
The home inspectors report may well list some items as defective, but this does not always mean you need to back out of the sale. For example, some defective items such as faulty carbon monoxide and smoke detectors or a few loose shingles on the roof are things that are easy to fix and will not cost too much to do so. But, there are other defects like mold, wood rot or structural damage which are much bigger issues and will likely cost a lot of money to fix. In some cases, there may be problems which are big to deal with. This example, however, shows the importance of a thorough home inspection.
Home inspectors are very often licensed contractors as well. If you have found a home inspector you trust, would it be right to hire them for any repair work that will need to be done? There are a few reasons why this is not advised. It may look like the home inspector purposely found problems with the property so that they could be employed to fix them. This would also place the accuracy of the inspection report in doubt. The best guide to finding a home inspector who will provide a thorough and honest report is to choose one who is InterNACHI certified and who abides by InterNACHI’s Code of Ethics.