Posted by George on April 11, 2000 at 23:54:07:
I do agree most home inspectors are poor at best, there are some good ones. You need to find one that knows what you are trying to do, and has personal experience (ex. owns rentals, or has done rehab). I have an excellent one in PA, because he owns rental properties and has bought rundown properties and fixed up. I don’t have one in NJ, so I hired a structural engineer. He was the absolute worst! He shows up in dress clothes, no flashlight, no tools, no ladder. Walks around the building, asks me what I’m concerned with. I mention foundation, he looks and says it’s fine.
I also have my RE license and one of my buyers hired an inspector. Well while he is examining the 4 year old gas furnace, I notice the 1940 permit for underground oil tank prominently displayed on the basement wall, along with the wrench to open the fill cap and the dip stick hanging on the wall. So as far as he was concerned, there was nothing that led him to believe there could be an abandoned tank on the property.