Has anyone ever considered hiring a professional inspector for routine home inspections? I'm thinking about bringing someone in every few years to catch issues that might slip under the radar for someone who's not familiar with home maintenance. What do you all think?
3 Answers
I haven't hired a pro for regular checks, but if you got a thorough inspection when you bought your place, that could be a good reference point. My dad always said the inspection report is like a to-do list for home maintenance! I also keep a personal checklist for things like flushing the water heater and checking the roof and gutters each year. It helps me stay on top of any issues before they become bigger problems.
As a retired home inspector with three decades of experience, I've seen the value in 'tune-up' inspections. The idea that we have to find issues to justify our fees is a misconception. We get paid the same regardless of how many problems we find or how long it takes us. It's actually against our ethics to do repairs on homes we inspect, so we’re just here to help identify any potential concerns without any bias. Sometimes I would just do partial inspections if the homeowner only wanted to check certain areas like the crawlspace.
I personally wouldn't pay for a regular inspection. It seems like a hired inspector might feel pressured to find problems, either to justify their fee or because it's part of how they make money. I've tackled all the major repairs on my home, so I'm not sure if searching for minor issues is worth the hassle. I'd rather not go looking for problems unless I really need to.