There are thousands of home inspectors out there, so how does a person go about choosing just one? Referrals, associations and information directly from the home inspector can be used to make the right choice. Below is an elaboration of how each of those factors can be used to decide which inspector is the best fit for a specific client.

The home inspection business, like much of the service industry, is largely referral-based. Friends and family are a great source of referrals, since the accounts of their experiences with home inspectors can be trusted. Realtors are another good source, since they usually have had extensive dealings with a number of home inspectors. Some people worry that a real estate agent may send them to an inattentive inspector in order to guarantee that a sale goes through. However, most real estate agents actually want the buyer to be fully aware of the condition of the home at the time of the sale, since misleading a buyer will end up costing the real estate agent their own referrals in the future. If you are worried that your real estate agent may mislead you regarding what home inspector to select, then you should probably look at working with a different agent.

Another good way to distinguish between home inspectors is the home inspection associations to which they belong. Many inspectors will use their memberships as an advertising tool, because they know that clients respect the high standards these groups require of their members. In order to join, a home inspector usually has to demonstrate competence in the field by either providing a state license (if the state requires it), completing a number of mandatory inspection hours, and/or taking an exam given by the association. Once a member, the home inspector must adhere to the "Standards of Practice" for the organization. By providing clear guidelines to follow, these associations help protect the inspector, clients and the profession.

The last way to choose a home inspector is to take your questions directly to the home inspectors themselves. First, look over their websites (if they have one) or pamphlets for information. Then, discuss any remaining questions or concerns with the inspector in person or over the phone. Look for how much experience the inspector has and check on any credentials. Not every state requires licenses, so it may be up to the client to make sure that the inspector is qualified. See what services are offered and what comprises a typical home inspection. Find out how many inspections the inspector typically performs and how much time will be devoted. Ask how much an inspection will cost for a particular home’s size, making sure to include the fees of any additional services desired. Keep in mind that the cheapest option is not always the best. Finally, see how the inspector creates and delivers their home inspection reports. Some inspectors will deliver a handwritten report at the time of the inspection, while others will create a computer generated report. With the computer generated report it may be emailed later that day, or possibly printed out on site. You will want to see a sample of the report they create to get an understanding of how the condition of the home is going to be presented to you.

After obtaining all of this information from referrals, associations and home inspectors themselves, an informed decision can be reached as to which inspector will be the best choice. Fortunately, there are many good home inspectors out there, so it should be easy to find one for the job.