Originally Posted by
Ken Rowe
Mark, a HI isn't repairing the home, they are providing a report on the condition of the home. I don't expect every house to comply with the latest code. I'm a home inspector, I know better. Our clients actually do expect the majority of the house to meet current code. They don't know any better. No, I don't perform a code inspection and no, I don't advise them to upgrade their 2 x 4 walls to 2 x 6 to meet current codes.
I never said the client should define the defect. I said it's up to them to decide if it's a big deal to them. A bad furnace may not be a big deal to the client if they've got a family member who's an HVAC tech. The home inspector can't possibly know which defects are important to the client unless the home inspector actually tells them about the defect. Just because you (as the home inspector) don't think it's a big deal doesn't mean the person who's actually going to live in the house agrees with you. I perform my inspections with the client present. We actually talk about every issue I find. I'm not an inspector who tells the client to show up at the end, hand them the report and leave. I tell them about every aspect of the house.
Heck, I'll even tell my clients they have cloth sheaved wiring and there's no way to ground the circuits without rewiring. The wiring met code when it was installed and there's no mandate to replace it, but in today's world of electrical gadgetry most people can't live with it, the same with knob and tube. I'd rather they know about it before they purchase the home than 3 months after they've bought it. Do I tell them that it's a defect? Nope, just tell them they have it and the problems they may encounter if they need grounded circuits. Yes, I go beyond every inspection standard out there, but I get a ton of referrals from happy clients. My theory of home inspections is to tell the clients everything about their house. Let them make an educated decision about one of the largest purchases they'll ever make. The final decision on what's a big deal is left to them. This keeps me from getting the "you didn't tell me about this" call three months after they've closed.