Great Lakes Home & Property Inspections  

Finding a Michigan Home Inspections Company can be just as stressful as finding the home of your dreams, especially since the state of Michigan has no governing body or licensing to oversee the home inspection industry. So how do you know your inspector is really qualified? Ask these important questions.

What Experience do you have in building construction?

Hands on work experience is a key element in learning the building process and the problems that can be encountered through each phase of construction. 22 years in construction has given me the experience it takes to recognize defects, safety issues, and systems or components that have failed or about to fail.

How long have you been performing home inspections in Michigan?

Many home inspectors in Michigan are no longer performing home inspections after two years in business simply because of little or no inspection experience or prices that are far below what experienced, established inspectors charge. Great Lakes Home & Property Inspections was founded in 2002 and has grown and earned the trust of hundreds of clients every year since its inception into the Michigan home inspection profession.

What certifications do you have in the home inspection industry?

There are many home inspection associations across the United States, these associations have established there own standards of practice, code of ethics, and the number of continued education credits needed to maintain membership. Some associations require as little as 8 hours of continued education. Its important to know that continued education credits is one of the most important measurements in determining the abilities of home inspectors in Michigan, and for a good reason. Continued education credit equal education. The more credits required by the association to maintain membership, the more you can be ensured your Michigan home will be inspected by a qualified, educated inspector. Great Lakes Home & Property Inspections is a proud member in good standing with the National Association of Certified Home Inspectors (NACHI) which presently requires 24 hours of Continuing Education credits, soon to be raised to 30 hours, starting January 2007.As a member of nachi, I am also required to comply with the most rigorous Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics of any other organization. Other certifications include training thorough PARR Inspections to perform certified disaster inspections for FEMA. AIHA certified mold inspector, NRSB and NEHA Radon certified testing.

Do you perform Michigan Home Inspections Full Time?

This is an important question to ask any inspector you are interviewing. The inspection company you choose should do inspections full time. A red flag should be raised if the inspector does any type of contractor work. Many horror stories have surfaced from clients who have hired a part time inspector and were told during the inspection a major repair was needed. The inspector would then disclose he was a contractor and could do the repairs. This is known in the inspection profession as a conflict of interest. Most home inspection associations frown against this behavior and are included in there Standards of Practice. NACHI includes this requirement in there Standards of Practice, which can be found in chapter 3.2, section 3L. Great Lakes Home & Property Inspections adheres to all rules and regulations governed by the National Association of Certified Home Inspectors. Residential and Commercial inspections are our only business in Michigan.

What Type Of Inspection Report do you use?

There are two popular report styles used by home inspectors. The first is a NCR paper report form with check boxes next to pre formatted item descriptions and/or conditions of various areas of the home such as heating and cooling, roof, foundation etc. a brief comment section is, for hand written notes is generally included. The forms are filled out as the inspection progresses. At the conclusion of the inspection, a copy of each completed form is inserted into a folder and presented to the client. Computer generated inspection reports with digital photographs are the most popular reporting style home inspectors in Michigan are using today. The software is loaded in a hand held computer and is formatted to use whats known as a boiler plate (pre loaded comments of frequently found defects or concerns) template. Many inspectors take digital photographs to help identify the areas of concern so the client has a better understanding of the comments or concerns in the inspection report. Although this produces a professional report, I believe you deserve an in depth inspection report that has descriptions and comments that fit your home. As I walk through your home, many pictures and notes are taken to identify safety issues, areas of concern, and component descriptions. This information is used to produce a well thought out, comprehensive computer generated inspection report with photographs. A summary page report, listing all major problem areas is presented to you at the conclusion of the inspection for your review. Because I customize each home inspection report for you, between three to four hours of report writing time is required to compile all the information and produce a high quality document that gives you the insight you need to make an informed decision.

I can provide you with the professional home inspection you deserve, in any of the following Michigan counties: