Do You Pay For A Home Inspection Out Of Pocket?

Do You Pay For A Home Inspection Out Of Pocket?

This is a common question that first time home buyers may have. And it’s an important one.

The process of buying a home has many different costs, documents, and transactional jargon. One thing you will notice about the fees is that most of them are wrapped into the purchase of the home.

For example, as a buyer, you typically do not pay your agent directly. Their fee is paid by the seller of the home and split between the listing agent and the buyer’s agent.

Or how about your appraisal? Appraisals are typically scheduled and paid by the bank that is funding your loan. Then the cost of it is wrapped into the closing costs.

So one thing that stands out is the cost of a home inspection. This is generally one of the few items that, as a home buyer, you have to pay for that isn’t wrapped into other fees.

So why is that? There are a few important reasons for this.

Looking for a Home Inspection quote? Use our online fee calculator to find the cost of a home inspection including any add-on inspections you may need!

Get A True 3rd Party Opinion.

A home inspection report contains valuable information about your future home. Ideally, you do not want the inspection report to be tied to anyone but yourself. This ensures that the inspector’s opinion is truly unbiased.

This is the same reason that real estate agents cannot directly refer you to a single inspection company. They must give you at least a few options.

While Pre-Listing Inspections are great for sellers and can give them an idea of what needs to be fixed within a home, it is still important to have your own inspection completed where the information is fresh and yours.

We always have the buyer’s best interest in mind when performing inspections, but that may not be the case for all inspectors in the business. Ensure that the information you are getting is truly unbiased by paying for your own inspection.

The Inspection Information Should Be Owned By YOU!

This might be an interesting concept, but it is actually important for you to be the owner of the information contained in the inspection report. This is to prevent the sharing of information that is unwanted.

While most transactions go smoothly with minimal issues, it is important for negotiations that you decide when the best time to share information with others is. You may want to withhold information you found about the home until you have further evaluations or second opinions.

If the seller of the home pays for the inspection, it would be impossible for us to keep that information from them before you and your agent decide the best way to move forward.

Also, if the seller pays for an inspection, they can use that same report for the next person if the deal falls through. That information could be altered or redacted before you see the report. Because of this, it is best to pay for your own information.

The Contract Is Between You And Your Inspector.

For all home inspections, an agreement is signed between our company and the person buying the inspection. This document is important because it outlines the scope and limitations of the inspection, and also outlines your protection and a buyer.

If you buy your inspection directly through us, you can go through our limitations and choose to hire additional specialists for areas of the home that may not be covered under our basic home inspection.

Also, at Scott Home Inspection we offer a 100-day warranty program to cover issues that we may have clearly overlooked during an inspection.

If the inspection is bought by the seller, this warranty may not apply to your transaction and we won’t be able to help you with issues since you did not technically use our services.

The Cost Of Buying A Home.

Most agents will outline these costs to you when starting to look for a home so paying for your own inspection should not be a surprise. However, it is important to understand why you pay for it and the benefits of doing so.

At Scott Home Inspection, we offer unbiased inspections and add-on services that cover most facets of building performance. If you are interested in scheduling a home inspection in the Colorado area, click here.