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We often get asked “How much does it cost to repair that?” Quite frankly, we don’t know. We are full-time, professional home inspectors, and our Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice prevent us from working on properties that we have inspected, so we have no personal experience concerning how much it costs to repair something that we inspected. Each home and circumstance is different, and a licensed expert at something surely will discover some additional problems that a generalist home inspector. And we have yet to have any Client or real estate agent call us up and say, “Hey, it cost $248.17 to fix that doohickey.” So we’re not being stubborn or anything like that; it’s simply that we really don’t know.
There are two very good ways to get good estimates: First, call three repair specialists (e.g., plumber, electrician, etc.) for the work you need to have done and get an estimate from them. Most of them charge by the hour, so it truly will be an estimate until they actually do the work. Then, pretend like you are a judge at the Olympics: Throw out the high and the low and take the middle. That tactic typically (but not always) |
ensures good materials, workmanship, and service without being taken to the cleaners by those who would prefer to overcharge you for poor materials, workmanship, or service.
Second, click here for a web site with a good list of estimates to repair just about anything in your home. Note, however, that they are estimates, and you’ll find some estimates that say something like “$2,500 and up.” Well, your “and up” might come in at $15,000 when all is said and done, so it’s still better to call around and get some repair estimates for your specific situation and for the area where you will be living (Bergen County will probably be more expensive than Gloucester County). Many real estate agents or their offices also maintain lists of professionals who have provided quality service to their agents or Clients at some time in the past. We also often get asked, “Who should repair that?” Since we do not know the qualifications of other people (seller, you, your real estate agent) to do repairs, we recommend that you hire a qualified and/or licensed professional in the appropriate trade. You need to decide for yourself if yours or the seller’s qualifications, experience, and knowledge would allow the repair to be made properly. Keep in mind that |
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