Hi there,
I have moved to a new marketplace and I need to find some good home inspectors to refer.
I was wondering...

1. How did you choose the inspectors you refer?
2. How many do you refer to?
3. What do those inspectors do that you like?
4. What questions should I ask?

Thanks for any and all input!
Sindan

From an inspectors perspective...

First off, you should ask for referrals from within your office. You should also make sure the inspector (inspection company) carries E&O insurance and GL coverage.

I would certainly ask how long they have been inspecting, and how many inspections they have performed.

Find an inspector who belongs to one of the national inspection-associations and/or your state's inspection-association.

Personally, I think you are better served by an inspector who is a full-time home inspector, not just someone doing it on weekends or after hours working around their "day job."

Be cautious of the "General Contractor" who also performs home inspections - if they offer to repair a home after an inspection, this is an "ethical" violation for most associations and they may be violating state law.

Ontario does not have national or state licensing. There are several US based home inspector associations that are credible including NAHI and ASHI. They require members to take a proctored test and perform a min. number of inspections. NACHI members take an internet test that is not protored and can be taken as many times as needed to pass. NACHI offers a certification to members but basically it means they paid a fee. Belonging to NACHI does not mean they are bad inspectors, but membership in NACHI does not imply any real basic level of knowledge.

While there is no mandatory licencing yet (likely coming soon), there certainly are associations that you can look for accreditation from such as OAHI for Ontario (or CAHPI for the Canadian Association). That being said, personally I couldn't care less what association any of them belong to so long as they can do the job and protect the interest of the buyer. Speak with other agents in your area to see who they use and also ask why. Many agents will give a name of an inspector simply because they find that the inspector does not kill deals. I want someone who is competent and who will find the issues that are there and won't blow small issues out of proportion.

I haven't needed to look for a new inspector in a few years, however when looking a new one I made sure they came with a great reference.

The three inspectors I usually work with are of course knowledgeable of codes and laws but the trait that defines them apart from other inspectors I've encountered is their detailed personalities. I searched for the detailed trait when checking references.

All three of these guys will ramble on for hours whether discussing a leaky faucet or foundation troubles. They are extremely detailed and stress the small stuff in their reports as much as the large which makes for long reports but they rarely if ever miss anything.

The way I figured the last 2 were keepers is just from a phone conversation. Took 30 mins to get them off the phone when simply asking about their methods of inspecting a home.

Other than that I would follow Inspectorjeff's advice.

Are home inspectors required to carry insurance? Seems like a good idea, but I talked to one today who said there is no such requirement!

Are they even required to be Licensed in California ?

Here in Vermont, they are not, and operate without any supervision by the State. We require that Tattooists and Body Piercers and Crystal Ball Readers be Licensed . . . . but not Home Inspectors who are sometimes involved in helping you make the biggest financial decision of your life.

I always ask that the Inspector verify that he has his own Workers Compensation Policy or at least sign a Release protecting me and the Owner if he injures himself on the Job. If they're within earshot, that whole discussion is quite an eye-opener for the Buyers.

Around here, most Inspectors have no WC or E&O, and they will have the Buyers sign a limitation of liability that cuts their exposure and limits the Buyers' recoverable damages to the cost of the Inspection.

Check with your Secretary of State to ascertain whether Inspectors are required to be Licensed in California, and if so, if they then also need to be Insured.

Home inspectors in CA are not regulated. There is no requirement for insurance and no licensing.

If you hire an inspector that does not carry E&O, you have very little recourse if a major error is discovered. Buyer beware - check references, look for an inspector that belongs to one of the National associations and/or CREIA, and don't hire an inspector that is not does not carry E&O insurance.


This is a common misconception. Worker Compensation insurance covers employees. It is not available for sole proprietors as individual inspectors. Even if I wanted WC, I can not obtain it for myself as the owner/operator.

I provide a broad list of home inspectors in the area . . . and suggest the buyers call them & check services and prices.

If the buyer asks who I'd recommend, I do recommend one in particular - he's knowledgeable,thorough, reasonably priced, pleasant, a "good ol' boy" (and I generally like "good ol' boys" tho' I admit they drive some folks nutty). People usually get a chuckle out of that and more often than not, they pick him.

I personally would look for other recommendations from agents in your office, or that you know. Then you can contact people on the list to see if they are properly insured, or what experience they have. I find that buyers love inspectors who explain things in detail to them.

I've always used local, trusted inspectors that have usually always been referred to me by another realtor.

I give Buyers a list I maintain of every Building or Home Inspector I know of in this area. This is a much more comprehensive list than just pointing them at the Yellow Pages, as many Inspectors are not even present in the Yellow Pages.

My List is constantly changing; and I keep it in simple alphabetical order. To avoid favoritism, I also eliminate all 800 or toll free numbers, so that people aren't influenced by the "free" phone call . . . . too often that call is free; but the Inspection Fee winds up coming in at close to $1000 to make up for it. (Everyone has a regular number shown, so it's true that a close-by Inspector will still have a slight advantage.)

I let my Buyers interview the Inspectors and discuss qualifications, timing, refunds, type of report, whether a water test or mold sampling is to be included, whether fees are a set "standard" or variable based on the Age or GLA of the Subject, whether outbuildings and appliances are included, or if everything is done ala carte.

I just tell them that price alone is NOT a criteria . . . . and to make sure you have a rapport with the person. I recommend that they interview at least three (3) but I do believe that most only talk to one or two, and then decide. At any rate, that's their decision, and I've never been accused of "steering".

I give them the ASHI website: http://www.ashi.org/ .

So do I with signed acknowledgment as part of the purchase contract by Buyer. It still does not mean any inspector, ASHI certified or not, has common sense because stupid is as sstupid does.

I had two (2) state licensed, bonded, insured and ASHI certified Home Inspectors, chosen independently by the both buyers on two (2) unrelated and seperate transactions turn the water on at the REOs I had listed.

One (1) was told personally not to do so due to plumbing issues but he did it regardless and ended up causing $10k worth of damage to a semi repaired REO.

I, too, had that happen recently. The Property Condition Report already stated the water line was not holding proper pressure and right there on the water heater was a big sign that said DO NOT TURN ON WATER! Not to mention you could see some water stains on the ceiling drywall (you just didn't know if it had been from a recent or a previous leak).

Bozos turned the water on and then called me complaining about the leaks. HUD said too bad, too late - it was already disclosed prior to contract. That should have been on the buyer's agent for not disclosing to the inspector that the lines weren't holding proper pressure; but, after several years of REOs, you'd think home inspectors (who surely have seen more leaks than we have) would ASK the buyer's agent about any known leaks OR ask for the listing agent's contact info and call the listing agent first.

Regardless of where my buyer gets their home inspector, I do follow along on the inspection. Having been through numerous ones, I have a better idea of what's what than the buyer(s), but I don't jump in and rule it. Just a casual, "well, what about..." question to the inspector because sometimes they do seem to skip over or very vaguely explain something, and, I mention several times during the inspection to the buyers that if you don't understand something or you have questions, just ask YOUR inspector, that's what he's here for. I say that with the inspector right in front of us. Most buyers are on the shy side about it so we have to coach them along for their benefit - just another aspect of hand-holding - a service alot of us provide.

Sending your clients to the ASHI site (or any other association site for that matter) is a disservice IMHO. You may as well send them to Craigslist or the Yellow Pages.

As experienced agents, you should have a list, and only be referring the most experienced, thorough and accurate inspector(s) in your area, regardless of their affiliation.

Of course the "fear" is that the agent will be drawn into a lawsuit for negligent referral in the event that the inspector is sued by the client for an error and/or omission. But the fact is, qualified inspectors carry insurance that (in most cases) provides agent indemnification. In other words, we take responsibility for our own mistakes.

I find it strange that some agents will gladly refer specific lenders, escrow companies, contractors, appraisers, etc., etc., but when it comes to perhaps the most crucial aspect of the transaction, they will leave their inexperienced client(s) to choose their own home inspector.

Agents who refer me know they don't need to "hold hands" with the client through the inspection - that's my job. No matter how "bad" the house may be, the client won't be afraid, they will be informed.