Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
While I agree it would be best for the buyer to attend the complete inspection if they have time, I don't see a real problem with the buyer attending when the inspector is wrapping up and then walking through all the issues found. The only case where I can see the buyer not attending at all is if they are not local and can't travel for the inspection. Then you need an inspector who writes a thorough report with photos and is available for questions.
I agree, but then it is the buyer's choice about what works for them in the purchase of their home...which they are spending many dollars to buy.
I think a home inspector dictating what works for the buyer is a bad business practice.
He said he suspect he doesn't want a SELLER folowing him around.IMO it depends wh is paying for the inspection really.No way I'd not be their if i was paying for the inspection really.
Each Inspector will create an inspection protocol that works for their style of inspection. However, at the very least you should be at the home for a briefing after the Inspector has completed the actual checks, inspections, etc. The briefing should include, as a minimum, the more significant items found with verbal descriptions and answers to your questions. If this Inspector is not even offering that as a minimum it is definitely time to choose another Inspector.
You mentioned that the Inspector is an ASHI member. Unfortunately it means little as Home Inspector associations are nothing more than marketing tools for their members. It just so happens that ASHI is the best for marketing. Other than the marketing value to Inspectors, there is really no value to consumers regarding what association an Inspector belongs to. In states that license Inspectors the value of Home Inspector associations is even less.
DubbleT,
What you had was a very good Inspector!
I prefer to use the same basic protocol on my inspections as your Inspector followed. It allows me to concentrate on the inspection and prevents interruptions that can cause me to miss something. When I am about an hour out from finishing I call my client and have them meet me there. The client and I take all the time they need to be briefed, run through the inspection path again if desired, ask questions, and learn what they need to. As a result I perform only one full inspection each day. After all, the client is paying for a service and they need all the information they can get to help with their transaction. Of course my fee is higher than the typical $150 Inspector we have running around the DFW area. As a result my reports are also more comprehensive and detailed.
All Others,
TexasHorseLady has a good outlook on the situation and I did have to chuckle regarding the "cat herding" comment. There is nothing wrong with a buyer client being on site during the entire inspection, if that is what makes them more comfortable. It is understandable that you want to make sure your money is being well spent. Even I have no objection to the client being there. However, if you want to be there then make sure your money is well spent by allowing the Inspector undisturbed time so their concentration is not broken. It does not matter how good the Inspector is, the more distractions the more chance they will miss something!
Any good Inspector is methodically going through the home with an extra hundred details on their minds. The Inspector gets a brief period to literally collect a lot of facts, regarding the home, in the first minutes they are there . From there they use these facts as they are working their way around your home, making sure the facts match with what they are seeing. At the same time they are also concerned with having you, the client, potentially spending hours in boredom waiting for them to be finished and brief you. It's a balancing act that Inspectors must deal with on every job when the client is present the entire time.
If a person does not like what the inspector has to say (about who and when, etc), then they should not hire them. Period.
Personally, I could not care less about who or how many people are at the inspection. I do the same job, no matter who is there.
I really prefer that my clients attend the inspection, or at least be there at the end.
I also prefer that the sellers NOT be there. It makes buyer's uncomfortable, and they usually get anxious watching me go thru their house writing stuff down. I will try not to engage them in conversation, and I will not argue with them about my findings.
I prefer that the clients leave their kids at home, their friends at home, and their parents, in-laws and cousins too.
I don't want my client to show up 30 minutes after I have finished and then want to go over every single item I found.
Those are some of my wants and dislikes. However, not everyone knows or cares about them, so I have had all of those happen. I once had an extended family of 10 members, that did not speak a word of English, and had no concept of "personal space", and had a collective case of the worst body odor and bad breath I have ever experienced. While I expected the Candid Camera crew to pop out at any moment, they never did. I did manage to get thru the inspection.
I managed to teach them a lot about their house, and I learned a huge lesson from them - patience. I can get thru just about anything now, even crying babies.
Far be it for me to criticize another inspector's business model - it obviously works for him. However, if a client is not comfortable with the parameters that are set out for them, then they need to find another inspector.
OP, if you are paying for the inspection, I think you SHOULD be there. I think a good inspector will notate issues and will help you understand those that are highly important, possibly needing addressed by the seller, and any others, that may not be as critical, but still noteworthy. I know my DD's inspector went over the whole house with them, gave them excellent pointers and advice for first time buyers and what was in store as far as upkeep on the home.
As for not wanting the seller there, well, lots of sellers like to argue with the professional's findings as he's doing the finding. That I can understand.
Had a home inspection where the seller got so beligerant they had to ask him to leave.
Sorry, didn't make it clear. I met him at the house on the same day, he called me as he was writing the report up, and we went over the results together when I arrived. Altogether I think he was in the house about four hours, I was present during the last two hours. I was his last job for the day and he wasn't in a rush. The house was vacant so I guess that would make a difference wouldn't it?
This is the way our office's favorite inspector operates as well. Agent lets him in, he does the inspection. At the end of his inspection, the buyer and their agent meet him and get the highlights pointed out and explained. I believe that if the buyer is there the entire time, they may feel better about it, but they get a less complete inspection, and things may be missed.
Personally, I think one of the most important traits an inspector can have is to put everything in the right perspective. We've had some who put everything, from plumbing about to break to tiny chips in the bathtub in exactly the same light, and made it sound like nothing was really a problem at all, when some things really were major issues. We've also had the opposite end of the spectrum, where on a really clean inspection, the few small things were turned into end of the world scenerios. If you have outlet covers missing in the garage, that isn't a deal breaker and shouldn't be treated as if it were. 1/16th" cracks in the foundation are normal, and should be pointed out as normal, not made to sound as if the house were about to fall down. We've had inspectors get buyers riled to the point they were going to walk away from the house over a repair that would cost under $50.
Anyway, when people talk about realtors being in bed with inspectors, yes, agents do have favorites, that they know are going to do a good job for their clients. They may even give a good price, because the agent sends lots of business their way. But that is all just looking out for the clients best interest. But as for a conspiracy, where the realtors are hiring inspectors willing to cover things up or glaze things over, while I'm sure there are some, it is the rare exception, and not even close to normal.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
