© True North Inspection Services, LLC
Home Inspection Services Your home is one of the largest investments you will ever make. See how True North Inspection Services can help you make an informed decision and protect your investment.

Be Careful

The state of Idaho has no educational or

licensing requirements for Home Inspectors,

and no standards stating what must be included in a Home Inspection. In Idaho, anyone can market him or herself as a Home Inspector, and can choose what to inspect and what not to inspect. It's up to you to make sure you hire a qualified Home Inspector. Beware of these seven common mistakes when choosing your home inspector: 1) Hiring an Inspector who is not held accountable to the ASHI® Standards of Practice and the ASHI Code of Ethics. Since there are no requirements in Idaho for what must be included in a home inspection, ensure your Inspector is held accountable to the highest standards in the industry: The Standards of Practice and the Code of Ethics of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors. Many Inspectors claim that their inspections meet or exceed ASHI Standards of Practice, but only ASHI Members are held accountable by ASHI to meet these standards. Additionally, the ASHI Code of Ethics prohibits Members from engaging in conflict of interest activities that may compromise their objectivity. Again, only ASHI Members are held accountable by ASHI to adhere to the Code of Ethics. 2) Hiring a less expensive Inspector to save a small amount of money. When it comes to home inspections, it is usually true that you get what you pay for. The less expensive Inspectors charge less for a reason; typically because they do not have credentials, perform a less thorough inspection, provide a lower quality report, and generally provide a less professional service. Your home is one of the largest investments you'll ever make. Saving $50 or $100 on your inspection to hire a less qualified inspector is a risk you should not take. The best method of price shopping is to shop for quality. Don't gamble on your inspection. 3) Hiring an Inspector without reviewing a sample report. The skill of an inspector in communicating his findings is nearly as important as the findings themselves. Some Inspectors provide simple checklist reports that can be difficult to interpret and require clarification after reviewing the report. Others provide reports that identify issues, but fall short by not detailing the implications of the issue or giving you a recommendation. A few things to look for in your Inspector's reports: A good report will provide a summary where significant findings can be viewed in one convenient location. When identifying issues, a good report will provide information in four areas. Omitting any of these four can hinder your understanding of the issue and inhibit your ability to make an informed decision. The four are: 1. Identify the issue 2. Explain the implications 3. Provide a recommendation 4. Suggest a time period for the recommendation The report should be written in layman's terms. The use of technical jargon is not helpful. Photos should be included to enhance your understanding of the issues. More technical issues should be clarified with the use of technical illustrations to give you a complete understanding of the issue. Request a sample report so you can see what your end product will be. See ours here. 4) Hiring an Inspector without verifying his service record. Do not rely on what an Inspector has to say about his services. Find out what his previous clients have had to say. Ask for testimonials from previous clients to ensure the Inspector has a good track record. Read hundreds of our testimonials here. 5) Hiring an Inspector who has no continuing education requirements. Many Inspectors consider their two week inspection training course the conclusion of their education. As construction materials and construction techniques change, it is important for Inspectors to keep up to date with the changes. Additionally, older equipment within the home may display new issues. Continuing education is critical for Inspectors to stay at the top of their game. Ask what their continuing education requirements are, and who holds them accountable to the requirements. 6) Hiring an Inspector just because he is available. Sometimes the best inspectors are booked out several days. Be sure you hire the most qualified inspector you can find, not just the first available. It is worth the wait to get the right inspector. 7) Hiring an Inspector who has not proven his knowledge and skill. Since there are no educational or licensing requirements for Home Inspectors in Idaho, you have no assurance a Home Inspector is knowledgeable and can skillfully inspect your home and communicate the findings. How do you know if your Inspector can provide a great service and an accurate report? Ask if he or she has passed The National Home Inspector Exam (NHIE). The NHIE is required by more than twenty states for Home Inspectors to become licensed; it is widely accepted as the qualifying test for Home Inspectors. Your home is one of the largest investments you'll ever make. Protect yourself by expecting credentials from your Home Inspector.
ACCURATE - PROFESSIONAL - TRUSTED

208.505.1050

Call or text

© True North Inspection Services, LLC

Be Careful

The state of Idaho

has no educational

or licensing

requirements for

Home Inspectors,

and no standards stating what must be included in a Home Inspection. In Idaho, anyone can market him or herself as a Home Inspector, and can choose what to inspect and what not to inspect. It's up to you to make sure you hire a qualified Home Inspector. Beware of these seven common mistakes when choosing your home inspector: 1) Hiring an Inspector who is not held accountable to the ASHI® Standards of Practice and the ASHI Code of Ethics. Since there are no requirements in Idaho for what must be included in a home inspection, ensure your Inspector is held accountable to the highest standards in the industry: The Standards of Practice and the Code of Ethics of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors. Many Inspectors claim that their inspections meet or exceed ASHI Standards of Practice, but only ASHI Members are held accountable by ASHI to meet these standards. Additionally, the ASHI Code of Ethics prohibits Members from engaging in conflict of interest activities that may compromise their objectivity. Again, only ASHI Members are held accountable by ASHI to adhere to the Code of Ethics. 2) Hiring a less expensive Inspector to save a small amount of money. When it comes to home inspections, it is usually true that you get what you pay for. The less expensive Inspectors charge less for a reason; typically because they do not have credentials, perform a less thorough inspection, provide a lower quality report, and generally provide a less professional service. Your home is one of the largest investments you'll ever make. Saving $50 or $100 on your inspection to hire a less qualified inspector is a risk you should not take. The best method of price shopping is to shop for quality. Don't gamble on your inspection. 3) Hiring an Inspector without reviewing a sample report. The skill of an inspector in communicating his findings is nearly as important as the findings themselves. Some Inspectors provide simple checklist reports that can be difficult to interpret and require clarification after reviewing the report. Others provide reports that identify issues, but fall short by not detailing the implications of the issue or giving you a recommendation. A few things to look for in your Inspector's reports: A good report will provide a summary where significant findings can be viewed in one convenient location. When identifying issues, a good report will provide information in four areas. Omitting any of these four can hinder your understanding of the issue and inhibit your ability to make an informed decision. The four are: 1. Identify the issue 2. Explain the implications 3. Provide a recommendation 4. Suggest a time period for the recommendation The report should be written in layman's terms. The use of technical jargon is not helpful. Photos should be included to enhance your understanding of the issues. More technical issues should be clarified with the use of technical illustrations to give you a complete understanding of the issue. Request a sample report so you can see what your end product will be. See ours here. 4) Hiring an Inspector without verifying his service record. Do not rely on what an Inspector has to say about his services. Find out what his previous clients have had to say. Ask for testimonials from previous clients to ensure the Inspector has a good track record. Read hundreds of our testimonials here. 5) Hiring an Inspector who has no continuing education requirements. Many Inspectors consider their two week inspection training course the conclusion of their education. As construction materials and construction techniques change, it is important for Inspectors to keep up to date with the changes. Additionally, older equipment within the home may display new issues. Continuing education is critical for Inspectors to stay at the top of their game. Ask what their continuing education requirements are, and who holds them accountable to the requirements. 6) Hiring an Inspector just because he is available. Sometimes the best inspectors are booked out several days. Be sure you hire the most qualified inspector you can find, not just the first available. It is worth the wait to get the right inspector. 7) Hiring an Inspector who has not proven his knowledge and skill. Since there are no educational or licensing requirements for Home Inspectors in Idaho, you have no assurance a Home Inspector is knowledgeable and can skillfully inspect your home and communicate the findings. How do you know if your Inspector can provide a great service and an accurate report? Ask if he or she has passed The National Home Inspector Exam (NHIE). The NHIE is required by more than twenty states for Home Inspectors to become licensed; it is widely accepted as the qualifying test for Home Inspectors. Your home is one of the largest investments you'll ever make. Protect yourself by expecting credentials from your Home Inspector.
ACCURATE - PROFESSIONAL - TRUSTED

208.505.1050

Call or Text