In our opinion, that is a bad idea – for several reasons: 1.) it is distracting for the inspector – so they may miss something material that could cost the client money after closing or cause damage to the seller’s home by not returning inspected components and systems to their as found state. 2.) because it is distracting for the inspector, it is un-safe for them as well – the only time I ever fell off a roof was talking to a client on the way down my ladder, the only time I stepped through an attic ceiling was with a buyer following me around. 3.) It is uncomfortable for the inspector to have a buyer following them around because they will feel obligated to talk to the buyer – and the buyer will ask questions – and this will increase the inspection process time beyond the quoted price, cause the inspector to run behind schedule for their next inspection, and not be as thorough as they could be now that they are running late. 4.) The inspector’s goal during the inspection is to be as detailed, thorough, and focused as possible – having a buyer with them will prevent this from happening to the best of the inspector’s ability. 5.) If the inspector is going to update the buyer after inspecting each section of the home, answer any questions at that point, and document the results of the inspection, then what does the buyer have to gain by following the inspector around? The inspector’s job is not to teach the buyer how a home is built or how it works – their job is to identify material, safety, and health issues that could cause the buyer harm – financial or physical – and no inspector can do that to the best of their ability with the buyer in tow. 6.) the home inspection is an opportunity for the buyer to look at the home again, without the sellers present, so they can get comfortable with their decision to go forward with the purchase while the home inspector is efficiently working for them, keeping them updated on the condition of installed systems and components, and answering any questions they may have. At Detailed Home Inspections, because we take our fiduciary responsibility to identify material, safety, and health concerns deadly serious for our buyers, we do not allow anyone – buyer, seller, or agent to follow us around during the inspection. This is a deal killer for us so we will politely cancel the inspection under these circumstances.
