More often than not, hiring a property inspection company is better than hiring an individual inspector. This is especially true when the property inspection covers a wide range of issues ranging from build to radon gas, and lead. Hiring a property inspection company is also recommended when the property is big. You will also find that many property managers, with many properties to look after, hire property inspection companies and keep them on a retainer. This is because rental properties regularly require inspection to ensure they stay in good condition for tenancy. How does one go about choosing a property inspection company?
Portfolio
According to the American Association of Home Inspectors rules, a property inspector requires over 250 successful inspections for certification. Going by this, we can then determine that a company is required to have many more successful inspections. Don’t be shy about asking a property inspection company for their portfolio. To squash any doubts you might have, go ahead, call a few former clients, and ask them about the company.
Specialization of Inspectors
A good property inspection company should have specialized inspectors. That way, a company is able to set itself apart from individual property inspectors. For example, there should be an inspector dealing with health hazards and another one dealing with issues of build quality. Where there are two companies with similarly diversified inspectors, don’t hesitate to ask to see their resumes. These should help you select the company with better inspectors.
Quality of Inspection Reports
A property inspection company worthy of your money should generate detailed reports. But that is not enough; the reports must be presented in a language that is easily understandable. If a company provides its reports in the form of checklists, you can be sure that they did not spend enough time on them, and that is not what you want. The easiest way to obtain an inspection report is by asking the company to provide three to five reports. With these, you should be able to tell how well their reports are written.
Digitization of Inspection Exercise and Report
Unlike in the past, your involvement in the property inspection exercise today is easy. Technology has made it so that you don’t have to be present to be involved. An inspection company that uses cutting edge property inspection software and apps should be able to share the pictures of an inspection as they go along. If you have to wait for the final report to know what was happening, it’s best you look for another company.
A copy of the final report should also be sent to you electronically. Again, if they have to send the report by mail for you to read, they are not the company you are looking for.
Other important things that can influence the choice of a property inspection company include their reputation, recommendation from real estate professionals, and the cost. With these in mind, it should be easy to hire a top property inspection company.
