Attending the Inspection?

If you are purchasing a home, do you plan on attending the home inspection service?  If so, I am sure that you want the best possible inspection.  So, I recommend that you avoid some inspection day pitfalls.  here's what you need to know:

1. Please always keep in mind that this is still someone else’s house.  You have hired your inspector to test and operate systems and components within and outside the home, so there is no need for you to spend your valuable time doing what I will be doing (or have already done).  I unfortunately have stories of clients who damaged something in a home I was inspecting.  For example, attempting to operate a powered garage door that is latched shut can result in significant damage to the door or hardware.  Likewise, sliding out a refrigerator from the wall can cause the icemaker line to disconnect or tear, causing a flood.  And, tearing a window blind off the wall.   Please be aware that should you (or one of your guests) cause damage to the home or its contents, you will be responsible for any repairs.  Bringing food into the house will cause some sellers to go ballistic if it is not clean.  Also, testing or operating appliances may make it more difficult for me to properly evaluate conditions.  For example, opening the door to the dishwasher that I am testing will shut it down, so that it does not complete its cycle before the end of my inspection. 
2. Your home inspector realizes that you are excited and may want your family and friends to see the home.  However, the day of the home inspection is not intended for family gatherings.  To the extent reasonably possible, please limit the people you bring to your “significant other”.  Toddlers and curious parents (and grandparents) can create unintended consequences, not the least of which is damaging furnishings and the seller’s family heirlooms which are likely irreplaceable.  Children can get into places they don’t belong in a matter of seconds, with injury or damage a real possibility in a home they don’t know.  Friends and family can re-open exterior doors I have already locked, so I may inadvertently leave the home unprotected when I depart.   Operating an oven that I have already tested may result in it being accidentally left on, a safety concern and potential for high utility bill charges.  Turning thermostats up or down will adversely affect my testing process, and I will not be able to put everything back the way it was if I don’t know the original setting.  And, while answering your questions is welcome, having multiple people who are not buying the home asking me questions can become a distraction which impairs my ability to do a thorough job for you.  Lastly, kindly leave your pets outside, in your car, or at home; the day of the home inspection is not the time to introduce your new home to your pet. 
3. The most important part of the home inspection is the very end, when your home inspector can go over their findings.  If I find something significant that warrants pulling you aside during the inspection, rest assured that I will show you.  Otherwise, I will concentrate on doing the most thorough job I can in evaluating the systems and components of your now home, and cover what I find at the end.  If you don’t have the time to attend the entire inspection, consider arriving about an hour before your inspector plans to be done.