Thread: Inspection follow-up

I am trying to sell my house I have lived in for 38 years. To be sure that the house was in good condition for sale I went ahead and ordered an inspection report, which I received. As you might understand there were a number of issues that needed to be addressed.

I went ahead and hired a contractor to fix everything. Now what I want to know is, after the contractor has finished the work, what is the obligation of the inspector to return and inspect the finished product to satisfy his initial report of the criticisms? Surely there must be some code that requires the inspector to sign off that the work is satisfactory and no longer presents the problems cited in the initial report.

Similar Threads:

• Home inspection school - Inspection Certification Associiates
• Condominium Termite Inspection and Home Inspection
• Visual Inspection of Concrete. InterNACHI's latest inspection-related article.
• Finding a Home Inspector to follow.
• Anyone follow up with that foundation certification company trying to recruit us?

Originally Posted by Frank Edwards

I am trying to sell my house I have lived in for 38 years. To be sure that the house was in good condition for sale I went ahead and ordered an inspection report, which I received. As you might understand there were a number of issues that needed to be addressed.

I went ahead and hired a contractor to fix everything. Now what I want to know is, after the contractor has finished the work, what is the obligation of the inspector to return and inspect the finished product to satisfy his initial report of the criticisms? Surely there must be some code that requires the inspector to sign off that the work is satisfactory and no longer presents the problems cited in the initial report.

An inspector has no obligation to reinspect the repairs unless it is stated in a written contract.
Many inspectors will not reinspect repairs, but some will.
The cost for the re-inspection will vary from one inspector to another and for the repairs that were made.

Originally Posted by Frank Edwards

I am trying to sell my house I have lived in for 38 years. To be sure that the house was in good condition for sale I went ahead and ordered an inspection report, which I received. As you might understand there were a number of issues that needed to be addressed.

I went ahead and hired a contractor to fix everything. Now what I want to know is, after the contractor has finished the work, what is the obligation of the inspector to return and inspect the finished product to satisfy his initial report of the criticisms? Surely there must be some code that requires the inspector to sign off that the work is satisfactory and no longer presents the problems cited in the initial report.

Nope, no requirement for the inspector to return. Now if you want him/her to return you can ask them what their fee would be for a return inspection. Most will charge a fee, I charge my hourly rate of $175 for most return visits.

Honestly I would not ask the inspector to return to reinspect, whoever buys the home will most likely have their own inspector to inspect the home and believe it or not that inspector stands a good chance in finding something that your inspector didn't or that has occurred since the first inspection. Most likely it would not be a big find but you just never know. Just keep all of the receipts from the professionals that performed the repairs just in case you need to call them back.

Use the original inspection report and repair receipts as part of your seller's disclosure.

Originally Posted by Frank Edwards

Surely there must be some code that requires the inspector to sign off that the work is satisfactory and no longer presents the problems cited in the initial report.

And you would be willing to pay the same amount for the re-inspection as for the original inspection?

And what if the inspector found that the contractor actually *did not* make all of the corrections they should have, or make the corrections but made all the corrections wrong?

You are really seeking to open up a hornets' nest with your thinking.

You want to be able to do as Ken said:
a) Present the inspection report as it is.
b) Present the contractors letter - forget all the little receipts and things, you want the contractor to provide you with a letter, an affidavit, notarized, stating that he corrected all the items. Period.

*You* paid *the contractor* to *correct all* the items, if you are not willing to take the contractor's word that they did that, you need to hire another contractor.

*Ain't NO WAY* that I would want to have the inspector back - *I* would want the contractor to attest to the fact that they *corrected every item on the list* - and then take the contractor at his word.

Seller disclosure says:
a) This is what I was made aware of. (provide inspection report)
b) This is what I had corrected. (provide contractor's letter stating that they correct all the items on the inspection report)