Unanswerable Questions

By Frank G. Ross

Did my home pass or fail is a question I get from about three quarters of home owners when I have completed a home inspection on their home. The inspection covers a thorough check of hundreds of items.  The result is compiled right there on site into a computer-generated report. The report is basically a "snapshot" of the condition of the home at the time I inspect it.

My professional code of conduct prevents me from disclosing details of the report to anyone other than the client who paid for the inspection. So when a home owner questions me about a report prepared for a buyer I tell them that there is no pass or fail for a home. Curiosity may then compel them to ask, “On a scale of 1 to 10 how was my home?” I tell them that I have done many home inspections and at times I find things that to me personally would be something that I would want fixed or replaced, such as a sliding glass patio door that does not work, or an inoperable ceiling light fixture or an appliance that is at the end of its life, but so many times the buyers see these same things as not an issue.  They may say, “Oh, that sliding door is no problem as we are going to have a French door installed.”  Or “Oh, that leaky dishwasher is no problem because we are going to have stainless steel appliances installed.” I have quit trying to guess how a buyer will look at an item that is not working. So, in short, there is no point to my rating a home and a home does not pass or fail the inspection.  As they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and when it comes to homes, beauty is in the eye of they buyer.

Over the years I have inspected quite a few bank owned homes.  Many times they have not been taken care of very well. But, the right person looks at the potential of the home and sees a good deal even knowing that the home will need several thousand dollars to fix it up.

About three years ago I inspected a duplex that had a crack in the concrete slab that ran the full length of the two units. The carpet had been pulled up and this crack to me was a serious problem. I recommended that a professional contractor be called in to evaluate the cause and cure. The buyer was willing to pay for the repairs and he was very happy with his purchase. A home is a very personal thing and I cannot judge what a person will like or won’t like.

Another inquiry I get now and then from the buyers is if I think they should buy the home. That is another question I avoid answering. First I have no idea what the price for the home is and if it is a good price for the current market or not or if the buyer is financially able to afford it. I tell the buyer that asks me this that their Realtor may be able to help them on the answer but I simply cannot. Sometimes I get pushed into a corner when they quickly follow up with “Well, would you buy this house?”  I tell them that I would love to live on a beach on some distant island and that if I had the money to buy a home and to move then I would be on that island. An inspector just cannot ethically answer these kinds of questions for the reason that the decision has to be the buyer’s decision. An inspector may find him or herself in hot water if they ever did convince a person to buy a home.

A home inspection report answers a lot of questions about the condition of a home.  Following the inspection I go through the report with the client and tell them to call if they have any questions.  I know how important it is to have the information you need to make a decision and if I can possibly to answer their questions I will – as long as they don’t ask me one of those unanswerable questions.

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