While buying a property, it is very important to carry out a physical inspection before deciding to buy. Given the excitement that comes with purchasing property one may end up forgetting checking on some crucial elements involved in the process. Some sellers will not even take you through the process because their primary goal is to sell. This will necessitate involvement of an inspector. Hence, selecting a wrong inspector could cost you dearly. Therefore I t is of essence to pay attention to the following.
Consider getting references. People you know especially family, friends or colleagues could give you a great lead when selecting an inspector. This is because you trust them and they have dealt with the particular inspector before. You will be able to collect information about their experiences and qualifications so that you can better choose the best. You will also be able to choose the one that is more likely to address your concerns like the structure whether an engineer or an architect but they are likely to charge higher rates.
Get to know the cost aspect. It is important to involve an inspector that will not hurt your pocket. You can do this by asking for quotations from several of them so that you can choose the one who is pocket friendly but also can deliver on his assignment. This will help you not to enter into unplanned expenditures.
Get informed on the scope of work of the inspector. Mostly, a basic inspection takes a few hours about two to three hours depending on their experiences. There are areas that inspectors are not required to do inspection and if they do it will be at an additional cost. These may include the lawn, washing machine, swimming pool among other appliances. Ask what is covered in the fee structure.
Look at the qualifications. Seek to know whether the inspector has the required certification from the state governing body. This will help you gain confidence in the person that you are engaging and it will assure you that you are getting professional service from a qualified person. The higher the qualification the inspector has, the better the service delivery.
Check whether he has a valid permit. Some of the inspectors may have been disqualified from practicing because of misconduct in the line of their duty. For example, they may have misled a buyer knowingly. A valid permit will show that the inspector is allowed to offer this service by law.
Know the timing of the inspection. Procedurally, the buyer and seller would sign an agreement before inviting an inspector. This agreement contains a clause that allows the buyer to cancel if the findings of the inspector are not favorable to him. Some sellers however prefer inspection done before an agreement is signed. This could be disadvantageous to the buyer because the seller may receive bigger offers from other buyers and end up pulling out. By this time the buyer would have paid the inspector for his services but end up without the property that he has paid services for.