| When Things Go Wrong
There may come a time that you discover something wrong with the house,
and you may be upset or disappointed with your home inspection.
Intermittent Or Concealed Problems
Some problems can only be discovered by living in a house. They cannot
be discovered during the few hours of a home
inspection. For example, some shower stalls leak when people are
in the shower, but do not leak when you simply turn on the tap. Some
roofs and basements only leak when specific conditions exist. Some
problems will only be discovered when carpets were lifted, furniture
is moved or finishes are removed. No Clues
These problems may have existed at the time of the inspection but there
were no clues as to their existence. Our inspections are based on
the past performance of the house. If there are no clues of a past
problem, it is unfair to assume we should foresee a future problem. We Always Miss Some Minor Things
Some say we are inconsistent because our reports identify some minor
problems but not others. The minor problems that are identified were
discovered while looking for more significant problems. We note them
simply as a courtesy. The intent of the inspection is not to find
the $200 problems; it is to find the $2,000 problems. These are the
things that affect people's decisions to purchase. Contractors' Advice
The main source of dissatisfaction with home
inspectors comes from comments made by contractors. Contractors'
opinions often differ from ours. Don't be surprised when three roofers
all say the roof needs replacement when we said that, with some minor
repairs, the roof will last a few more years. Last Man In Theory
While our advice represents the most prudent thing to do, many
contractors are reluctant to undertake these repairs. This is
because of the "Last
Man In Theory". The contractor fears that if he is the last person
to work on the roof, he will get blamed if the roof leaks, regardless
of whether the roof leak is his fault or not. Consequently, he
won't want to do a minor repair with high liability when he could
re-roof
the entire house for more money and reduce the likelihood of a
callback. This is understandable. Most Recent Advice Is Best
There is more to the "Last Man In Theory". It suggests that
it is human nature for homeowners to
believe the last bit of "expert" advice they receive, even if it is
contrary to previous advice. As home inspectors, we unfortunately find
ourselves in the position of "First Man In" and consequently it is
our advice that is often disbelieved. Why Didn't We See It
Contractors may say "I can't believe you had this house inspected,
and they didn't find this problem". There are several reasons for
these apparent oversights: 1. Conditions During Inspection
It is difficult for homeowners to remember the circumstances in the
house, at the time of the inspection. Homeowners seldom remember
that it was snowing, there was storage everywhere in the basement
or that the furnace could not be turned on because the air conditioning
was operating, et cetera. It's impossible for contractors to know
what the circumstances were when the inspection was performed. 2. The Wisdom Of Hindsight
When the problem manifests itself, it is very easy to have 20/20 hindsight.
Anybody can say that the basement is wet when there is 2 inches of
water on the floor. Predicting the problem is a different story. 3. A Long Look
If we spent 1/2 an hour under the kitchen sink or 45 minutes disassembling
the furnace, we'd find more problems too. Unfortunately, the inspection
would take several days and would cost considerably more. 4. We're Generalists
We are generalists; we are not specialists. The heating contractor
may indeed have more heating expertise than we do. 5. An Invasive Look
Problems often become apparent when carpets or plaster are removed,
when fixtures or cabinets are pulled out, and so on. A home inspection
is a visual examination. We don't perform any invasive or destructive
tests. Not Insurance
In conclusion, a home
inspection is designed to better your odds. It is not designed
to eliminate all risk. For that reason, a home inspection should not
be considered an insurance policy. The premium that an insurance company
would have to charge for a policy with no deductible, no limit and
an indefinite policy period would be considerably more than the fee
we charge. It would also not include the value added by the inspection. We hope this is food for thought.
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