"cshenk" wrote in message
...
wrote

There is a company called erudite publishing that sells
a step by step do it yourself home inspection. I think
it goes for around $15. sure beats the heck out of
paying $350 each time you like a house.

And anybody that thinks a $15 DIY book beats a $350 inspection by a
professional, gets what they pay for. Plus, when you're a buyer,
having a professional home inspector say there is a problem with
something is going to be a whole lot more likely to result in the
seller offering a discount to cover it as compared to the buyer just
saying it.

I think the key here was 'each time you like a house'. Not buy, but want
to know something about what to look for before you pay larger amounts for
an actual inspection by a professional.


I think that is the key also. Knowing some things to look for while
checking out houses may be worth the price of the book if you don't know
much about home construction and repair. When you do see a house you really
like and are getting ready to put down a deposit is the time to get the $
300 inspector out. I would have hated to pay that price for each house I
looked at before deciding on the final one I bought. I know a bit about
houses and construction, but not enough to "bet the house on".

While my inspector seemed to do a fine job ( I followed him around), I did
not need him to tell me there were 2 burnt out light bulbs or one of the
fausets had a small drip, but did need him to tell me if the foundation was
bad or if there was a well or septic system problem.