- Not doing your own research. Check out the company’s website and read their sample reports. Call the office and ask questions.
- Not ensuring the inspector is a member of one of the major inspector associations: CREIA or ASHI. Through either of these associations, you are guaranteed the inspector has passed required exams and will likely follow the standards of practice.
- Not making sure the utilities will be on during the inspection. On occasion, we arrive to inspect a property and the utilities have been turned off. Most inspection companies charge a fee to return to the property after utilities get turned on.
- Not signing the contract before the inspection. Insurance companies will not cover any inspector who doesn’t get a signed contract in advance. Make sure the client has returned the contract well before the time of the inspection so you don’t experience any hiccups in receiving the report.
- Not allowing enough time to have the inspection done and still follow the inspector’s recommendations. Any issues flagged should be investigated further by a qualified professional. A general inspector is not a specialist.
- Not being present at the inspection. A live debrief and walk-through is always more beneficial since the inspector can point out the actual defects rather than the client just looking at a flat image on a page. Another advantage is that you can ask the inspector your questions while the details are fresh in his mind.
- Not reading the report from beginning to end. The inspector is being paid to flag possible issues and make recommendations. Take advantage of the expertise you are paying him for and follow his recommendations.
Call us for all your inspection needs!
• General physical inspection of any type of building
• Video scope of main sewer line
• Infrared on electrical or HVAC*
*The Infrared inspection will be performed using as a guideline the Infraspection Institute Standard for Infrared Inspection of Building Envelopes/2011 edition for Thermographic Inspections of Buildings. Infrared is an add-on service. Additional fees apply.
This provided some great advice if you need a building inspection. I can totally believe that it’s a mistake to avoid research. I feel like things like checking the companies website and going over sample reports can also help you avoid scams as well.