Michigan Home Inspectors

When looking to hire a Professional Home Inspector in Michigan here are some of the things a home Buyer should know:

1. There is NO STATE LICENSEING REQUIRED FOR HOME INSPECTORS IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN, so that means there is no regulations and anybody can become a Home Inspector at any time.

2. There are three different types of certifications that you can get if you are a Home Inspector in Michigan and you want to become certificated. You don’t have to have any of these three certifications to become a Home Inspector in the State Of Michigan but we do recommend it.

1. (ASHI) American Society of Home Inspectors        
2.  (NACHI) National Association of Certificated Home Inspectors.
3. (NAHI) National Association of Home Inspectors
3. Did your Home Inspector take and Pass the National Home Inspectors Exam?
4. How long have you been a Professional Home Inspector?
5. Does your Home Inspection carry Errors and Omissions Insurance?
6. How long should a normal home inspection take? A normal Home Inspection on a home approximately 2000sq ft. will take between 2-3 hrs and that depends on the conditions or findings in the home and how much communication goes on between the buyer and the Home Inspector.  If a Home Inspector has two inspectors inspecting your home the time would be cut down to approximately 1-1/2 -2hrs. (Remember two Home Inspectors is double the man hrs.)
7. Here is some of the different types of Home Inspection reporting systems:

Computerized Home Inspection Reports with photos and the capability of printing and e mailing on site at the end of the Home Inspection.

Computerized Home Inspection Reports with photos that will be e mailed that evening or the following morning.
Hand written Home Inspection Reporting systems with several different pages used as a check list for the Home Inspector. This is generally given to the customer at the end of the home inspection.

What  should you expect Michigan Home Inspectors to inspect during a Home Inspection

- Roof, Ventilation, Flashing, Skylights and their seals
- Chimney, Gutters, Downspouts
- Exterior Siding, Trim/Windows and Retaining walls
- Porches, Decks, Patios, Driveway, Walks and Grading
- Foundations, Basement Structure and Crawlspaces
- Garages and Mechanical Doors
- Interior Walls, Ceilings, Floors, Windows , Doors, Stairs and Railings
- Main Electrical Panel Electric Switches, Plugs/GFCI Outlets, Light Fixtures
- Furnaces, Carbon Monoxide Test on the Heat Exchanger
- Fireplaces, Dampers and Smoke Detectors
- Plumbing, Basic Water Pressure Test, Drainage and Hot Water Heaters
- Sink, Showers, Toilets and Tub and Shower Enclosures
- Attic Structure, Insulation and Ventilation
- Main Water Supply, Water Lines and Sump Pumps
- Air Conditioners,  Humidifiers, Filters

What you should not expect from your Michigan Home Inspector

1. A Home Inspectors Job is not designed as a to-do list for the sellers, but designed to find major structural defects or safety hazards in    the home.

2. A Home Inspectors should not determine or tell customers what they should ask the sellers to fix during a Home inspection.  This is information a buyer should discuss with their Real Estate Professional and make a decesion that best fits the buyer.

3. A home inspector is not a Real Estate Professional and they should not give their opinion on what the home value is.

4. A Home Inspectors job is not to pass or fail a Home Inspection; they are to give their professional opinion on what their findings are at the time of the Inspection.

5. Home Inspectors are not expected check for the following - mold,  appliances,  underground storage tanks,  sprinkler systems, wood burners attached to furnaces, wood burning fireplaces, wood destroying insect inspection, radon testing, additional storage , pools,  hot tubs, well & septic systems and whole house vacuum unless they are hired by the buyer to Inspect these items.

6. You should not expect your inspector to climb on roof over a 6/12 pitch, a roof with snow or ice on it,  a roof while raining, a metal roof, a wood shake roof, a roof with moss on it. Remember as a Home Inspector safety is our #1 concern.

7. A Home Inspector will not be able to determine what is behind a closed wall, as this house is not theirs and they are not able to damage anything in the home to help themselves with the inspection.

8. A Home Inspector is not required to light furnaces, hot water heaters, and fireplaces for safety reasons.

9. A Home Inspector is not required to quote code, or determine is any part of a home meets code.

10. If major structural damage or safety hazards are found in a home a Home Inspector sould request a professional in that particular field to come in and make a assessmenton the issues found.  A Home Inspector should not recommend that they can make all repairs.

11. It is important to remember that while a Home Inspection is designed to reduce the risk of purchaseing a home with major defects in it; it still cannot eliminate that risk compleatley.

Every Home Inspector or Michigan Home Inspection Company is different so remember this information may vary from Home Inspector Inspector to Home Inspector.