What should you look for when trying to find a good home inspection company in a city as large as Los Angeles? This can be a daunting task with so many companies to choose from. Whether you are buying a house, selling a property, or just want an inspection of your home for your piece of mind, it is important to find the right company to service you. Here are a few tips:
- Is the inspector a member of either the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), or a member of a state association such as the California Real Estate Inspection Association (CREI)? These associations have excellent guidelines to follow.
- Make sure the inspection company has “errors and omissions” and liability insurance. Even the most seasoned inspectors can overlook something, or have a mishap.
- How experienced are the inspectors? An inspector who has been working in the field for several years is less likely to miss any items on the inspection. Of course new inspectors can be excellent too, but as a general rule of thumb, practice does make perfect.
- Has the inspector got experience in your particular city? Even in the greater Los Angeles area, there can be certain elements present in one district and not the other. For instance, the presence of mold is more prevalent in damper cities such as those directly along the coast. General home inspections do not cover mold specifically, but a conscientious inspector will mention the mold to the client if he come across it during a regular inspection.
These are just a few pointers to help guide you in choosing a good home inspection company. A poorly done home inspection can be costly down the road. Apply a little due diligence and you should have no problem finding a good quality home inspection company. You can always ask us.
Agreed, poor inspections will end up costing the money you think you “saved” with others. Great value and very informative post.
A friend of mine needs his house inspected for a certain project he is doing and he was curious about hot to do that. It’s interesting that you say to find out how experienced they are and if they have been working for a couple of years now. I know that I would want them to know tips and tricks to finding little things that could be missed.
My wife was curious about how you would find the right person to come and inspect your house, and I wanted to know more about it. I really like that you say to find out if they have experience in a certain city. It would be nice to know that you will be getting someone that is familiar with the workings of the houses.