Is it common in your area for a buyer's inspector to do an inspection on the home before you even have a contract? Also any inspection we've ever had, they basically covered their butts by pointing out that the furnace or a/c or roof needed to be inspected by a specialist in those areas if they notice there might be a problem. Was this inspector qualified to thoroughly inspect the furnace?

My inclination in this situation would be to not tell the buyers anything since you don't even have a contract. If they put together an offer and include any of these items for repair, let them know how shoddy their inspector was and then show them the report from your inspector and suggest they get a new inspection.

In our area home warranty's are standard.

Knee jerk reaction...absolutely tell the buyers...however, exactly how will you prove such if he denies it?

IÂm curiousÂwhy wasnÂt the buyer present for the inspection? If they had been, he may have been more thorough...if not (which is most likely) they would probably at least have had a clue...

Where did they get this guy?

To add some fuel to the fire, although thermal imaging is a hot new toy for HI's...there are no established standards yet that have been set by which to measure their "assessment"...so, it can be a dangerous new toy indeed....couple this with the fact that many who utilize such have limited if any training...and the findings are usually worthless...in terms of missing something...or in incorrectly identifying an image. I would therefore require info on his certification, training and documented experience in correctly using thermal imaging before I would think about considering remediating any problem that he might claim the camera identified.

Does your state regulate HI's? If so, you may want to take a look to see the regs...

In addition, if your buyers ask for anything to be fixed or for any credit, without an independent finding that the problem does exist, I would refuse....then you might be asked why...and you can then explain. Of course,also your service techs findings should be able to bolster your claim of the HI's inadequate performance.

Last but not least, most home warranties are not worth the paper they are written upon....and, a professional HI inspection is not about aesthetics...

It sounds as if this HI was the bargain basement variety...
If you do move forward with these buyers, I would tell them of your concerns, and require that they get a different HI to inspect for purchase...one who they have at least reference checked. In addition, they should make it their business to be present for the inspectionÂso if HI#2 doesnÂt run the waterÂbut then pretends that he didÂthey would know.

This HI epitomizes the practice of "drive-by" inspectionÂPerhaps he thinks that his thermal imaging camera will wow everyone so much they wonÂt notice that he does not do his jobÂ...

I don't think I'd tell them. They have an inspection that doesn't point out anything you need to worry about, except for one thing, and you can rebut that.

For good karma, and a clear conscience (and in case this deal doesn't come through), go ahead and fix and service anything you had already planned to, but I wouldn't want to deal w/ another inspection.

Cordovamom: No it's not normal to spend $350 on a house you haven't even bothered to submit a contract on. I don't know what they are thinking. He called it "following protocol" when I questioned the necessity of an inspection without a contract. But then again it wasn't my $350? It could be a pretty expensive "protocol" if say, you do that on every house you think you want to buy before you submit a contract.

Logic: I agree about Home warranties. I've never had ocassion to use one and all I have heard about is what a rip off they are when it really gets down to making a claim. I thought it crass the inspector was selling them and recommending it the same time.

It's a given that all of the mechanical equipment must be in good working order (boilerplate in contracts) unless specifically excluded. If they weren't, I would have breached the contract. An inspection is a good way to test the honesty of the seller, find hidden stuff, not for cosmetic inspection, and to give some peace of mind, but it is no guarantee that all of the mechanicals will work forever - hence the warranties, but still, those warranties have mighty fine print.

Unless someone drops a contract on me, I'm not going through a 3rd inspection and they are going to have to rely solely on their own. Should they ever decide what they want to do. DH and I talked it over, and we think we should not divulge our opinion of thier inspector.

Yes, they are licensed, but apparently not by much.

OTOH - DH loves the picture with the alligators in the front yard - voted his favorite to go in the MLS. :P

Don't you have to provide a SPDS? I'd mention the broken stuff on there to CYA, but I wouldn't fix anything or mention anything about their poor inspector unless asked. Why spend time/money until you have to?

As FSBO I would not have to provide a Seller's Disclosure. But silly me I have prepared one. They haven't asked for it - and there's nothing in it really. They have a copy of my inspector's report so between the two they have mucho information.

Also, did I mention I was anal? My sister turned me on to this really funny show on BBC "How Clean is Your House?" You have to see it. It is a riot. Makes you clean your house after to watch it.

We had our home inspection done this morning on a house we put a contract on last week. We thought the majority of the work on the house would be cosmetic, but turned out different. Our contract is based on home inspection and it looks like we won't be going any further. They shorted us by about 400sq ft. on the house (tried using a loft area for sq ft.) and we were told the house had completely been upgraded to pvc pipes, wrong only part of them. We also need a new roof, the dishwasher (new) is leaking, the garage has to be drywalled due to exposed wires. Oh yeah, the electrical is a disaster. Still on fuses and 4 out of 5 outlets were not grounded and some were charred. Couldn't test the central unit b/c owners had it locked. 90% of the windows need to be replaced b/c the don't close completely. Moisture under the house, I could go on all day.

We were so pleased with our inspector, he was patient and explained why and what he was checking and what follow ups he recommended. This is a case were we are so happy to have done this and thinking of having a HI done on our home prior to selling.

As for the doing the inspection without a contract. Isn't there a state that does something similar? Ie the contract isn't binding for a while. Maybe these people are moving from there.

So exactly for what purpose is this Thermal Image???

I don't know, but it kinda makes it look like you have a lawn ;)

I think I see a poltergeist in the attic!

Our buyers had a sub par home inspector as well. Found loads of cosmetic issues (front porch needs to be repainted), but downplayed or entirely missed larger issues (flashing around chimney needed to be fixed, which inspector saw but said was fine). Fine with us, we ended up negotiating doing none of their 4K in ridiculous repairs (like replacing all pipes to the upstairs bath so that they could shower and take a bath at the same time) in exchange for leaving our built in refrigerator. We had never intended to take the fridge, we just left it off the inclusions as a negotiating tool. I'm guessing after last week's nor'easter, they're not too pleased with their inspector's recommendations.