One of the biggest investments made by an individual or family is purchasing a home.

To make sure that you maximise your investment, you need to look for a professional and well-equipped home inspector to help you decide if you are making the right choice. The inspector is supposed to give you an honest and objective review of the entire dwelling including aspects such as weak roofs, termite infestation, clogged drains and so on.

The decision of hiring a home inspector is not simple though. How do you know that you are employing the right person to carry out the inspections for your new home? Is he qualified? Does he have sufficient experience? Is he non-biased? All these questions need to be closely examined as you have only one chance to get your dream home checked by a professional home inspector. If he does a superficial job, you could face a lot of disappointments in the future when you actually start living in the house. Steering clear from superficial home inspectors requires an understanding of what to look for when selecting a true professional.

Don’t blindly hire a home inspector recommended by your agent

It is true that your real estate agent will give you a list of recommended and approved home inspectors, but that does not necessarily mean that you would find the best home inspector to do the job for you. On the contrary, it might not work in your favor as several agents who get monetary incentives for the sale (i.e. the commission) have ties with home inspectors who also benefit from the deal. There is a tendency among such inspectors to carry out superficial inspections without actually looking into the details of the house and the defects hidden in it. The aim of such inspectors is to make a sale irrespective of whether the house is free from defects or not.

So, try and look for alternatives by getting recommendations for independent home inspectors from your neighbors, family and friends.

Check for professional qualifications

It is good to check whether your home inspector is associated with professional organisations and has certificates to justify his qualifications such as:

• Licenced Building Consultant
• Licenced Builder
• Accredited Timber Pest Inspector
• Accredited ABSA HERS Assessor
• Bonded Asbestos Removal Licence
• Workcover Accreditation

This kind of information gives you an idea about the professional background of the inspector and instils trust in his work. A well-qualified and experienced home inspector will make sure to check for even the smallest defects, which could turn out to be big issues later.