Why a home inspection?
The Oxford Dictionary defines inspection as “Closely and critically viewing or examining those conditions that are visible and accessible, as well as those that are not.”
Sometimes home buyers feel like they should do their own home inspection. They take extra time around the house to look for big problems. Usually these people have never had a home inspection. They do not understand the time and tools necessary to meet the dictionary definition of inspection or the value of the profession.
How many buyers and sellers could evaluate the wiring in an electrical service panel? Would you recognize a main panel that may be unsafe? How many buyers or sellers would be willing to explore the space under a house with just a flashlight as a defense? Spiders, insects of all kinds, reptiles and small rodents are often discovered in these dark and humid places. How many would recognize a significant defect in the foundation or structure? How many could identify faulty plumbing or know how to check the water temperature? Would the average person know how to research the structure of the chimney and chimney, including the rain cap, gate, and chimney walls? How many people can test the radon level of a house. How many could evaluate the foundation and structural elements of the house? How many could determine the quality, condition, and proper installation of a roof of the type of roof being inspected? The list could go on.
The answers here are obvious. It takes someone with professional knowledge and experience to provide reliable information on conditions in, on, under, and around a home. This does not mean that all “home inspectors” are sufficiently qualified. But among those who are qualified, the services they provide are valuable. They are recognized by other professionals in the home buying business as a vital part of the team.
A good home inspector gives the buyer the power of applied reason and intuition to understand the interaction between houses, their subsystems, their environments, and their occupants. Home inspectors have a profession in which it is easy to fail and in which it is difficult to succeed. The amount of detail that must be tested, examined, analyzed, and recorded often fills a 32-page report. They need to keep up with educational classes, industry retreats, and environmental concerns. They must be honest and remain impartial. A professional home inspector should more than earn your fee for service and provide security and peace of mind in the home buying process.