How to find the right home inspector

[Picking the right home inspector is almost as important as picking the right house.]

This fall, Ontario is looking to introduce a bill to regulate home inspectors and create a body to govern the industry. While only 65 per cent of homebuyers in the province hire inspectors to look into their potentially life-altering purchases, the move will bring stronger standardization to an industry that country-wide is, for the most part, still unregulated.

It’ll also add an extra layer of confidence to the sometimes-daunting process of finding the right inspector. But it’s not the only thing consumers need to keep in mind.

Yahoo Canada Finance chatted with Brian Hutchinson, past president of the Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors Atlantic and treasurer of CAHPI National, to get the low-down on finding that right inspector. Here are the 22-year veteran inspector’s tips:

Figure out what you want from your inspector

“More and more inspection companies are starting to offer a menu-driven price list,” explains the Dartmouth, N.S.-based inspector. For instance, a basic inspection may run you $350 to $600 but you’ll have the option of adding other services beyond a standard visual inspection including testing for radon or looking into the sewage lines.

“Some inspectors will do water testing, some will do air quality testing over and above the visual inspection,” he says. “The price can mount up, it’s not hard to spend $1,000 on an inspection if you’re doing all those inspections.”

Look for an inspector with a designation

While homebuyers wait for Ontario to set a precedent, Hutchinson recommends turning to national organizations like the CAHPI or regional ones like the Better Business Bureau.

“Look for a professional affiliation that suggests that the inspector is serious about their profession and has made an effort to ensure his educational standards of practice meet a high level,” he says. The Registered Home Inspector program through the CAHPI, for instance, requires inspectors to have completed at least 250 fee-paid inspections.

He also said consumers can feel more confident with an inspector who’s registered with the Better Business Bureau because it suggests they’re willing to submit to scrutiny.

Visit their website and then speak to them

Often buyers will get recommendations from their real estate agents or friends. Hutchinson points out that even if the trust factor is there, buyers should still look at the website of the inspector before hiring them.

“Take a look at [whether] their website is professionally done or if they have one at all [as well as] customer referrals on those websites and a statement about their level of experience,” he says.

He also points out that while many inspectors will have some sort of appointment booking service online or via phone, it’s good to schedule a face-to-face meeting or speak to them over the phone before hiring.

“You want to get a sense that they have good communication skills – technical skills can be taught but if somebody isn’t gifted in terms of communication they’re going to have a hard time being an effective communicator,” says Hutchinson. “Our work is very focused around effecting communicating of our findings… we’re trying to relay to [customers] the technical aspects of the house they’re buying.”

You can also ask to accompany them on the inspection, which can bolster that ability to communicate.

Ensure they’re insured

A breakdown of communication can prove costly to the consumer. Hutchinson recommends finding an inspector with insurance in the event something goes awry.

“The presence of personal liability insurance suggest they’ve been vetted by the insurance companies somewhat,” he says. “Secondly, if something does come up and you subsequently have to sue the inspector you want to know that the inspector has the resources to pay out any settlement that’s necessary.”

Set your expectations upfront

A lot of inspectors will have their clients sign a visual inspection agreement that outlines exactly what they can expect. The homebuyers need to comb through this and make sure they agree and understand their recourse if things don’t go the way the anticipated.

Some agreements will limit the liability of the inspector to just the fee paid and within a certain time frame from the point of purchase.

“If after two years you make a discovery that I couldn’t make in the three hours I was in the house, it seems unreasonable I would be liable,” says Hutchinson.

But if you do have a problem with an inspector you’ve hired, Hutchinson recommends first approaching the inspector.

“Make it known you’re unhappy and the inspector will have options at that point, whether he refers you along to his insurance company or whether he can come to a settlement with the client upfront,” he says. “As an inspector, the primary interest is your clients – that’s the one that you safeguard without compromise.”