home inspector or professional engineer?
 

I just made an offer on a house here in Indy, and I'm unsure if a certified inspector or a professional engineer would be a better choice for doing the inspection.

Any input from you guys?

Home inspector (3rd party and rated) for the overall inspection of appliances, plumbing, electrical, roof, fireplace, etc. If there is a soil or foundation problem indicated, the get the engineer. One will cost you in the neighborhood of 300 and the other 3000 (guessing). A termite report would be standard here, but maybe not there because of the climate?

here's the one guy i was looking at:

http://www.youngsinspection.com/staff.asp

it seems as though he is the same price as the home inspectors.

upon looking at both of the sample reports from this guy, and a home inspector, i prefer the home inspector's report.

thanks milt

Don't get the one your friendly realtor suggests. He (or she) can't be too picky and blow a potential sale for the realtor unless the defect is really obvious.

When I bought my first house when I was 25 and an idiot, I took my realtor's suggestion for a home inspector and it was one of the most expensive, stupid decisions I ever made. They were in cahoots. It only worked because I was totally negligent, in fact, ignorant on the polybutalene pipe issue. It was a huge deal in the DC area and is immediately obvious to anyone who knows about it when they look at the pipes. That probably cost be close to $10k and countless headaches after it was all said and done.

+1

thanks for the responses guys. yeah....i'll avoid anybody the realtor recommends. that's a given.

reminds me of PPI's done by recommendation of the owner of Victory Motors.

Funny thing about home inspections prior to purchase...

When I bought my house in Vermont I mentioned during negotiations with the seller that I would be having a thorough inspection done... He told me go for it.. as the house is for sale "as is" wysiwyg....and he would not be doing any corrective work etc to the house..

Now I am an engineer... so I did a look around on my own, found nothing to worry about..

yup - no need to hire a brain surgeon when a nurse can do the job.

if the insp. finds something really weird then get an engineer

look around for a really good, tough-ass, fine-toothed comb type insp. ... & do NOT begrudge the extra $100 he charges

Totally random tidbit here. I was in a RE office about 10 yrs. ago and noticed a stack of business cards for a home inspector named Francis Gary Powers Jr. I asked the manager and yes, it was the son of THE Francis Gary Powers.

In North Carolina, an engineer's letter overrides an inspectors report. So start with an inspector, then use an engineer for any real concerns and/or arbitration of a problem.

If you weren't already planning on doing so, I highly recommend going along with the inspector to look over everything. Even go up on the roof. My previous house had flashing missing where the chimney met the edge of the house. I couldn't make it to the inspection, so I jest got the report after it was completed. My inspector missed this flashing issue. A few years later, I was given the opportunity to spend $7k to repair the ensuing water damage/rot that resulted from the missing flashing. Lucky me. :mad:

I recently sold a house where the buyer had a home inspection done. But, I had put in the sales contract that I would pay 1/2 of the closing costs and or that money could be used for any repairs at their choice. Two days before closing I get a 3 page list of crap. Replace washer in facet cause it was moist. The home inspection report also came with a price for the home inspector to do the work. Prices were insane. 30.00 dollars to put on a wire nut where a disposal used to be. Anyway, I get the HUD (closing statement) and they used up all of my money on other fees. I get to the closing and the buyers sales agent asks me when I finished doing all of the crap on the report. My response was quick and to the point. You used up all on the money on other things and I was not responsible to repair the things on their list. I relate this only to get you to read all the crap they put in front of you. Good luck.

I just purchased a home that had set for almost 2 years (foreclosure). I hired a home inspector and met him at the property with my coveralls on. ( I asked in advance)

He didn't mind me tagging along, we had a great little chat the whole time, He gave me a lot of helpfull tips on home preservation, and I got to see what I was puchasing up close and personal.

It was well worth the money.

On the other hand, the hot water heater failed the day we moved in. It worked fine when we tested it.

Hot water heaters (didn't someone once say here that was redundant--I don't think so) don't take kindly to sitting for 2 years.

Any inspector that proposes to fix the work he has recommended will not ever be approved by any inspectors' organization. That's why credentials are so important. To this day there is little regulation in force. At least a peer group approval is better than nothing.

Anyone know of a good home inspector in the San Fernando Valley?

Extensive research has shown that there is no such thing as a "hot water heater."

It's a water heater. It heats water, not hot water.

All one has to do is look on the water heater itself... or the box it came in... to confirm this.

;)

Point taken, but the heater does heat "hot" water. The setting on the heater assures a temperature is maintained. How Hot is another matter, when the "HOT" water falls below a certain temperature, the heater restores it to the desired temperature. Also, how hot is hot.

See we can play these stupid games everyday. The key is we understand what each other is trying to convey. To correct someone over something so trivial is irritating.

As far as an inspector, check with your insurance company. They may be able to recommend someone, or even your lender. Someone who has a similar interest in the property.

It's only done "in fun."

Also... something that is irritating to you, might be something else to others.