You should wait as long as possible before getting your home inspection.

No you should not. Waiting until the last minute to get your home inspection leaves you in a position of not having the information that you need to make an informed decision.  You usually have 10 business days to perform that inspection. Also your contract will most likely have specific dates in it, that if you don’t respond in a timely manner, then you will lose the opportunity to cancel your contract on a house and still receive your earnest money back. Hire your Residential Home Inspector early

2.

 You don’t need a home inspection if you are getting a home warranty.

Yes you do. As you probably know, there are very few perfect homes. A home inspector is going to inspect for any major problems that you need to be aware of concerning the structure of the home or building and the mechanical aspects of the home. Home inspections regularly turn up items that are very expensive to fix. If you move in and are relying on the home warranty you may end up with items that the warranty doesn’t even begin to cover.

In addition, as you may know, if someone tells you not to worry - that the warranty will take care of any problems with the home, this should be a red flag. Home warranties are not designed and will not cover pre-existing conditions. One of the best reasons to have an inspection is to help prove that a problem that shows up later is not pre-existing. It gives you grounds to argue the Pre-existing issues with a license residential home inspector backing you up!

3.

 You need to have an inspection done for each home you are considering.

No you don't. To have a home inspection done on every home you are considering would cost you a small fortune. Most often you are not going to need to have an inspection done on every home you are considering when you are armed with some basic information. Some homes have hidden damage not seen by the normal home owner. Buyer beware when not considering having no inspection done. Even on new constructed homes. There are too many fly by night construction companies in the Bluffton, Hilton Head and Beaufort County areas of South Carolina.

4.

The company that offers the lowest price is the company you should hire.

Not necessarily. The Company that offers the cheapest price is generally showing you a couple of things. One that they are new in the market and or there trying to undercut the other inspector's cost. If you are only concerned about one or two items you can probably have a specialist come out and look at it for less than the inspection, or you can even have a friend or relative look at it and give you their advice. However, you do not want to leave the largest buying decision to a friend, when you can have a licensed residential home inspector with years of experience and 1000s of home inspections to compare to.

5.

If you are buying a brand new home you don’t need an inspection.

Simply not true. Many people believe that if they are buying a new home that everything is new and it is going to work perfectly. Nothing could be further from the truth! Even though buying a new house is great, mainly because no one has lived in it and everything is brand new, from the carpet to the roof, this does not mean everything was put together right. If fact over my many years of experience, I have found that we find some of the strangest problems and situations in brand new homes. Every builder would want you to believe you have no worries, however he knows the average home owner knows nothing about construction to call them or when there is something built wrong. Having a knowledgeable person looking out for your best interest is the way to go! Even if you don't do an initial inspection, have your home inspected before you reach the 12 month mark on your contract. Let us pick it apart.

6.

What liabilites or warranties does a Home Inspector have from his or her inspection?

Most of your inspectors througout the state of South Carolina use an Inspection agreement or contract. This agreement should cover his disclosure of what they are liabile to inspect and areas that will not be covered in the inspection report. i.e. Pools, sprinkler systems, security, telephone, cable tv, etc. In addition the agreement is to insure that you know everything about their liabilities and responsibilites as an Inspector. Here is an example of our inspection agreement.

7.

How will I receive my inspection report?

Most Inspection reports will cover the major issues in the home. Usually the inspection report will be sent to you in an email form. Some of the inspectors provide a printed out hard copy of the report for you. Others may offer a quick printout onsite. Whichever type of report you receive, insure it covers the State Standards of Practice. Not all home inspectors cover everything. i.e. HVAC systems. If you are selecting an Inspector, ask them if they take photos and provide that with the report. Here is an example of our inspection report.

8.

What does a Home Inspection cover in South Carolina?

IOne of the biggest questions I always get asked, "What do you inspect?" My response would normally be that I follow the SC state standards of practice. This covers several areas of the home in different sections. i.e. Roof, exterior, interior, kitchen, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, etc. However, make sure your inspector does follow these standards. As a consumer in hiring a Residential Home Inspector, you should know your rights and what kind of service you expect. As an instructor to teach students how to be an inspector, I stress following these standards. National organizations have their higher standards that they require their Professional Inspectors to follow. Here is an outline of South Carolina's State Standards of Practice.

9.

What is the difference between a Home Inspection and a Home Apprasial?

The difference is that a home inspector is there to inspect the home for the condition of the home and a home apprasial is there to estimate the home value. Even though a VA or FHA home apprasial do right up obvious issues that need further review by a license contractor or home inspector. One of the reasons for this, is to make sure there is a home inspection being done for what ever obvious reason that is evident to the appraiser. Another difference is that the home inspector is going to crawl through your attic and crawlspace (if you have one) to determine the condition of the home.

10.

What is the difference between a termite bond and a CL-100 inspection?

In the state of South Carolina, termite inspector's provide a CL-100 letter for most loan closings. This is a requirement. Their inspection process is about insect damage and water damage. If you have a termite bond, that will cover you for the termite damage, however water damage is not covered under this bond. Most homeowners are suprized when the CL-100 letter writes up a water damaged bathroom and it is not covered. So, the difference is that as a home owner you will not be covered by your bond for water damage.