Residential Home Inspections
We inspect your future home to identify any problems up front and give you peace of mind
Hiring a Home or Condo Inspector
Home Inspection Checklist
Hiring a Home or Condo Inspector? For most people, the purchase of a home is the largest investment they’ll ever make. Getting an independent, expert opinion on the operability of the structure and its systems is a no-brainer.
In Florida, if you take a 120-hour course and pass a test, you’re a Home Inspector. You could have been a carpet installer prior to taking the test and no experience is required to become a home inspector. For example, in Florida, you must have 5 yrs of experience and take a 2-day test to become a Licensed General, Building, or Residential contractor.
Since there are minimal requirements in Florida to become a Home Inspector, training along with years of experience are the defining qualifications your Home inspector should have.
Florida allows Realtors to recommend Home Inspectors, an obvious conflict of interest. Many Home Inspectors rely on Realtors for their business and are reluctant to report issues and their severity for fear of losing business from that Realtor, not a good situation.
Home inspectors are governed only by whatever laws are in place in the state in which the inspection is performed, and these laws vary greatly. So how do you make sure you’ve hired the right person for the job?
When shopping for a home inspector, it’s vital that you do your homework and interview each inspector based on the checklist below.
Do not price shop. When hiring a home inspector, you’re basically hiring an advocate with your interests in mind to give you their expert opinion on the home’s condition. With that in mind, making sure that you’re hiring an inspector with plenty of knowledge and training means not shopping for one by price alone.
Training, certifications, and continuing education don’t come cheap to the inspectors and therefore, their expertise isn’t going to be cheap either. When it comes to home inspections – as with most things – you get what you pay for.
Cash, Check, or Zelle is the preferred methods of payment. Mastercard and Visa are accepted with a convenience fee of 2%
What Our Clients Say
“The best compliment I can give a company/individual would I go back to them and with McCabe Home Inspections there’s no doubt it’s a resounding YES! David is not only amazingly competent, but he’s also efficient, and super detailed and he isn’t beholden to anyone, especially the seller. If your goal is to have someone provide an honest and detailed review of all the good and not-so-good points of a potential home then David is the person. Why roll the dice when you have a known pro who does things the right way? Thank you, David!”
Mark Perritano
“Dave’s inspections are very thorough: from the roof to the grade of the yard and everything in between. His eye for detail is amazing. I highly recommend accompanying him, his running commentary is educational and well worth your time. I consider myself to be a pretty savvy homeowner, but he takes it to a whole other level. If you are a real estate person looking to “get the deal done” this is not the inspector you want. However, if you are looking for a super competent, no-nonsense home inspector look no further.”
John Bernhard
Research their home inspecting credentials. Since there are no national standards for home inspectors, one of the best things you can do to find out about an inspector’s qualifications is to ask what associations they belong to. Some associations require minimum training, experience, and continuing education and also require the inspector to pass certain exams. However, not all associations are created equal. Check out the associations’ minimum requirements.
The best associations require that the inspector pass yearly exams and obtain a specific amount of continuing education credits. Also, find out what level of association the inspector occupies. Some associations have “candidate” and “associate” or other levels which basically means that the inspector has not met the requirements to be a full member. Also, ask what certifications the inspector holds and then research them as well.
Ask for home inspection references. An inspector should be happy to provide you with three references from previous clients. Call those clients and ask them about their experience with their inspections. Make your own decision. Some states allow real estate agents and other professionals to make recommendations on what home inspector to hire. Besides the obvious conflict of interest issues, a recommendation does not necessarily guarantee that the inspector is the best choice. Make your own decision based on your research.
Ask to see one of their inspection reports. At the conclusion of any inspection, you should receive a report on the inspector’s findings. Again, inspectors are going to vary widely – report styles can range from the minimal checklist to the jargon-filled narrative. Inspection reports can be difficult to understand, so it’s important that you check out a sample report. Items marked as “fair”, “poor”, or “inadequate” without any further explanation will not help you understand what the problem is or what exactly to repair.
Make sure that the inspector always specifies the exact problem and recommended repairs. If requested the inspector should also indicate an estimated cost of any repairs he or she recommends.
RESIDENTIAL INSPECTION
Non-invasive examination of the condition of a home.
TERMITE INSPECTION
Termites can cause subtle damage only an expert could find.
WIND MITIGATION
Verify and Document key features that reduce the damage your home may suffer during a hurricane.
4 POINT INSPECTION
HVAC, Electrical wiring and panels, Plumbing connections and fixtures, and Roof.
CONDO INSPECTION
Get your future condo inspected before you buy.
ASHI CERTIFIED INSPECTION
Standard of practice for home inspectors practicing in the U.S.
Click here to call us now to get started at 561-547-9870
Check out one of our sample home inspection reports
