Inspection Price Shopping

By Frank G. Ross

One of the most frequently asked questions we encounter is, “What do you charge for a home inspection?”  If this is the first question asked, it is obvious that the caller is price shopping or bargain hunting. 

Selecting your home inspector based on price can be a hazardous practice.  Every inspector is different and comes with strong points and weak points. You may save $45 or $50 by choosing a cheaper inspector, but he could end up costing you a lot more than that if he misses any major problems. Also, consider the reasons one inspector may charge significantly less than another.  Does he make it up in volume – that could mean rushed inspections?  Does he have lower overhead – that could mean a part-time operation or no insurance? 

Here are some questions to ask a home inspector before you make a decision:

• Do you belong to any professional organizations? Or Are you certified?  Utah currently does not have any licensing requirements for home inspectors.  That means literally anyone can become a home inspector.  There is no minimum standard, no certification exam, and no regulatory agency checking up on them.  Take care to choose an inspector who belongs to an association that requires him to abide by a code of ethics and a set of standard practices.
• What training and experience do you have?  This question is important for some of the same reasons as the previous question.  Ideally, you would want your inspector to have been professionally trained.  It also helps if he has considerable knowledge of home construction.  It would be to your benefit to choose an established company.  There is no equivalent to experience.
• Do you have insurance and what type?  Proper insurance protects all the parties involved.  It’s not enough to have Vehicle insurance or General Liability insurance.  A responsible inspector will also carry Errors and Omissions insurance.
• What type of report do you provide?  What a homebuyer is after is a thorough report of the condition of the home he or she is considering, not a generic two or three page checklist.  These days, with the availability of inspection software, the best reports are computer generated and contain photographs and comments specific to your home.
• When and how do you deliver the report?   Inspectors using home inspection software can often deliver the report the day of the inspection, on site or through the internet for out of town clients.

With respect to home inspection as in so many other situations, it’s true; you get what you pay for. 
In the words of John Ruskin, "It is unwise to pay too much, but it is unwise to pay too little. When you pay too much, you loose a little money; that is all. When you pay too little you sometimes lose everything. Because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing you bought it to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot. It cannot be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run and if you do that, you will have enough to pay for something better."
Usually, the best inspectors are not the cheapest. If you want to save money, possibly thousands on your home purchase, then don't choose the cheapest choice. Peace of mind will be found with a thorough and experienced home inspector.

Frank Ross is a Certified Utah Home Inspector for Pillar to Post Professional Home Inspection and a full member of the National Association of Certified Home Inspectors and a member in good standing with the Utah Better Business Bureau.  Readers may contact Mr. Ross at (435) 867-6400 or frank.ross@pillartopost.com