Having a home inspected is a very common step in the home buying process. Two inspections that are commonly done are the the whole home inspection and the termite / Wood Destroying Insect (WDI) inspections. It is very helpful to have a home inspector that is also able to conduct the WDI inspection as well.
Home inspectors and termite/WDI inspectors are often looking in the same areas of a home when conducting their inspections. Locating a person who is licensed to do the WDI and the whole home inspection is helpful to home buyers. One reason that it is a good combination to find in an inspector is that person calling can save time. Only one phone call is needed to schedule both types of inspections.
Another reason for using a person that can do a whole home inspection and the termite/WDI inspection is that there is a cost savings to the home buyer. A home inspector who is also licensed for termite /WDI can often give a discount on the cost of this inspection. This is because travel, gas and time needed for someone else to make the trip to the home is eliminated.
Another aspect of inspections is that having the extra license shows a higher level of commitment to learning and providing an excellent service. In Ohio termite/WDI inspectors are required to enter spaces that provide at least 18 inches of clearance. This is required as long as the area is safe to enter. There is not this requirement for home inspectors.
The other day I was reminded of this when I was called out for a Belle Center Ohio Home inspection in which the house had been inspected by another inspector, however he was not licensed to conduct the WDI inspection. I was contacted to do the termite/WDI inspection. As I entered the crawl space I knew that the home inspector never entered that space. I knew because all the spiderwebs were still in tact in all areas of the crawl space. The webs would have been knocked down by anyone passing through them due to the thickness of them. If that inspector was required to enter then he would have more likely entered that space and given a more thorough inspection.
When looking for a quality home inspector be certain to locate and hire a home inspector that can do the whole home inspection and the termite/WDI inspection as well. By hiring such an inspector you are more certain to have located a home inspector that committed to providing a quality service, can save you time and money and will likely do a more thorough job of inspecting your new home.
