Best Home Inspectors Near Me

✏️ Editor’s Note: Realtor Associations, agents, and MLS’ have started implementing changes related to the NAR’s $418 million settlement. While home-sellers will likely save thousands in commission, compliance and litigation risks have significantly increased for sellers throughout the nation. Learn how NAR’s settlement affects home sellers.

A home inspection can help buyers identify the hidden problems in a property before closing the deal. Although home inspections are optional, a credible & diligent home inspector will reveal significant flaws in the property and save you from buying a decaying house.

In this blog, we’re ranking the best home inspectors in the U.S.

Rankings: 4 Best Home Inspectors in the U.S

Reviews: 4 Best Home Inspectors in the U.S

🥇 National Property Inspections

NPI or National Property Inspections, Inc., is the oldest home inspection franchise company in the U.S. It has offices in 200 locations across 42 states.

However, some of the franchisees have questionable service quality. We recommend you check the local inspectors’ reviews before engaging them for a home inspection.

🥈 AmeriSpec Inspection Services

AmeriSpec is a home inspection company known for its detailed inspection reports. AmeriSpec Inspection Services has an excellent 5 out of 5 stars on Yelp.

AmeriSpec Inspection Services has 272 locally owned franchisees in limited cities across 39 states. Hence, it is advisable to check the location beforehand.

🥉 Pillar to Post Home Inspectors

Pillar to Post Home Inspectors is a popular choice amongst home buyers looking for customized home inspections. Their custom packages vary by state, and some franchisees have questionable service quality.

Furthermore, specialized home inspections aren’t available in all areas, so we recommend you connect with the local Pillar To Post inspector first and then schedule an appointment.

4. HouseMaster

With its Buyer Benefits Program, HouseMaster enables home buyers to curtail some expenses associated with buying a new home. There is no extra fee because these benefits are included in the home inspection costs.

While HouseMaster is a prolific brand, you should always check the reviews of your local HouseMaster franchise. Note that HouseMaster’s Buyer Benefits Program is only available in limited locations.

What are Home Inspections?

Inspections are non-invasive visual examinations of homes and reveal significant defects in the property that a homebuyer can miss.

A thorough home inspection can uncover issues like mold infestation or faulty electrical systems and give home buyers an estimate of the maintenance required on the property. Home inspections also save home buyers from making the wrong investment beforehand.

🤌 Home Inspections: Everything you need to know about home inspections

What are Home Inspectors?

Home inspectors conduct home inspections, making them important stakeholders in a real estate transactions. A home inspector will assess the property and prepare a detailed report that documents the property’s structures, design, and fixtures.

A home inspection report will provide valuable insights into the property’s foundation, electrical systems, plumbing, HVAC, and more. Specialty home inspections like radon, asbestos, and termite inspections are also done.

👉 A good home inspector will uncover “hidden” issues of the property and save you from unexpected repairs.

What do Home Inspectors Look for?

Home inspectors look for visual cues of major flaws that could compromise overall safety. Appearances can be deceptive. No matter how great the curb appeal is, you don’t want to get stuck with a damaged house.

Usually, a home inspector performs a general home inspection.

General Home Inspection

In a general home inspection, the home inspector will assess and examine all systems and areas outside and inside the property. Here’s a breakdown of what a home inspector looks at:

1. Exterior Inspection: Outside the Property

• Foundation Inspection: Inspection of the house perimeter to check for large cracks in walls, uneven flooring structure, sink holes, loosened or cracked windows, etc
• Garage: Inspector will test if the garage doors open and close as expected, whether the garage is ventilated enough, and if the garage framing is visible
• Exterior Walls: Inspector inspects the walls of the property to check the damage caused by wood-loving organisms, a possible infestation of termites, etc.
• Roof Inspection: The home inspector will check for loose or improperly secured shingles on the roof, signs of water damage, and the condition of the gutters
• Grading: The house inspector will check grading around the structure of the house to verify if the level of the ground around the home is positive, as in, water flows away from the house.

2. Interior Inspections: Inside the Property

• Electrical Inspection: Inspector will examine the electrical connections and wiring of the house to find potential shock points or possible surges
• HVAC Inspection: Done by a home inspector to assess the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems of the house
• Plumbing Inspection: Thorough examination of the plumbing system, including sewers, supply and sewage lines, etc, done by an inspector
• Kitchen Appliances: Inspector will inspect household appliances like installed ovens, dishwashing machines, grinders, blenders, surface cooking appliances, etc.

🤌 Home Inspection Checklist: Check out an inspector’s general home inspection checklist

Specialized Home Inspections

If a home inspector suspects a potential hazard or if the condition of the property demands more examination, then specialized home inspections are done. Below are some special home inspection types:

• Asbestos Inspection: Check the suspected presence of ACM (Asbestos-containing material), which is a carcinogenic
• Radon Inspection: Assess the home for the presence of radon gas which is a highly toxic material
• Lead-based Paint Inspection: Recommended for old homes built before 1970 to check the type of paint used in the property
• Termites Inspection: Check the house for wood-loving organisms like termites, pests, etc.
• Mold Inspection: Assess the house for mold or moisture
• Chimney Inspection: Evaluation of chimney to determine if it’s usable or not

What are Home Inspectors Not Allowed to Do?

A good home inspector will limit their work to the scope of the inspection and refrain from doing things that aren’t allowed.

• Risk the Safety of Residents While Inspecting the House: Honoring their “duty to warn”, an inspector should never neglect the safety of the residents and themselves. Disclosing all imminent threats in the inspection report is ideal, and if an issue could escalate, then the inspection should be stopped.
• Diagnose and Draw Inferences of Symptoms That Need Further Testing: If a home inspector finds evidence of lead paint or mold, they shouldn’t draw conclusions without doing the specific tests.
• Repairing the Home They’ve Inspected: This is directly from the Inspector’s Code of Ethics! No home inspector can renovate or fix the house that they have inspected.
• Cross-sell or Upsell Other Real Estate Services: Inspectors shouldn’t sell any other services like repairs, handyman, contractors, etc., especially for the repairs identified during the home inspection.
• Move Items Around or Damage the House: The house inspector cannot move items around the house. They are also not entitled to make a hole in the wall to find out if the foundation is weak.
• Outline Encroachments: An inspector’s role is limited to examining the property, not estimating the exact size of the property or highlighting encroachments like a surveyor.

How Much do Home Inspectors Charge?

The average home inspection cost in the U.S. is around $200 – $500 normally, and a home inspector will charge in this range. The average home inspection cost is around $350.

Several factors, such as the size, condition, age, and location of your property, will contribute to this cost.

🤌 How Much Does a Home Inspection Cost: Get the breakdown of home inspection costs across the nation

How to Find a Good Home Inspector?

To find a good home inspector, you have to be thorough in your research.

Consider all the parameters to look for in a home inspector. The most important ones are customer reviews and the comprehensiveness of the home inspection reports.

The level of detail and thoroughness of the inspection report indicates how observant and meticulous the home inspector is.

🤌 Home Inspection Report Sample: What is an inspection report and how to read it

What to Look For in a Home Inspector?

Hiring a credible home inspector is critical because their home inspection report elaborates on the true condition of the property. Before scheduling a home inspection, you should check out:

• Customer Reviews: Review the home inspector’s reviews on popular review sites like Google & TrustPilot. National home inspection companies like Pillar To Post Home Inspectors have reviews for every franchise office. The past clientele review can help you understand the quality of inspection your house will get.
• Home Inspector’s Credentials: Check if your home inspector is licensed and whether they are a member of ASHI (American Society of Home Inspectors) or NACHI (National Association of Certified Home Inspectors)
• Training and Experience: How many certifications have they done? How many homes were inspected in their tenure? Do they perform specialized home inspections?
• Pricing: Verify if the home inspector is charging as per the average house inspection costs in your area. It is likely that an experienced inspector may charge more for inspections.
• Quality of home inspection reports: Is the inspection report detailed and specific? How meticulously has the home been inspected? Did they cover all the crawl spaces and concealed attics?
• Access to technology tools: If a home inspector has advanced tech tools during a home inspection, there is possibly an improved chance of detecting issues that are hidden in plain sight. The inspection reports will also be detailed and summarize the entirety of the home inspection succinctly.
• Check if the home inspector is E&O insured: E&O Insurance is a liability insurance that covers legal costs for a home inspector if they are at fault. This typically happens when the house inspector fails to identify flaws in a property.

Can Home Inspectors be Held Liable for Missed Items?

Yes, home inspectors are liable for missed items, especially if they could pose a huge risk to public safety.

In this case, if the inspector fails to examine the faulty wiring and the house catches fire, then whether the inmates live or die, the home inspector is liable. To proceed, though, you need to have a claim.

This can be either some specific inspection that was promised but never happened or an area the inspector forgot to examine.

Home inspectors can be sued for negligence, but proving it can be tricky.

How Can I Sue My Home Inspector?

Yes, you can sue your home inspector. However, there is limited benefit from that drivel. You will have to prove your claim that the home inspector was irresponsible and negligent, which isn’t a cakewalk, really.

If exculpatory clauses like the “Limitation of Liability Clause” were included in your home inspection contract, then you might as well not sue anybody and save yourself the hassle of lawsuits.

According to this clause, even if the home inspector or the company misses something, they are not liable to pay for the damage. The negligence may have cost $20,000 in house repairs, but you won’t get a dime more than what you paid for the home inspection, $350.

ASHI and InterNACHI suggest home inspectors be E&O insured so that in case a home buyer wins the claim, the inspector’s insurance company can cover half the costs.

👉 We suggest you consider legal actions against the home seller (if they didn’t state the obvious defect in the seller disclosure) or the home builder (in the case of a new construction home) because proving the negligence claim can be complicated.

Home Inspector vs Home Appraiser

A home inspector is often confused with a home appraiser, but the two are quite distinct.

What is a Home Inspector?

• A home inspector has zero concern with the market value of the property and takes interest in its physical condition.
• Home inspectors will examine all the systems of the house with scrutiny and identify flaws in the different areas of the house.
• Home inspections are scheduled by home buyers generally. A pre-listing inspection is the only case when home sellers schedule an inspection.

What is a Home Appraiser?

• A home appraiser looks at the property to determine the fair market value of a property.
• Appraisers will check local home sale trends to compare similar properties & evaluate a home’s appraised value.
• Home appraisers are hired by mortgage lenders, and you cannot skip a home appraisal when you get a mortgage. If you don’t need a mortgage to buy a property, you should still hire a home appraiser and verify the price so that you don’t overpay.

» Home Appraisers Near Me: Find the best home appraiser in your neighborhood

Do I Need a Home Inspection?

Yes, you need to do a home inspection!

An inspection will reveal potentially life-threatening issues in a house. Buying a home is probably something that happens once in anyone’s lifetime. You don’t want to end up with a property that costs thousands in extended repairs!

When done by a diligent home inspector, home inspections can save you from overpaying for a property or buying a property that’s a money pit.

You can also leverage the result of the home inspection & negotiate with the seller. This negotiation can either be about fixing the issues flagged in the home inspection report or reducing the home sale price. Imagine the money you’ll save just by spending a few dollars on an inspector!

Best Home Inspector Near Me

Frequently Asked Questions

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