Posted on

MN Inspectors Represent the House

What does “the home inspector represents the voice of the house” mean?

Typically, MN home inspectors are contracted to inspect the home for either a buyer or seller. This is usually recommended and arranged by their real estate agent. Often customers feel because they are paying for the inspector’s report that they can influence the content. Sadly, in a few cases, that is exactly what happens…but should it?

Good home inspectors are not influenced by the customer; they simply report accurately on the condition of the house at the time of the inspection. This is required by their national Standards of Practice, which is where the idea that “the home inspector represents the voice of the house” comes from. The home inspector must focus on the condition of the house at the time it is being inspected. Folding to the pressure of the customer or real estate agent and becoming their advocate is very tempting. Some home inspectors do fold to this pressure, believing that it will make them popular and that other customers will soon follow. The sad fact is that these inspectors soon leave the business because the real estate professionals, home buyers and sellers soon get to understand that their reports cannot be relied upon to accurately express the condition of the home. The inspector’s written report must be honest, accurate, and completely unbiased.

Accurate reporting on the condition of the house is both moral and vital!

Sellers need to know how the quality of the house, at time of sale, compares with other similar houses being sold in the same area so that they may set a realistic selling price. Buyers want to know exactly what is it that they are buying. All parties, being accurately informed, can accommodate cost and service issues within their buying/selling decision, providing they know fully what to expect.

Which inspector would you choose; the one who reports accurately and completely on the condition of the house or the one that tells a story that you would like to hear?

Doug Hastings
MN Home Inspector, Minneapolis & St. Paul
Kaplan University, Home Inspection Lead Instructor

Rob ‘Pops’ Leslie
Kaplan Professionals, Retired

Posted on

Moisture Problems – Is Your Drain Tile Dependable (Part 12)

Too many homebuyers have hired MN home inspectors that found the sellers disclosure regarding basement moisture to be incorrect and sometimes blatantly false. Unfortunately, too often, unsuspecting real estate agents are pulled into this scheme. The biggest culprits of this ruse are sump pumps and drain tiles. You would be surprised how many innocent agents are told the basement of the house they listed is drain tiled…and never look to verify that it is true. This is way too risky and this home inspector intends for that never to happen to you. Honestly and understandably, many agents and homeowners have never been trained to be able to distinguish between the different types of water control systems.

Did You Remember?
Some systems work and many do not.

Recently, one of my home inspection students told a horror story in class about a lawsuit his daughter won against the real estate agents involved in her home purchase. The MLS listing stated that the house was drain tiled and the buyer’s agent when seeing the sump basket verbally confirmed that to be true. The daughter moved into the house and the basement flooded shortly thereafter. She was eventually awarded a $30,000 claim against both agents.

Did You Know?
Water always goes to the easiest exit point.

Drain tiled basements have a pipe that is continuous around the entire perimeter of the foundation. This 4” pipe has holes that will freely gather ground water before it gets onto the floor. These pipes extend and dump water into the basket which is then pumped outside.

So take the cover off the sump basket and look inside. If you see two 4” pipes coming thru the side of the basket, the basement is drain tiled and dependable. If there are no pipes, the basement is not drain tiled and undependable.

Very often what looks like a drain tiled basement turns out to be nothing but a pit in the floor. This would be a mega real estate agent or homebuyer nightmare.

Oh the sweet sound of the house speaking so softly.

Categories

BLOGS BY CATEGORY