In Asheville, a home inspection is one of the most crucial aspects of the home buying process and should as much as possible not be bypassed. Inspecting a home before buying could reveal issues you wouldn’t have ever noticed. At times, an inspection may require that the seller fixes what needs to be fixed before selling the property to you.

In order to avoid heartaches, please don’t nonchalantly brush aside your need to have your prospective home inspected. Since you would require the services of a home inspector in Asheville for the inspection of the property, these are tips to help you choose a home inspector company for your inspection needs.

1. Get a reference from your real estate agent

If your real estate agent has been in the business for a long time, chances are that he/she may have encountered a couple of home inspectors in his line of duty. He or she would thus have a fair idea about which reputable home inspection company you should contact to aid you in the inspection of your home.

2. Seek other referrals

Get references from other sources including clients who have benefited from their services in the past. You may want to find out from these clients what their experience was like in their dealings with the home inspection company. Make an informed decision as to whether or not to hire their services based on the reviews of the clients, whether good or bad.

3. Search for a company that is bonded and insured

Make sure that the company from which you choose your home inspector is bonded and insured. This is because the type of work inspectors are required to do puts them in considerable danger. By wandering through basements, climbing into attics, etc. home inspectors put themselves at various risks of getting injured. Being covered by insurance should injuries occur, eliminates the need to prosecute you the homeowner.

4. Check that they only carry out inspections and nothing more

If the home inspection company offers repair and renovation services in addition to inspections, chances are that there will be a conflict of interest as they will try to conjure up problems that need fixing when there really are none. Therefore companies from which you select your home inspector should only specialize in home inspections and nothing more. Should you be interested in getting repair work and its costs after inspection, you may consider hiring a contractor.

5. Compare the cost of hiring different companies

Home inspection companies in Asheville may charge different rates depending on the services they offer. It is always a good idea to have a detailed description of the various services each company offers during inspections so as to make a fair comparison of the costs they charge.

6. Verify that you can accompany the inspector

It is always a good idea to follow the home inspector around as he goes about his duties so that he can explain certain concepts to you and bring to the notice areas that may give you problems in the future. By so doing, you gain valuable insight into the state of your new home.