As the saying goes, “you generally get what you pay for” reminds us that purchasing services for building and home inspections is no exception to the rule.
A recently published article in Consumer Reports (CR) referenced two members of the National Academy of Building Inspection Engineers (NABIE). The article explained the need to carefully vet the person you hire for evaluating the condition of your future home or building asset.
Edward Robinson, PE, a NABIE member and board-certified building inspection engineer was a named resource in the CR article. A link to Robinson’s sample inspection report was also provided as a resource for those looking to see what the scope of an engineering inspection might look like.
Although the CR article does not specifically mention the long list of differentiating factors between inspections done by professional engineers (PE’s) and those done by inspectors certified by other third-party organizations, the article was clear to point out that consumer needs to independently verify the inspectors experience and credentials for licensure.
Whereas the cost for a professional engineering inspection may, in general, be more expensive than hiring a garden variety home inspector, the level of specific technical experience, knowledge and continuing educational training that comes with being a licensed professional engineer far exceeds that of any other inspector credentialing. A simple referral from a realtor is not always the best choice of inspectors when it comes to having an independent, unbiased evaluation of your home as the CR article points out.
David Carlysle, PE, former NABIE Executive Director, was also quoted in the article addressing the issues of certification and liability insurance. Carlysle was in agreement with the others in the inspection industry when it came to the issue of liability. “If there is something that should have been caught, the inspector needs to pay for it and turn it over to his insurance company,” says Carlysle.
The CR article provides several recommendations for those looking to find professional inspection services and indicates the need for consumers to spend time evaluating their options as it relates to the focus of their inspection needs based upon the property they are looking to purchase. Read the entire article at https://www.consumerreports.org/real-estate/how-to-choose-a-home-inspector/
