In the video, Licensed Home Inspector Randy Reed discusses what buyers should look for when hiring a home inspector. If you are considering purchasing a home in the Dallas Fort Worth area, your home inspector should be licensed with the State of Texas for residential home inspections. It also helps if the home inspector has knowledge of common signs of foundation settling since foundation damage is prevalent in the Dallas Fort Worth area. Keep reading or watch the video for more questions to ask your home inspector!
Questions to Ask When Choosing a Home Inspector
TRANSCRIPT: Hey everybody, this is Randy Reed with Thomas Engineering Consultants home inspection division. I wanted to go over some questions buyers should ask when choosing a home inspector.
When looking for a reputable home inspector, you should ask how long he or she has been in business.
It’s important that your home inspector has years of experience since a seasoned inspector will have a higher level of exposure to many different types of homes in various age ranges and conditions.
“Do you inspect homes full-time, or is this something that you do on the side?”
There are a lot of folks out there, not discrediting them, but this is a part-time job for many home inspectors. Purchasing a home is a huge investment and I would think that you would want a home inspector who is in the industry full-time.
“What experience do you have with homes that are X years old?”
Ask your home inspector specific questions regarding homes build around the same year as the house you are considering purchasing.
“How many home inspections have you performed in this area?”
Ask your home inspector if they have experience inspecting homes in the area you are looking to purchase. In Texas, soil conditions fluctuate throughout the region. As such, it’s important that your home inspector has inspected many homes in your area.
“Do you mind if I am present for the home inspection?”
Lastly, ask your home inspector if you can be present during the home inspection. I personally don’t mind if the home buyer is present during the inspection. I think it’s a great learning experience for a potential buyer to be at the home during the inspection. It gives me the opportunity to communicate findings as they come up and allows me to point out important items within the home. For example, I can show buyers where the water meter is located, hot water heaters are installed, and go over the HVAC system. Being present during the home inspection is a good way to familiarize yourself with the property.
During the home inspection, you will have time to further inspect the property because we reserve a pretty good timeframe (typically three to five hours) in a home to take measurements. You can get a feel for how you might arrange your furniture and take window and room measurements, etc. All of these things are an added benefit to you.
A good home inspector should not have a problem with the buyer being present during the home inspection. If he/she has an issue, find another home inspector.
If you have any other questions feel free to contact us. We are always available to help!