DEAR HOUSECALL: I need to get a home inspection done on a home I am thinking about buying in San Diego. My friends are telling me to get a contractor to visit the house to do the inspection. They say that contractors will know more about the house. What do you think?
- Susan in Phoenix, AZ
DEAR SUSAN: Most contractors have come up through the ranks on construction sites and have general knowledge about how to perform tasks on a jobsite, like plumbing and landscaping. At some point they obtain a contractors license by passing a test and paying a fee. A tradesmen like this who has spent some time in construction already has most of the knowledge required to pass a state contractors licensing exam. The remaining knowledge can be obtained from book study. A "general" contractor is simply that - a generalist.
Most contractors do not possess specific, detailed knowledge about a particular trade - instead, they rely on the expertise of the sub-contractors employed to complete the job. Contractual obligations require sub-contractors to complete tasks in a “workmanlike” manner while following all necessary building codes. General contractors spend most of their time on a construction project managing people and directing flow while maintaining budgets and timelines.
A professional home inspector on the other hand must possess specific, detailed knowledge of many building trades and understand the interrelationships among them. Most good home inspectors have spent a fair amount of time in construction and can operate at a journeyman level in various trades like plumbing, carpentry and roofing for example. At the same time, home inspectors may have experience in insurance, risk management, real estate and other disciplines. All of this experience comes into play when working through a home inspection to ensure a home inspector is offering sound advice to a home buyer on the condition of a property.
