Saturday, May 9, 2009

Inspections and Inspectors

Inspectors and Inspections:

The building inspector that works for your local government produces a building-inspection report, but this report is often for his eyes only. He is making sure that the house meets all building codes. This creates tremendous confusion with many homeowners because many believe that if their home passes the building inspection and is granted a Certificate of Occupancy, that all must be well. This is not true. Many government inspectors, and top-quality builders will tell you that the building code is a set of minimum standards. Passing the government-mandated building inspection is like getting a 70 percent on a test.

You want a real professional to hand you an inspection report when you hire him to discover defects in a new or existing home. You need to hire a certified home inspector, one that has the best credentials. There are any number of organizations that certify inspectors. The requirements to get certified run from filling out a form and mailing a check all the way to passing a written technical test, performing a minimum of 250 professional, fee-paid home inspections conducted in accordance with published standards of practice and a code of ethics. The best inspectors attend routine continuing education to stay up to date with the latest in home construction techniques, new materials and professional practices. You want an inspector that’s completed all the things I just mentioned. Florida general contractors are required to take continued education courses every two years, to remain active.

The top inspectors will look at the exterior building materials, crawl spaces, and attic spaces.
An inspection should last between 1-2 hrs. depending on the size of the project.

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