FAQs

Below are questions I hear all of the time regarding home inspections and home inspectors.  Hopefully if you have similar questions they will be answered here.  If you have other questions that I don’t address, please contact me and I will be happy to answer them (or at least try).

Why should I get a home inspection?

A home inspection can save you from making a very expensive mistake.  Most people are unaware of how complex a home is and how all of the individual systems of a home work.  Home inspectors usually have a background in construction and have went through extensive training and continuing education.  An inspector knows where and how to look for problems or signs of problems that can be bigger issues.  Even if you are an electrician, plumber, framer, etc. you likely won’t know much about all of the other very important systems of a house and how they work together.  A home inspection provides you with more information to help you make the best possible decision regarding a property.

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Do home inspectors need to have a license in Minnesota?

Unfortunately the answer to this question is NO.  Any home inspector that claims to be licensed is not licensed by the state of Minnesota when it comes to general home inspections typically purchased by the potential buyer of a property.  Some cities around the metro area do require licensing for their “Truth in Housing” programs, but this is a special type of inspection that the seller of a property is required to have performed, not the buyer of a property.  Many other states require home inspectors to be licensed, including Wisconsin, North Dakota, and South Dakota but Minnesota has not yet passed any such law.  I totally support the idea of requiring home inspectors to be licensed and I believe Minnesota will pass this type of legislation in the near future.

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Why do we use an electronic report rather than a paper report?

During our inspections we take hundreds of pictures. These pictures help us document a property, but they also provide the client with a great explanation of what we are trying to tell them. Most people don’t understand many of the defects found during a home inspection, but if I am able to show them a picture of the defect along with a description of the issue they have a better idea of what I am talking about. Because these pictures are so important to the report it is necessary to use inspection reporting software. When the inspector prepares the report after the inspection they are able to review the entire inspection by going through the pictures and listening to the voice recordings of the inspection notes. When the report is finished it is sent to the email address provided by the client at the inspection. The report can also be sent to the client’s realtor if they so wish. By sending the report over email we are able to save a minimum of 30-50 pages of paper per inspection and that is good for the environment. You can review the report on your computer or print it out if you want a paper copy for your records. If you don’t have an email address, a printer, or a computer we will send the report to your realtor and they can print a copy of the report for you. The major issues are brought to your attention during the walk through portion of the inspection, so when you leave the inspection you will have the information you need to make the best possible decision. Reports are typically completed within 48 hours of the home inspection. We feel doing things this way gives our clients a better overall product.

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Who do we recommend for real estate agents and Mortgage Professionals?

I take referrals very seriously, I won’t refer just anyone.  People must be trustworthy and knowledgeable for me to refer them, all of the people below have those qualities.  These are the people I refer to my family and friends, if you ever need anything reach out to any of them and I know they’ll be happy to help.