You Gotta Start Somewhere – How I Got My Start in Home Inspections

Home inspections are a growing industry across the United States (and elsewhere). Home inspections provide prospective homeowners with a comprehensive and professional report on the condition of the home they wish to purchase. Inspectors review all aspects of the physical structure of the house as well as various inner workings like the air conditioning, heating unit, plumbing, electrical system, and more.

As a New Jersey real estate agent with a love for construction and 15+ years of experience in data cabling and fiber optics installation, I decided that I wanted to do something with my skills and passion – I decided that space was home inspections.

My entrepreneurial mindset told me that I could do home inspections well and do them better. I understand the world of real estate, but I know the process of buying a home, too. And I’m surrounded by real estate expertise and knowledge as my wife, Elina Harrison is also a real estate agent. It was Elina who inspired me to get my real estate license.

So not only did I get that real estate license, but I joined the International Association of Certified Inspectors (InterNACHI) so that I had access to continuing education and could ensure I offered the most comprehensive home inspection services possible.

As a home inspector, I want to be the best in the business

Through my years of experience in the home industry, I came across many outstanding inspectors with their customers’ interests in mind. But I ran into some doozies who seemed to be out to make a buck vs. protect the future homeowner. And it became my goal to become a home inspector and the best one I can be.

The way I see it, you should expect a home inspector that has your back. Here are some quick tips I have discovered along the way.

• Don’t assume your real estate agent’s home inspector referral is the end-all-be-all – feel free to shop around
• Make sure that the inspector follows the local inspection standards of practice.
• Ensure that the home inspector is InterNACHI certified – this is an excellent indicator that they are taking advantage of continuing education to stay on top of their game
• Find an inspector that responds to you promptly
• Make sure they have experience – I’ve done over 200 inspections, and I’ve learned what to look for – including what might be hiding around the corner
• Pay attention to ratings and reviews – if you see a lot of negative reviews, the chances are that you’ll have a bad experience too. But if you see a lot of great reviews, that’s an indicator that your experience will also be positive.

The best inspectors I have come across agree that the above traits are not only essential but critical to the success of their business. And as a home inspector, I also want to be the best in the industry.

What you can expect from Harrison Home Inspections

Whether you are the buyer or seller or require an inspection for home maintenance, Harrison Home Inspection provides high-quality professional service. From the moment you schedule your inspection, you can expect the following:

• A prompt response to get you on the calendar and explain the next steps
• A walk-through of your home where we teach you as much as you want to learn – you don’t have to disappear or wait in the other room – we welcome our clients to participate in the process
• Adherence to the InterNACHI Standards of Practice
• A comprehensive inspection report is provided to you in HTML and PDF formats so you can quickly scan and find the essential details
• High-quality images that explain any potential problem areas
• Findings review, where we walk you through what we found and provide recommendations on how to mitigate – our report contains a repair request document generator that your real estate agent can use to quickly copy & paste our recommendations into their repairs and concessions documentation
• Emailed delivery of your completed mobile-friendly report in 48 hours – this means you can quickly review the contents of your report from your mobile device

But wait, there’s more

As I built the Harrison Home Inspection business, I learned that customers demanded other related services. So not only do we provide residential home inspections, but our team can help with the following:

• Radon testing – A radon test is the only way to know how much dangerous radon is in your home
• Mold testing – Identifying mold contamination before it gets out of control can save you thousands of dollars (not to mention protect your health)
• Thermal imaging – The infrared process can reveal hidden issues in the home, including heat & energy, moisture, pest infestations, ventilation problems, cracks in the foundation, insulation gaps, and structural concerns
• Sewer scope inspections – We use a flexible borescope camera to see and record videos of the home’s pipes – this helps us ensure the pipes are in good health and there are no visible issues

A good home inspection is worth its weight in gold

Have you ever seen The Money Pit? In this 1986 film starring Tom Hanks and Shelley Long, they purchase a dilapidated suburban house. But their desire for the house of their dreams quickly begins to fall away as the house crumbles around them.

Don’t let the house you dream of become your money pit. At Harrison Home Inspections, we’ll help you identify any issues. If we find a significant problem, we’ll provide you with the documentation to either back out of the sale, request the repairs as a contingency, or seek a lower price. And that alone could be worth its weight in gold.

See the heart and soul our team puts into home inspections. We can help you feel great about your future home purchase. Schedule your home inspection with Harrison Home Inspection today.