Home inspections are a very important part of moving into a new home. There is no pass or fail when it comes to a home inspection—it’s just a run-down of the current state your home is in. Getting an inspection done is not only important and required by your insurance company, but is also significant in protecting your family and preparing you for any surprises you may encounter with your home in the future. Choosing a trustworthy and reputable person to perform your home inspection is vital, and hiring a photographer (not someone who does family portraits but someone with commercial photography experience) to further document any condition issues is highly recommended.

When hiring someone to do home inspections and commercial photography, it’s a good idea to ask friends and family for referrals. You will want someone who is thorough and meticulous in their inspection but also available and affordable. The last thing you want to do is wait for an inspector with a full calendar to try to squeeze you in.

You should feel confident interviewing potential home inspectors to see what their qualifications and area of expertise are. It is a good idea to hire someone with extensive previous knowledge and experience with all the major home systems. One of the best decisions is to hire someone who is certified with ASHI (The American Society of Home Inspectors), as they are required to meet certain legal and ethical guidelines when doing home inspection. ASHI also has a good website with a reference list of certified inspectors.

Once the time comes for the inspector to check your home, you will want to be there, shadowing and asking questions. You want to be able to rely on the photographer to notice issues, photograph anything he/she sees, as well as be prepared to do commercial photography of all the various aspects and equipment in the home and any issues observed by the inspector. The inspector’s report and supporting photographic evidence will be powerful bargaining tools.