GENERALIST vs. SPECIALIST
Home inspectors are often asked why we recommend "further evaluation and repair" by other contractors.
This is an understandable frustration, especially given the pressure of getting things done during a tight contingency window.
We hope this can help better understand why home inspectors defer to specialists.
Think of your Home Inspector as your General Practitioner, and the Electrician or Plumber as a Cardiologist or Dermatologist.
Imagine trying to schedule an electrician, plumber, structural engineer, industrial hygienist, roofer, carpenter and HVAC specialist all to be at the home at the same time during your contingency time frame!
After all your searching, you finally found your home! You made an offer, they countered, you countered back and they accepted. Now you have a few days to get everything in order. On day 3, you have your home inspection.
You get your report on day 4 and the home inspector recommends you need to contact an electrician or structural engineer or ::gasp:: both, in order to check out issues the found during the home inspection.
Yes, your home inspector understands the time crunch you are under. No, they are not an evil person trying to cause you more stress. They are quite literally doing exactly what you hired them for and looking out for your best interests.
Suppose you go to your general practitioner for a physical, and in the course of their examination, they come across a mole that looks concerning. They'll likely refer you to a dermatologist who can further evaluate the mole. The dermatologist removes the mole and sends it off to be tested. The tests come back fine.
This is essentially what happens when a home inspector finds an issue in the electrical or plumbing system and refers the system for further evaluation by a specialist.
Think of your Home Inspector as your General Practitioner and the Electrician or plumber as a Cardiologist or Dermatologist.
Why did I pay for a home inspection?
Shouldn't I just have the specialists do their inspections and not have to worry about the next step?
Fair question. The simple fact is, that while your home may need a specialist for one or more areas, it is much simpler and less expensive to have a home inspection.
Home inspectors are generalists, trained to identify issues ALL systems of a home. Imagine trying to schedule an electrician, plumber, structural engineer, industrial hygienist, roofer, carpenter and HVAC specialist all to be at the home at the same time during your contingency time frame! That's 7 calls, IF your first choices are available when you need them! Add to that the cost of paying each of those specialists an hourly rate of at least $100/hour.
Statistically speaking, it is unlikely that your home will need further evaluation and repair by all 7 specialists mentioned above. (now that we've put this out there, it'll likely happen on our next inspection).
So, while your home inspector may recommend a specialist for any issues identified, it is simply to be sure you are aware of the condition of the home that you are purchasing.