The reason why I put the word “qualified” before home inspector is that not all home inspectors have the same experience or qualifications. Each state requires different requirements to obtain a home inspector’s license. In fact, there are still many states that require no license at all. Make sure your inspector has the proper qualifications within the state that you live in. But more importantly, make sure he is knowledgeable about what it takes to build a house.

There are many “home inspectors” out there who have no experience in home building, or home maintenance industry at all. Make sure that the inspector you hire has the knowledge and experience to give you a thorough, informative, and complete inspection. Why would you risk one of your most expensive assets with someone who learned how to inspect from a book? Don’t you feel that spending a couple of hundred dollars to give you the peace of mind and takes care of your hundred thousand-dollar investment is worth it? In the end, you will sleep better knowing that it was well worth the money. You would be surprised how many homeowners regret not getting a home inspector after they spent thousands of dollars to repair things that would have been caught during the home inspection.

Another thing to look for in choosing a home inspector is to make sure that they are associated with a nationally recognized home inspection association. The International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI) is one of the largest nationally recognized home inspector associations in the world. All of their home inspectors have to pass an inspector’s examination test to be accepted into the association. They are also required to pass a code of ethics obstacle course and take standards of practice quiz; not to mention that they are required to spend many hours of continuing education every year. Don’t be surprised in searching for the right home inspector as well as the dramatic difference in the cost of one inspector from the other. There are also a lot of inspectors that don’t list their prices due to the high price they are charging. And also don’t think that you should save a little money and go with the cheapest quote that you see. The main thing to keep in mind is to make sure that whoever you choose has the experience to do the best job you can get. They should be able to give you an easy-to-follow, nicely illustrated report that has all of the issues that are found in order of importance. I found that giving a homeowner not only a well-documented report of my findings, but including pictures with it, makes it much easier to understand all of the issues listed. Remember: this is the most expensive purchase that you will make in your life, so don’t hesitate to spend a little more to make sure it’s worth it!