Skip to main content

When looking for a home inspector in Tennessee, what qualifications should I look for?

The most important qualification to look for is the number years the individual has been a Home Inspector. Caution: Home Inspectors will claim to have many years of experience, but they include experience in a trade or experience as a contractor.  Experience in a trade or as a contractor, while it may help in one aspect of the job, this experience will not make them a better at Home Inspection in general. 

The second most important qualification to look for is education and depth of knowledge about Standard Practices contained in the State Building Code. Code certifications, and the more they have the better, are the best way to determine if a Home Inspector really knows what a "latent" defect is.  These "latent" defects are defects that are not obvious to an untrained eye, but can be important to your safety, and pocketbook, when buying a home. This is the reason people hire a home inspector in the first place- to find the defects that a casual inspection doesn't. Consider also that most TN Counties were relatively late to enforce Code on new construction. Many counties in Eastern TN did not start enforcing code on new construction until 2010. While Home Inspectors are forbidden from mentioning Code sections in their reports by the TN Home Inspector regulations, they should have enough code knowledge to spot safety issues while performing a Home Inspection. 

The third most important qualification to look for is membership in a Home Inspector organization that promotes a high bar of ethics and standards that go beyond the minimal requirements of the State regulations.  The American Society of Home Inspectors, or ASHI, has the highest technical and ethical standards. There are other organizations that many Home Inspectors belong to, so it is important for the buyer to be aware of the difference.  Key differences (not a complete list) include: ASHI Home Inspectors inspect appliances for proper operation and age (other organizations do not require this); and ethical differences like a Home Inspector cannot be a Real Estate Agent. A Home Inspector in your area can be found by clicking on the "Find an Inspector" section of the website ASHI.ORG    

The final most important qualification to look for are reviews.  Just like when buying anything online, reviews are important. But, some review sources, like Google, have a way for home inspectors to pay for good reviews.  So in my opinion, the best source for unbiased reviews is the Better Business Bureau or BBB.  If you want an honest and ethical inspector, look for a BBB member with an A+ rating.  

Remember, home inspectors should work for you!  Don't let your agent choose the inspector! You should be in control of this critical part of the home inspection process!

To find out more about us please go to https://accuspecinspections.com/meet-the-team

To Book a Home Inspection in East Tennessee including Knoxville, Sevierville, Dandridge, Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, Newport, or Maryville, please go to accuspecinspections.com 



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

I Live In Knoxville; Do I Need A Radon Test? October 22nd, 2007 Question:I heard that Knoxville has high levels of radon gas. Is that true? And what is radon gas and how do I know if it’s in our home? Answer:It’s true that Knoxville does have high levels of Radon. In fact, Knoxville and most of East Tennessee is in either a Zone 1 or Zone 2 which are the highest probability areas for Indoor Radon. See Radon Probability Map at http://www.epa.gov/radon/zonemap.html . Radon gas is produced from a breakdown of uranium in the soil under your home. Radon gas is odorless, colorless and tasteless. The Surgeon General of the United States has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today. Approximately 24,000 people die each year from exposure to Radon. I would not live in a home in Knoxville without having a radon test conducted. The only way to know if you have elevated Radon levels in your home is to have a Radon test. Please see our website a...
Post a Comment
Read more

How To Stop Squirrels from Chewing a Log Home

My wife and I live in a log home we built in Eastern Tennessee 20 years ago.  About 8 years ago, I noticed chew marks on the outside corners of my log ends and wandered what animal was doing it and why?  My dog was much too old and not aggressive enough to chase squirrels.  Then, one day I heard something chewing on the back deck, looked out, and to my surprise it was a squirrel!  Being a Builder, Home Inspector and Building Inspector in the log home mecca of Sevier County, TN; and just having a nerdy interested in such things, I did some research, asked around, and compiled a strategy to deal with the problem. I like natural solutions that deal with these type problems because I do not want to harm the environment.  I live here too!  One pest control operator I spoke with said the squirrels are chewing to get at the salt in the wood.  (This makes sense because I used a borate solution on my logs prior to staining to deter wood boring insects....
Post a Comment
Read more

First Time Home Buyer Home Inspection Mistakes

  We have seen first time home buyers make some critical errors in regard to the home inspection process that can cost them money and aggravation. We offer the following advice as a guide to help you avoid those mistakes.   1- Not Having a Home Inspection: Some people do this to keep from spending 100s of dollars, but end up potentially costing themselves 1000s   It makes no sense.   2-Allowing the Seller to do repairs on Home Inspection findings.   The Seller has an incentive to use the lowest bidder to do repairs; or worse, do the repairs themselves.   In this case, the warranty on the work may not transfer to the new owner after the closing happens, then you are stuck with inferior work and little recourse.   Sometimes Real Estate Agents will ask Us to inspect after the repairs are completed by a Seller.   We don't recommend this as most of the time, we end up having to throw off on the repair, costing the buyer additional money; and ma...
Post a Comment
Read more