# Are there 'home inspectors' that do general inspections?



## rickjames8

Hi - as we move forward with the sale of our house, I would like to get an inspector out to check a few things out for us. Basically, just do a deep inspection. We've had the typical inspection where they check for asbestos and rate the energy efficiency of the house. On top of that, our real estate agent recommended a general contractor who came in and looked at some of the areas we had a little concern over (cracks in the walls, etc). They said everything was fine, but I'd like to get a second opinion. 

What I'm looking for is something along the lines of a home inspection you'd have in the USA. An independent inspector (not someone who is tied to our agent) who we can pay to look at the house objectively and let us know if any of the things we see could be major items, and if so, ballpark the potential costs. It doesn't seem like this is a standard offering like it is in the USA. We're trying to call architects but they don't seem to do this, we've tried calling Artisan Macons, but they don't want to come out unless its to quote work known needed to be done. 

Is there anyone who provides this type of service? If not, do people in France just buy homes and hope that there are no hidden issues with the property?


----------



## Bevdeforges

This type of service isn't common here in France (if it is done at all). The mandatory inspections do have a certain legal standing and I believe there are some legal regulations concerning "undisclosed faults" when a house is sold. If you have specific areas of concern, you could have someone out to give you an estimate for repair - and then decide whether you want to have the work done before any sale, or just disclose the issue (and the amount to repair) to the potential buyer.


----------



## Clic Clac

rickjames8 said:


> Hi - as we move forward with the sale of our house, I would like to get an inspector out to check a few things out for us.





Bevdeforges said:


> - and then decide whether you want to have the work done before any sale, or just disclose the issue (and the amount to repair) to the potential buyer.


rickjames8- are you buying or selling ? 🤔


----------



## rickjames8

Clic Clac said:


> rickjames8- are you buying or selling ? 🤔


Oops, sorry. Poor choice of words. We're buying the house and want to get it inspected before completing the purchase.


----------



## Clic Clac

rickjames8 said:


> Oops, sorry. Poor choice of words. We're buying the house and want to get it inspected before completing the purchase.


That's how I read it.

Otherwise you were being over cautious and very generous to the buyer. 😊

If you are still having nagging doubts and that 'gut feeling' it's maybe best to look elsewhere.


----------



## rickjames8

I think I'd have concerns over buying _any _house without having a professional look at it. For comparision we're also in the process of buying two cars right now. There is this rigourous CT process whereby the seller must get a professional inspection to ensure the car does not have any major faults. Yet for a house, which is a much larger purchase, there is oddly no equivalent. I've worked on houses for about 30 years and consider myself a fairly good judge of things to look for. But this will be the first house I've ever bought where I won't have a professional give me their opinion, and it just feels like a missing piece to me. While I don't have any 'gut feeling', there is really no point in looking elsewhere if the next house I find I can't have someone else inspect it either. 

Thanks for the replies. I'll just cross my fingers and hope the house doesn't have any hidden issues.


----------



## Befuddled

The *rigorous CT process* you refer to is only to establish roadworthiness and safety. It should not give you any confidence that latent faults like an iffy clutch, a cam belt hanging by a thread, or turbo about to explode might not be about to happen. 
As Bev says, the French are not in the habit of having a full structural survey done when purchasing a house so you will be hard pushed to find someone offering the service. If you do, their report will have a lot of fine print absolving them of any responsibility for missing something so in my view their inspection will be a waste of money.


----------



## Bevdeforges

Can't find the detail at the moment, but I believe there are some regulations related to disclosing known faults about a residential property that is being sold. And for work that has been done "recently" on the property I believe there is a sort of 10 year guarantee (by the contractor who did the work). You may want to ask a real estate agent or a notaire about this.


----------



## Nomoss

Befuddled said:


> The *rigorous CT process* you refer to is only to establish roadworthiness and safety. .....................................


I don't even think it even achieves that, as the law requires vehicles only to undergo a CT before a sale, not to pass it.

As the CT checks the VIN cold stamped on the car frame corresponds with that shown on the CG, I think a CT is required in order to show that the vehicle being sold is the one on the CG, and not a possibly stolen car being cloned.


----------



## Nomoss

If you search for "inspection structural maison", you will find a range of companies offering this and similar services, such as *THIS*


----------



## Bevdeforges

Nomoss said:


> If you search for "inspection structural maison", you will find a range of companies offering this and similar services, such as *THIS*


The company you are linking to is located in Canada, not in France. When you search for this, be sure to add "France" at the end of your search string.


----------



## Nomoss

Sorry 'bout that


----------



## rickjames8

I think this is one of those (soon to be many) cases where I just need to adjust my expectations. It appears as though this is just not done in France. Building Surveys in France Its what my wife told me, a friend of ours told us, and what people here seem to be saying. We did get a general contractor out, and had him look at one crack in the wall that I wanted looked at, and his response was that cracks like that were common in older buildings and not to worry. I'd just have felt better hearing a second person (not working regularly with the real estate agent) tell me that. But it's fine. The compromis does include a list of all the contractors who did work in the past 10 years, and it's just a couple. 

Thanks for the googling tips. It seems that what I'd be after would be called the Diagnotic Batiment (as opposed to the more common Diagnostic Immobilier which includes the gas, termites, asbestos, etc). I found a firm that does this, but they're an hour away, and they look to be more commerical than residential.


----------



## rynd2it

rickjames8 said:


> I think this is one of those (soon to be many) cases where I just need to adjust my expectations. It appears as though this is just not done in France. Building Surveys in France Its what my wife told me, a friend of ours told us, and what people here seem to be saying. We did get a general contractor out, and had him look at one crack in the wall that I wanted looked at, and his response was that cracks like that were common in older buildings and not to worry. I'd just have felt better hearing a second person (not working regularly with the real estate agent) tell me that. But it's fine. The compromis does include a list of all the contractors who did work in the past 10 years, and it's just a couple.
> 
> Thanks for the googling tips. It seems that what I'd be after would be called the Diagnotic Batiment (as opposed to the more common Diagnostic Immobilier which includes the gas, termites, asbestos, etc). I found a firm that does this, but they're an hour away, and they look to be more commerical than residential.


It came as a surprise to me too after selling my house in California, the Home Inspector took over 4 hours to produce his report from which the buyers could then obtain Homeowners Insurance against anything untoward happening in the future; the report helps set the premium. Here in France, you get the mandatory diagnostics, any data you can gather from neighbours, Mairie and possibly contractors and make your offer accordingly. Basically you buy As-Is and once your offer is accepted, you are hooked.


----------



## Crabtree

I would not touch a house with a crack in the wall.There I have just saved you a lot of money


----------



## Nomoss

A bit far from Normandy, but this man in my area might help or be able to suggest someone nearer to you.
http://www.markbridger.com/


----------



## EuroTrash

In the UK, banks used to insist on a full property survey before they would offer a mortgage.
The first house I bought was a little semi. All the houses along that stretch of road were semis.
The survey that I had to pay several hundred pounds for started: "This is a mid-terrace property..."
After that I didn't put much faith in surveys, I regarded them as a box you had to tick for the mortgage and a money spinner for banks and building societies.
I don't know if it's still the same.


----------



## Befuddled

It more than likely is. Years ago I was buying an early fourteenth century house, paying cash but needed a moderate bridging loan (£15k against a £65k purchase) to get the ball rolling until my existing place sold. I had to pay for one of these full surveys before the bank would grant the loan. I said that such a survey doesn't make a lot of sense as it is so old it would be some sort of miracle if it didn't have faults and the obvious faults would be apparent to anyone. The reply was that they would assume that. They only wanted to establish that those faults wouldn't make the house's value less than the amount of the loan.


----------

