Home Inspector Didn't Complete Inspection

[Angie]

We have a home for sale in North Carolina and had an inspection today (this is our second offer).  The inspector that came out the first time scared off our buyers and he was hired again for the new buyers.  He told them he would "save them money" because our house has too many issues and would not complete the inspection today.  Is this legal? Any advice?

[Jim Baird]

I always offer the option to call me off,  and let me bill by the hour.  I don't push it but I do offer it.  I too like to finish a job.

[Marc]

I don't get what's going on, why he wouldn't do the inspection because the house had too many issues.

If you have a copy of the report written by him, send it to me.  I'll tell you what I think.  I often review reports from all over the USA.

[Jim Katen]

5 hours ago, Angie said:

We have a home for sale in North Carolina and had an inspection today (this is our second offer).  The inspector that came out the first time scared off our buyers and he was hired again for the new buyers.  He told them he would "save them money" because our house has too many issues and would not complete the inspection today.  Is this legal? Any advice?

Maybe your house is a dump? 

If you call the inspector and ask nicely, maybe he'll tell you what the big issue is. 

Alternatively, you could hire another inspector to tell you what's up. 

[inspector57]

The few times I have not finished an inspection was due to finding numerous big ticket issues or a substantial defect in the foundation or structure that would be cost prohibitive or impossible to correct without a bulldozer. Totally legal everywhere to stop work and save the client money or for any other reason. The inspectors contract is with his client.

Call him or another inspector to do an inspection for you but be aware once you know the issues, you will be required to disclose that information to any future buyers or repair the defects prior to sale. Bottom line, there is a reason the first buyers were scared off and a reason the second buyers decided to save some money by not completing the inspection. Inspectors generally want to complete the inspection, write the report and make a full fee. This inspector lost money in order to protect his client.

[Marc]

If that's what happened then I'm suspicious of that inspector.  My inspection and report first becomes more difficult as the number of issues and their gravity goes up on a given house, but at some point it becomes easier.  On the very worst of houses, systems are written off with a single, detailed and carefully crafted paragraph.  My fees actually become earned more quickly.

Also, the number of issues does not mean it's a crappy house.  That's determined by the sum of each issue and its gravity.

Edited July 20, 2019 by Marc

[Jerry Simon]

This has happened with me a few times.  Most recent one was finding catastrophic termite damage to wood framing on half-height basement walls.   Came back a few weeks later with second client, and homeowner had covered the damage with batt insulation. 

Saved my client half his fee.  

[Jim Baird]

I have been called off a number of times, once when I discovered violations of disclosure where seller tried to hide things.

Once I arrived at a job, called the client and told him I would not even start the job, and did not charge him at all.

[Trent Tarter]

I would suggest hiring a reputable home inspector and paying for a sellers inspection. This will allow you will know the true condition of your home and know what's driving buyers away. You can  either chose to make repairs/improvements or price the home according to it's condition.  

[Savannah_Lynn]

I would suggest that you should do an extensive research before selecting a home inspector. There are many websites and companies who are certified and registered with home inspection association. that way you'll get a honest and professional home inspector and your experience will be better than last time.

[Marc]

1 hour ago, Savannah_Lynn said:

I would suggest that you should do an extensive research before selecting a home inspector. There are many websites and companies who are certified and registered with home inspection association. that way you'll get a honest and professional home inspector and your experience will be better than last time.

That's a myth.  Most certifications aren't worth the paper they're printed on.  Association membership translates into nothing at all.  An inspector's actual reports are the best litmus test there is on his performance.  That's why I asked to see this inspector's report.  A lot can be learned from an inspector by what he writes, whether in a report or on this message board.

I can tell from your post alone that you're either a fake or new to this business.

Edited July 23, 2019 by Marc

[Jim Baird]

9 hours ago, Marc said:

That's a myth.  Most certifications aren't worth the paper they're printed on.  Association membership translates into nothing at all.  An inspector's actual reports are the best litmus test there is on his performance.  That's why I asked to see this inspector's report.  A lot can be learned from an inspector by what he writes, whether in a report or on this message board.

I can tell from your post alone that you're either a fake or new to this business.

Do you think we are being visited by replicants, Marc? As a Philip K Dick fan, I would not be surprised if we start seeing inspectorbots.

[hausdok]

The customer is the one who calls it off.

Even with the worst house possible, it's ultimately the customer's decision. Here's what I think happened.

The inspector already knew the house. He returned with the second client, realized that major issues found during the first inspection hadn't been corrected, revealed those issues to the client, plus the fact that they hadn't been corrected, and gave the client the option of stopping, paying less money and then calling him back, or hiring another inspector, when the client finds another house - thus saving some money on the fee - or going ahead for full fee. The customer, hearing about the severity of issues in the home, opted to terminate the inspection.

It's perfectly legit. Why sit there waiting for several hours for the inspection to get done and then have to deal with an agent who will pester the crap out of you, trying to convince you that what the inspector saw wasn't as bad as it looks in the report, when you can simply cut the inspection short, pay less of a fee, and find a better house?

Jim's suggestion that it might simply be a dump goes right to the heart of it, and those suggestion that the O.P. simply hire her own inspector to inform her of what the issues are make perfect sense.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Michael0414]

For me I weather or not its legal is a different question. Weather or not its professional is a whole other question. It also depends on how you are paying. Weather by the hour or by a completed job. If its by hour I would have pushed for him to finish that day but by job it probably have waited and still be okay. 

I would think that once a inspector starts a job he would finish it. I know my preferred team over at  (link removed by moderator) have always delivered for me. If I were you I would finish the job but next time just keep that company in the back of your mind and don't use them again. 

Hope that helps,

[Jerry Simon]

1 hour ago, Michael0414 said:

I would think that once a inspector starts a job he would finish it.

But what if the weather was bad?

[John Kogel]

I like rainy weather, because then the leaks show up better in my attic and gutter pics.😃

 

[Jim Baird]

We were wondering whither the weather and whether it will be waxing, waning  wintry, windy, wet, or what and where and when?

Edited December 2, 2020 by Jim Baird

[Trent Tarter]

A few years ago I had a property that I declined the inspection. The house was to far gone and had lots of unpermitted additions. Long story short, my client went foreword in buying the property for the building site, I ended up tearing the house down for her.   

[Jim Baird]

I usually leave crawl till end, and when I crawled a 70's ranch for a friend. I pushed my screwdriver through every joist I touched, declared house a bust, so my client made an offer only for the site, and declared he would remove the building one rolloff at a time.

Seller accepted, and my friend moved in, though there are areas inside where floors are caving and he can't enter them.