How to Choose a Home Inspector in Raleigh, NC (Even One Your Agent Recommends)
Your agent probably handed you a name or two. Take them. Then check them the same way you’d check anyone else. A good agent won’t mind, and a good inspector won’t either. Here’s what I’d ask if I were the one hiring.
Start with the license
North Carolina requires a license to inspect a home for pay. Ask for the license number and confirm it with the NC Home Inspector Licensure Board. Mine is NC 6133. Anybody who hesitates on that one is telling you something.
Ask about insurance too. The state requires licensed inspectors to keep liability insurance in force plus a financial safeguard such as errors and omissions coverage. I carry both liability and errors and omissions. If something gets missed, that coverage is what stands behind the report.
Ask how long they’ll be at the house
Time is where the findings come from. A thorough inspection on an average house runs three to four hours. I book two a day, occasionally three, so nothing gets rushed. If someone tells you they’ll be done in ninety minutes, ask what they’re leaving out. People assume an inspection finds everything, and a rushed one finds a lot less than that.
Ask what’s included and what costs extra
Some inspectors charge extra for a drone and for infrared. Some don’t offer them at all. Mine are included at no charge when conditions allow, and I’ve been plain about what they catch and what they miss. Whatever the answer is, get it before you book, and compare quotes on the same terms. I put the numbers in writing in what an inspection costs here.
Ask to see a sample report
The report is what you’re buying. Ask for a real one with the names blacked out. Look for photos of the actual problems, descriptions written for this house instead of canned paragraphs, and plain English you can follow without a translator. Then ask when you’ll have yours. Mine arrives within 24 hours, which matters when you’re inside a due diligence window. If you’ve never read one, here’s what the terms mean.
Read reviews for specifics
“Great guy, very nice” tells you nothing. The reviews worth trusting say what the inspector did. He walked the roof. She took time to go through the report. He found something the seller didn’t know about. Look for that kind of detail, and read the unhappy reviews too. One bad day is noise. The same complaint five times is a pattern.
Ask what they did before they were an inspector
It’s a fair question. Somebody who has built and repaired houses knows what normal looks like and what isn’t. I spent twenty years on remodels before I started inspecting, and I wrote down what that catches that a checklist doesn’t.
If you’re building new, ask about pre-drywall
Not every inspector does framing-stage work. If you’re building, ask whether they do pre-drywall inspections and how many. It’s a narrow window, and you don’t want to find out your inspector is new at it after the walls are closed.
When your agent recommends someone
Agents often know who does careful work, and a recommendation is a good place to start. The point isn’t distrust. The inspection is yours, and the report goes to you, so you’re the one who decides who walks through your house. Ask the same questions you’d ask a stranger. A good inspector answers them without a pause.
Questions to ask when you call
What’s your NC license number?
Do you carry liability and errors and omissions insurance?
How long will you be at a house this size?
How many inspections do you book in a day?
Are a drone and infrared included or extra?
Can I see a sample report, and when will I get mine?
Can I be there for the walkthrough?
Ask me
I’ll answer every one of those, and I’d rather you ask before you book than wonder afterward. If you’re buying in the Triangle, schedule a home inspection online or call.