Home Inspections

The objective of a home inspection is to make the buyer aware of the current condition of the home in Staten Island. A home can be attractive, but to the untrained eye there could be underlying problems in the structure of the home, such as the foundation, electrical or plumbing. A home inspection will raise attention to these areas giving the buyer the opportunity to opt out of the purchase of the home, to ask the repairs be completed before the purchase of the home will take place, or ask for credit off the agreed upon price to enable the repairs to be made.

The home inspectors of the Staten Island are aware of the most common problem with the homes in that area, which is water damage. The home inspectors in Staten Island will thoroughly inspect your home for water damage in the basement, attic and any other location where water can cause damage. The home inspectors will inspect the rest of your home to ensure it is up to par and that no other damage or potential damage is present.

It would seem to be obvious to a potential homebuyer how important it is to have the home inspected by a qualified home inspector. It only makes sense. When hiring a home inspector to inspect the largest and most important purchase you will ever make in your lifetime, to ensure that the inspector is qualified to do the job. Unfortunately, many potential homebuyers do not spend enough time researching home inspectors before they hire one to inspect the home they are considering to purchase. Many people only inquire about the price of the home inspection and the availability of the home inspector before hiring a home inspector, which is an ineffective method of choosing a home inspector.

When you are looking for the most inexpensive home inspector you can find who is readily available, you may get exactly what you paid for. So what qualities do you want to look for when hiring a home inspector?

You will want to know if the home inspector is licensed. Home inspectors in some states are required to be licensed, if you are in a state which requires licensing, make sure to get the entire license number, which may include letters before or after the numbers. You want to make sure you have a licensed professional and not an intern or trainee.

You will also want to know if the inspector has had any formal training. If so, then is it from a recognized training school? This is a recent addition to the home inspection profession in many states. Several states still do not require licensing or regulation. In those states formal training is optional.

When it comes to the experience of the home inspector, the number of years can give the wrong impression about the number of homes inspected, which is much more important. When looking for a home inspector, you will want to inquire as to the number of inspections performed during a year, over 200 is customary. The overall years of experience as well as the number of homes inspected are still important.

A home inspector who is affiliated with a reputable home inspection society has already taken the time to receive the proper training, testing, and paid his dues in order to belong to this association, so they are more likely to perform high quality work for their clients. However not all association memberships are the same, so you must do the research on the association and it's motto. You will want to know what is expected of its members, by doing so you may learn some things about the profession and the abilities and the dedication required to give a quality home inspection.

Last, but not least, the report. It is the reason for hiring an inspector. You want to be provided a written report with detailed information regarding the home. Your next question should be how and when you will receive the report. Will it be email or mail, or are you required to pick it up. Will it take them 48 hours or longer?

As a rule the inspection will take approximately 2+ hours. Anyone saying it can be done in an hour; will not be giving you a thorough home inspection. Just remember to take precautions and do some research before hiring a home inspector. If you settle for the cheapest and the one most available, beware you will probably get what you are paying for.

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