A.  Certification and Licensing:  Your inspector should hold a current, valid license in the subject property’s state.  Certification and Licensing indicates that your inspector continues to meet requirements for licensing.  Tri-State Home Inspections is a Certified Master Inspector

B.  Exams: Your inspector should have passed the difficult National home inspector exam as well as any state exams. Passing exams indicates that an inspector has a certain level of home inspection proficiency.  Tri-State Home Inspections LLC has passed all exams to be a Certified Master Inspector and Licensed.

C. Insurances: Your inspector should have the three following kinds of coverage:
Errors and Omissions– to provide coverage in case the inspector misses something that they should have found such as a rotting floor that was accessible to the inspector.
General Liability – to provide coverage for other, general issues such as damage caused by the inspector to the subject property.
Tri-State Home Inspections LLC carries these insurances and will provide proof upon request.

D.  Independence:  Your inspector should be able to show that he has no financial interest in the purchase, sale, closing, repair or maintenance of the subject property.  When an inspector has no financial interest in the subject property, he has no reason to give anything other than his candid, professional opinion of a property.  An inspector who is not independent may be paid only if the property closes so he may not report all problems or the extent of all problems.  An inspector who is not independent may report that certain repairs 
are needed (when in fact they are not necessary) and then offer to make those repairs himself for an additional fee. Tri-State Home Inspections LLC belongs to the International Assoc. of Home Inspectors. (InterNACHI).  The InterNACHI code of ethics requires that we have no financial interest in subject properties. I do not accept referral fees from any repair or maintenance providers.     

E.  Formal Training and Education:  Your inspector should be a graduate of an accredited home inspector training center and has on the hand work experience with inspecting as well as construction.  

F.  Thoroughness:  Your inspector should be very thorough and look at everything.  He should climb into scuttle holes if he fits.  He should crawl through crawlspaces if he fits. You want him to look at everything that is accessible to him.  Tri-State Home Inspections LLC  inspections take 2-4 hours  depending on the size and age of the house and how many questions you ask.  We are not paid by the hour.  We are paid to do the job right.    

G.  Educator:  Your inspector should be willing to have you attend the entire inspection and he should answer all of your questions. Tri-State Home Inspections LLC encourages all customers to attend the entire inspection and we welcome your questions.  Our job is to educate you about your new home’s condition, proper maintenance and operating systems.
   

H.  Investment and Peace of Mind:  Remember that this house is a large investment for you. It is a complicated structure. Your family will live in it.  You need to weigh the cost of the inspection against the value of the service. You want a very thorough, independent, accurate inspection.  Remember that repair and maintenance issues missed on a less thorough inspection can cost a whole lot more than the cost of our entire inspection.  A difference of $50 or $100 on an inspection fee is a drop in the bucket compared to the cost 
of missed defects.

I. Reputation:  Ask around about your inspector.  Ask your friends, your neighbors, your coworkers, your lender, your insurance agent, your attorney.  Make sure you like what you hear.  You can see our customers’ comments on our website but ask around about us, too.  

J.  Follow-up Service:   Tri-State Home Inspections LLC does not abandon you 
after the inspection.  We can provide you with email or hard copy documents to assist you in repair and improvement projects.  Even if you do not plan to do the work yourself, it is advantageous to increase your knowledge of the project so you can have more fruitful outcome. Providing thorough information to a contractor and having the ability to articulate your needs with the explanation provided in the report for you to refer to offers you the security and confidence of a project will be done right.