Is a Tradesman the best choice to inspect your home?

When I say 'tradesman' I am refering to someone who was, and may still be, an electrician, flooring installer, drywaller, even a general contractor, and more. In some cases, such an individual, already familiar with much of the terminology and theory, has made a logical jump to become a home inspector.

Now don't get me wrong, I am sure there are many very qualified tradesmen that fit the bill and do a great job. However, I am sure there are also several who may not be in a position to properly follow the ethics and professional practices required by the home inspection industry, and here's why.

Consider the following scenarios: The Tradesman...

  • Has a thriving construction business and also performs home inspections. Clearly there could be a conflict of interest should the home inspection reveal a flaw that might be addressed by the tradesman's construction business. Did the flaw really exist? Was the repair required, or could it simply be monitored?

  • Was in the Heating and Air Conditioning business (HVAC). Is there a possibility that, as a home inspector, the individual spends more than enough time in the areas he is familiar with? Maybe too many recommendations are forthcoming.

  • Is still in HVAC, but this time the inspector comes across a furnace that he is very familiar with. And in his experience, he has never known such a heat exchanger to develop a crack. So he sums up the furnace with a 'great model' notation and moves on. He didn't work hard enough to have a chance of discovering the hairline crack in the heat exchanger, which should warrant a furnace replacement worth thousands of dollars.

    Were the interests of you, the prospective buyer, properly served? This is the kind of conflict of interest you should be aware of.

    We at Reputable, on the other hand, have not come from the trades, though we are quite technical, and understand the theories and mathematics involved in home inspection. We have received our training from the best source in Canada and can remain totally unbiased in our approach.

    You will be able to learn more about us in accompanying pages on this site. And keep in mind that we are not offering a home inspection service. Our SMART Program is similar in function and scope but our target audience differs, as do our fees and contracts.

    Return from Tradesman bias to The Basics


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