|
Articles by Real Estate Professionals
Home Inspectors Qualifications and Fees
In addition to their Articles dealing generally with the nature of their
services, the real estate professionals will discuss different specific "Topics"
of interest to buyers and sellers from time to time. These articles are indexed in
the Articles Library for your review.
The content of these articles and topics is not edited by FSBO Advertising
Service, Inc. and reflects solely the thoughts and opinions of the authors.
Author, Edward Robinson is vice president of Professional
Engineering Inspections, Inc. He holds a degree in mechanical engineering from the
University of Houston and is a TREC licensed real estate inspector in the Houston area.
You may contact Professional Engineering Inspections's at (713) 664-1264.
What Does it Take to Be an Inspector
To be a good home inspector, one needs to have an understanding of basic
construction practices and mechanical systems and basic solid mechanics. In addition to
understanding how buildings are constructed and how the systems work, an inspector must
have a talent for making observations which provide indications of problems or potential
problems. It is not required that one have an engineering degree or have been a contractor
for twenty years to be a good inspector, although the principles learned from such
education and experience are valuable. These skills are of little value if an inspector
does not have the skills necessary to issue an inspection report The final presentation of
information to the clients is, after all, the purpose for the client hiring an inspector
to begin with.
Qualifications to Perform Real Estate Inspections in Texas
To perform home inspections in Texas, you must either be a licensed
professional engineer or a licensed home inspector under the Texas Real Estate Commission
(TREC). Home inspectors licensed under the TREC are licensed at three different levels,
depending upon their qualifications. The following describes the significant requirements
to obtain a license at each level:
Apprentice Inspector:
- At least 18 years of age or older.
Real Estate Inspector:
- Minimum of 90 days licensed as an apprentice inspector.
- Performed a minimum of 25 inspections as an apprentice inspector under the
direct supervision of a sponsoring professional inspector.
- Completed 90 classroom hours of TREC approved education.
Professional Real Estate Inspector:
- Minimum of 12 months licensed as a real estate inspector.
- Performed a minimum of 175 inspections as a real estate inspector under the
indirect supervision of a sponsoring professional inspector.
- Completed 38 additional classroom hours of TREC approved education.
Typical Fees
The cost of inspection services is highly variable. The cost depends upon the
level of experience of the inspector and the level of services they generally provide. One
should expect that an inspector with a degree in engineering is going to be more costly
than an inspector who does not and that a two thousand square foot house will cost less to
inspect than an eight thousand square foot house. Fees for having an inspection in a two
thousand square foot house generally start in a range from $150.00-$400.00, depending upon
the inspector you contact, and will increase in price, depending on the size and value of
the property inspected. It is generally recommended that a person obtain the greatest
level of detail they can afford since the purchase of a home is the largest single
purchase most homeowners will ever make.
Back To Top
| 
