Before you decide to purchase that home in Colorado, it is a good idea to hire a professional home inspector. A home inspector’s work is to carefully check various areas in the property and look for any potential problems that could pose hazards to anyone. They will in turn use this information to prepare a well-written report that will address those risks.
They also offer helpful suggestions on how to either manage such problems or solve them. Simply, a good home inspector’s job is giving important insights about a house, whether it is in a good condition or not. This information can affect your decision about buying the house. For this reason, you need to hire a reputable home inspector.
There are many home inspection companies in Colorado, and like every business, not all offer quality services. Now, let us discuss how to choose a reputable home inspector.
1. Using the Internet
If you are coming to Colorado for the first time or decided to have your own home, you may not have any experience in hiring an inspector. To get started, you can carry out extensive research on the internet about home inspectors within that location. This will show you a long list of various inspectors in the area.
You can choose some names from the list, but you have to choose wisely and not randomly. Make another research on each of the enlisted companies. Ensure you read the testimonials and customer reviews on their websites.
In case you are not too sure about these reviews, you can conduct a third-party search. Some review sites like Yelp and Angie’s list have rating buttons and review columns where customers can write down their opinions about a company. Since these sites are dedicated to transparency, you can be sure that each of the reviews was authenticated before it was posted. The more positive ratings and recommendation a company get on these sites, the more likely they are reputable.
2. References from Family and Friends
Most likely, you trust your family and friends’ opinions and suggestions on important matters. So if you need a home inspector, why don’t you ask them if they know one? They may have employed one during their house purchase or know someone who did.
Whatever the case is, asking for their referrals can turn out to be helpful. But you may still need to discuss with these inspectors before deciding to employ their services.
3. Referrals from Your Real Estate Agent
Referrals gotten from your real estate agent can either be helpful or otherwise, so you need to be discerning. You can trust your real estate agent if they’ve been working for you for a long time and have always done the right thing.
Also, if the realtor is experienced and has been in this profession for years, they would have worked with some reputable inspection companies. A professional and trustworthy real estate agent will not be scared that hiring a reputable home inspector will potentially cancel the house purchase.
If you do not know the realtor, it is best to choose an inspector yourself. Because they will probably refer a less experienced inspector that will not have negative reports that can affect the property sale.
4. Consider Their Experience
If you want to choose a reputable inspection company, look for one that has inspected homes for many years. Experienced inspectors have the eyes of an eagle; they can detect issues or potential hazards quickly. This is because they have checked many home types and seen a wide range of problems.
5. Look for Home Inspectors That Are Insured and Bonded
Climbing stairs, crawling into basements and crawlspaces, and checking the air conditioning unit have potential risks. They can lead to an accident if there are any defects in the property. Therefore, it is important to hire an inspector that is bonded and has insurance.
This will help to prevent you from being sued or liable in case the inspector incurs any injury during the inspection. As a matter of fact, a professional will show you evidence of insurance before starting any inspection.
6. Choose a Certified Home Inspector
Hiring inspectors that are certified by registered organizations give assurance of their knowledge and experience. One of such certifications is from ASHI (American Society of Home Inspectors). Before an inspection company is ASHI certified, they need to have passed certain technical tests and inspected more than 250 homes.
InterNACHI (International Association of Certified Home Inspectors) is another important organization. Like ASHI, the organization offers free professional courses that will test the knowledge of the inspection company. The company will also write some examinations and tests.
Make sure to employ certified home inspectors, as their training and experience are invaluable. You can check out this post to see what it takes to get these certifications.
7. Know the Duration of the Inspection and What Is Involved
A good inspection needs to be thorough. The inspector will carefully check every area in the house such as:
- Rooms
- Electrical areas
- Mechanical areas
- Environment conditions
- Kitchen cabinets
- Air conditioning unit
- Basements
- Crawlspaces
They will move around with a flashlight, checking all these corners, and writing down notes as they inspect. Some inspection companies only focus on the structural aspects of a house. Therefore, if you need well-detailed inspecting, go for companies that offer thorough inspection.
Some inspections take two to three hours, but sometimes it could be longer. If possible, ask if you can follow the inspector around. Take a notepad with you and jot down any issues that are pointed out. You can ask important questions; reputable inspectors are always willing to give you recommendations.
8. Compare Prices
The prices of an inspection vary. Certain aspects such as the volume of the property, location, and the type of inspection that is done are cost determinants. It is good to have a budget, but if you want thorough inspection, be ready to spend more money.
Purchasing a house is an important investment; you do not want to ruin it by hiring a naive inspector due to the cheap price they offered. Never go for the lowest-priced option when it comes to home inspection.
If the reputable and experienced company you found costs more than you budgeted, you can negotiate with them to work out something for you. You can visit https://coloradohomeinspector.com/co-springs-home-inspection/ to find reputable home inspection companies in Colorado.
Conclusion
When choosing a property inspector in Colorado, ask for references and make adequate research. Having enough knowledge about this will help you make a good decision.