately, this is far too common. I would shop very carefully for a competent, independent inspector who can provide references, and can make it clear that they are not a rubber stamp for the real estate industry.

littlebitfarm · #7 02/14/12, 06:03 PM

I just paid $250 for house inspection. Was pleased with how thorough he was. Did roof, attic, and crawl space. Opened electric boxes and the furnace.

I will say that if they leave anything in the house, move it and look around. Discovered a kitchen cabinet, just sitting on top of the fridge, not attached to the wall!

Kathie

MO_cows · #8 02/14/12, 07:03 PM

We paid $300 for an inspection about a year ago. The guy was real good with everything that was accessible, but he couldn't find a way to get underneath the house so a sag in the kitchen floor remained a mystery. He did note it in his report and made a recommendation to take up the floor in a nearby closet to gain access, he just couldn't tear up the house trying to inspect it. He gave us a very good written report that included photographs of everything he found that needed attention. He brought a laptop and gave us the report right on the spot. We also had a pest control company do a termite inspection separately, I think that cost $100.

Jena · #9 02/14/12, 08:08 PM

I have paid for home inspectors more than once, but never again. It's a waste of money. They check the same stuff you can. They flip switches, turn water on, easy, basic stuff. They look into places, but that doesn't mean they are looking for problems. Heck I had one house inspected and then we found a huge, open cistern under the kitchen!

Go around the house and make sure everything works and there's no obviously broken things. That's all an inspector will do.

am1too · #10 02/14/12, 08:50 PM

By all means ask the realator for a reference. Then you know who not to have do it. If no one else is available you know to view the results with suspcion.

Catalpa · #11 02/14/12, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CountryWannabe

DH and I are starting to look for a different/larger property. The ones we can afford are a bit older, and most are in need of at least a face-lift. That is fine, as long as the structure is basically sound.

My questions are:
Can someone give me a ball-park figure for what a home inspection costs?
What exactly do the inspectors inspect?
Are inspectors independent entities or are they hired by the realtors?
Do they give cost estimates for fixing the major stuff they find wrong?
Is it customary for the prospective new owner to be present while the inspection is being done?
I am sure that doesn't cover it by any means, so any further info would be greatly appreciated. We didn't need an inspection on this place because it was brand new when we bought it, so this is unknown territory for us.
Thanks
Mary

They are supposed to be independent, working for you, not the realtor
Usually it's around $300, I'm sure it varies by area.
Usually but they very general estimates.
They are supposed to look at the structural and functional aspects of the house, but they are limited to what is visual, or can be easily tested, like turning on faucets. They will not be able to see into the walls to know if there is enough insulation and so on. Some house inspectors will claim that they can also test for pests, radon, well, and septic. Take that with a grain of salt and verify. I've run into quite a few inspectors that lie about it, especially on the well and septic. Note: for the well and septic, do a record search request at the local health department before you put any money down. it could save you a lot of heartache and money later.
Definitely, be there ask questions take pictures.
Let me know if you're in Michigan and I can be a little more help.

Quote:

Originally Posted by wharton

As a builder I have a real simple rule. If the inspector has anything to do with a realtor, run don't walk. I know that there are competent honest inspectors out there. That said, I have seen many folks end up getting horrifically screwed by inspectors who have no interest in the truth, and a vested interest in closing the deal for the realtor. The realtors all know inspectors who have a reputation as "deal killers" because they actually do their job, and give a detailed report of the actual condition of the home, warts and all. They also know who to call when they have a real dog on their hands and need to get it passed, regardless of who gets hurt. A giant ranch next to my place sold a few years back. The roof was at the end of it's life. ANYBODY with any training or experience in the roofing field would be well aware of the fact that the place needed a new roof, immediately. The shingles were curling, cracking and starting to blow off. There was obvious water leakage visible inside the exposed garage roof. A year or two after the new owner took over, the roof really headed downhill, and I sent my guy over to do an estimate. The homeowner was devastated that he need a new $10,000 roof, since his inspection report clearly stated that the roof had additional 15 years, or more, or service life left. Unfortunately, this is far too common. I would shop very carefully for a competent, independent inspector who can provide references, and can make it clear that they are not a rubber stamp for the real estate industry.

Exactly!

VaFarmer · #12 02/14/12, 11:04 PM

Price typically based on Finished square footage, some inspectors try to throw an add for crawl space opposed to basement and for age, I feel thats BS for adds. In NJ an inspection goes for $800 to $1200 in Fl $500+, around here I charge around $400+ and you can hire my inexperenced competetion for $300 or less, and I'm busier than the newcomers, you get what you pay for. Check if your state has certification requirement for inspectors, experiance is important, someone part time or only doing inspections for a couple of yrs approach with caution, no matter if they claim to have been a contractor or carpenter or whatever. For certification check if member of a national cert. groub, you can go NACHI web site & do search for inspector in your area. ASHI is publicised alot, but to start as a ASHI inspector you can just join on the web site sign off on some disclaimers and start work, ASHI typically what beginners join and then work there way up to more creditable certification. A good realtor is looking out for you, they know the better attorneys, banks and Home Inspectors, if you don't trust your realtor find another. Your realtor will provide a couple inspectors you'll be better off to work from this list, these people that say don't trust you realtor obvouly didn't do there homework and don't understand the industria. A inspector should be equiped with a gas & CO meter, several electrical system load testers, a moisture meter, and these days and if your looking at older houses a infared camera to both check larger areas for water infaltration and insulation in walls. The infared is a great tool, did a house last week that seller had reciepts laying out were they had walls blown in 3 yrs ago, but with inared could see walls had insulation only 1/2 way up and all the areas missed in the attic that weren't accassable, up till then buyer thaught it had been upgraded. Turned out the contractor that did the job was no longer in bussiness. Just inspect your inspector before commiting. Most certification organazations tell inspectors do not do estimates but I provide folks with ranges of cost of estimates. Not long ago did house with moisture damage and a couple of rotted joist & band board, people got bids from contractors that ran from $1500 to $20,000 fro the same job??--- real cost should have been around $10,000 and there was a couple of bids in that range. Was $1500 a good deal?? NOT.... You get what you pay for.

indypartridge · #13 02/15/12, 04:54 AM

I've used the same inspector a number of times and he's been worth every penny. Usually around $400-$500, depending on size of house. He's very thorough, checks everything and provides many tips and suggestions as he goes through the house on things that are okay, but may need attention in the future, or improvements that could be made. He issues a report, usually around 30 pages, along with a CD of photos of everything. There was one home we walked away from after his inspection, for which I'll always be grateful. He found things we wouldn't have seen until they became major and expensive problems.

wharton · #14 02/15/12, 05:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VaFarmer

credit. A good realtor is looking out for you, they know the better attorneys, banks and Home Inspectors, if you don't trust your realtor find another. Your realtor will provide a couple inspectors you'll be better off to work from this list, these people that say don't trust you realtor obvouly didn't do there homework and don't understand the industria.

You sound competent and honest. But, you have to be kidding with the drivel I clipped and pasted? I have been told by a top producer in the real estate industry that she find the whole process of inspectors to be a joke, and they have no interest in using or recommending one who is going to cause issues with bringing the deal to a quick close. I can document numerous instances where home inspectors engaged in fraud, or horrendous incompetence, that benefited the realtor who got them the job, and caused significant damage to the buyer. In several cases a trip to a lawyer made the obvious quite clear to the victim. Your industry uses a contract that is so awash in "Weasel clauses" that the victim has no recourse. I depend on realtors for a significant portion of my income. I can honestly state that a significant minority are lazy, incompetent or dishonest. There are good ones, and GREAT ones out there. They have the same opinion of the clowns they work with. As for home inspectors, I had two closings in a row, both involving properties with functionally inadequate, 1920s electrical systems. In one case the inspector was competent enough to know that the system was ungraded to the largest extent possible, given that it was a solid masonary structure that would of needed tens of thousands spent to totally replace the electrical system. He did not, however, have a solid understanding of grounding, and I had to counter his misinformation with a lot of reference material and a lesson in current code requirements, so the buyer was clear about the fact that I could not "correct" something that wasn't defective in the first place! The second deal was a disaster, the inspector almost killed the deal with all kinds of assinine claims. In the end the buyer was demanding that I rewire the house ($25K) and correct the roof issues,as the inspector noted "light visible" through the roof sheathing. The roof was slate on lath. There was "light visible" the day they installed it, and still is, almost 100 years later, what a moron. I had to tell the buyer that I was unwilling to spend a total of 45K to correct problems that didn't exist, and that his inspector should be fired ( or better yet, shot) for incompetence. The seller came to his senses and closed the deal. You may indeed be a asset to the industry, regrettably a significant amount of clowns in the home insection industry are anything but. In closing I strongly disagree with you advice on one issue. a REALTOR is the last person in the world you want to be asking for a referral, when searching for a home inspector.

sheepish · #15 02/15/12, 06:10 AM

Our daughter had a well-recommended home inspector on her current house.

He missed the signs that the foundation under their kitchen was about to collapse. They figured it out themselves a few months after they had been there. It cost them over $20k to repair it. It would have been nice to know before they bought.

Our other daughter had a home inspector tell her the roof would need replacing in 2-3 years at a cost of $3k. It gave him something to put on their form. When someone more knowledgeable looked at the roof, they said it was good for at least 10 years, which turned out to be true. He missed the fact (which they knew anyway) that the heating duct covers on the upper floors had no ducting and there was no furnace. He missed the fact that the plumbing under the sink was an amateur schmozzle. He did point out the bunny poop on the carpet of a room in the basement.

In most jurisdictions home inspectors have no regulation. There is no training they must have. There is no professional or government body that must accredit them. They can be good or useless. However their liability, if they get it wrong, is limited to giving you back what you paid them.

Callieslamb · #16 02/15/12, 06:55 AM

[QUOTE=CountryWannabe;5705518]DH and I are starting to look for a different/larger property. The ones we can afford are a bit older, and most are in need of at least a face-lift. That is fine, as long as the structure is basically sound.

My questions are:
Can someone give me a ball-park figure for what a home inspection costs?
$250-500
What exactly do the inspectors inspect?
supposedly everything - it depends on the inspector- I'd ask the one you pick.
Are inspectors independent entities or are they hired by the realtors?
They are independent, but realtors are 'happy' to set you up with one they deal with. You are free to hire your own or use one they recommend. If you are very new to the area- maybe using one of theirs is your best guest. But they are independent companies.
Do they give cost estimates for fixing the major stuff they find wrong?
I have never had one do that, but they do point out what needs to be fixed.
Is it customary for the prospective new owner to be present while the inspection is being done?
I have never been there for it.

We have had bare bones inspections and very thorough ones. I think it kind of depends on the traditions of home inspections in your area. DH always goes over it with a fine-toothed comb of his own- usually 3-4 hours. Our last home inspectioner- hired through our realtor - gave as a 32 page report complete with pictures. He found where the wrong kind of metal's had been used to hook up the water heater, the auxillary pump to the condensation tank on the furnace was hooked up wrong, where the trim didn't quite match wood, etc. He looked at the fences, the roof, the connections to the antenna, the barn (found a loose wire to a light switch) and a mouse hole into the tack room - it took him over 8 hours. Cost us $300. It was well worth it.

Ask them what they do when you call - or tell them what you want done. See how far you get and if you want to deal with them.

CountryWannabe · #17 02/15/12, 10:52 AM

Thank you all so much for all this info. We are excited and nervous all at the same time. We are not spring chickens, should have done this years ago, but then we didn't have the money. Youth is wasted on the young - LOL.

Yes, it is likely to be a new area. A couple of the places we have looked at so far are relatively local (within 50 or so miles) and we at least know people who know people around there, but one we will look at tomorrow is about 150 miles away, and we know no-one in the area. The same goes for a couple more places we are considering viewing.

A couple of listings have said something like "septic and well pressure tested" What does that mean? That they are likely to at least not leak? If a well is missing a pump (or even if it is vacant and there is no electric hooked up) is there any way to know if the well is good?

Mary

DarleneJ · #18 02/15/12, 11:32 AM

I'm sure others will have better suggestions than I, but we found out a lot by talking with the neighbors. The neighbor across the street's son was the one that lost the house. You never know who just might be the most helpful...

geo in mi · #19 02/15/12, 12:39 PM

I have a house that is over a hundred years old. If I sell it, it will be listed "as is" so you can hire an inspector if you wish. I will disclose what the law demands, tell you when the septic system was last pumped, and allow the Michigan required termite inspector to come in, and allow anyone to come in for inspection, within reason, of course. It's still "as is" and you can try to negotiate from there--or walk away.

If I buy a house I will hire a "buyer's agent" who will be willing to split the realtor fee and hire an inspector he/she normally uses and trusts, and I will take it from there in negotiating and deciding..... I would not hire or use the seller's agent's inspector.......

Cost: 3-4 hours at going rate($60/hr?), plus testing materials

geo

Nomad · #20 02/15/12, 03:14 PM

The guy we had looked at everything right down to a couple of bedroom doors that didn't close perfectly. If I was the seller I would have said he was a nitpicker, but I loved that he looked at every square inch of the place. The normal fee around here is $250, but we paid $265 because the house was so big.

Nomad