It’s Not Just Getting An Inspection, It’s Getting The Right Inspector!
Getting a home inspection when you’re thinking of buying a home in Marin County is about the smartest money you’ll spend. We always recommend a pest and contractor’s inspection, for starters, and then decide where to go from there. Termites can be a problem in Marin’s temperate climate, but often there are many other issues, from inadequate electrical panels to out-of-code sewer hookups…
But it’s more than just getting an inspection, I really believe it is getting the right inspector for the job. As in any other business, the levels of quality and cost vary. We work only with licensed inspectors that we know, or have been referred to by people we trust.
The differences can be startling, and the effects expensive. This is one that hits particularly close to home for me. My sister bought a house in a Chicago suburb last year, and told me two weeks ago that water was leaking in through the basement walls. She brought in someone to try and unclog the sewer, which they thought was the problem. This is an excerpt from an email she sent me the other day:
we had the front yard dug up (Including breaking open the cement sidewalk) and had 12 feet of pipe replaced. We also had to have our sump pump re-routed because the previous homeowners had it set up to drain into the sewer line - which is totally against code. This entailed digging about a 12-foot trench in the back yard to accommodate the sump pump so it would drain into the backyard. Now – we’re dealing with a ton of water in the backyard from where the sump pump drains. We can’t win!!!!!
Ouch. She’s now into this for thousands of dollars, with more to come. Would a competent home inspection have caught this? If it’s an illegal hookup, my answer is yes.
Take the time, and the money, to get a good inspection.
