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May 28, 2008
Do I need a home inspector?
Hi! We are planning on doing a gut reno of a house. Do I need an inspector or should I have my contractor do the inspection so he is accountable?
Comments
If it is a gut reno, hire an architect who will be involved in the design and supervision of the job. The architect will tell you if you need an inspector or engineer. Make sure you get an archtiect who is comfortable providing independent advice about the demo and rough construction phases, and doesn't defer to the contractor. Some are more design oriented, others like the meat and potatoes partof the job. The contractor has to follow the plans the architect provides and the archtiect's sueprvision on quality. That is the right and methodical way for accountability to work. No need to run out and get an inspector on your own.
Posted by: slopefarm at May 28, 2008 4:03 PM
I would definitely get an inspector. They look at different things than a contractor or an architect would. You may discover structural issues, termites, potential problems that are not obvious and that neither architect nor contractor I know look at. It will cost you a few hundred dollars, and may be worth a lot to you.
Also, I don't know how you would actually succeed in getting your contractor accountable for errors... moreover, you may at some point decide that contractor won't be the one for you.
Posted by: Ray at May 28, 2008 7:04 PM
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