South Dakota

South Dakota Home Inspector

Utilizing the services of a home inspector prior to closing is a must in South Dakota. Buying a home, whether newly constructed or previously owned, requires a home inspection during the escrow period to protect the buyer from unseen defects. South Dakota home inspectors provide buyers and sellers with certified home inspections alerting them to hidden problems with the inspected properties. Some states require home inspectors to be trained, licensed, and certified. Other states have no regulations at all. South Dakota requires a home inspector to be registered or certified before accepting compensation for inspections.

Aesthetically, a home may look ready for occupancy, but in reality there may be significant hidden damage. A private home inspector finds and reports to the buyer the seriousness of any discovered defects.

Before any person can perform home inspections, South Dakota has one of two certifications that must be obtained. A new home inspector must have a high school diploma and a minimum of 40 hours of classroom instruction. A written test regarding the standards of home inspection must also be passed. This allows the newly trained South Dakota home inspector to “register” with the state and perform home inspections. To become a “licensed” housing inspector, the registered inspector must prove one year’s experience and a minimum of 100 inspections during that period. Passing a second written exam is also required to obtain a license.

While many homebuyers use a home inspector when buying a previously owned home, home inspection is needed for newly constructed homes as well. Cities and counties in South Dakota inspect construction progress. While these are licensed professional building inspectors, they are only inspecting to ensure minimum code compliance and not looking at the quality of construction. A government building inspector does not check to see whether the house is built to the specifications a buyer wants. That’s why a private home inspector is important.

In their inspection, that may take an entire day, a private home inspector will look at the roof, foundation, heating/cooling/electric systems and more. They will not check for mold, mildew or radon. Separately selected environmental inspectors perform these inspections. At the end of the South Dakota home inspection, the inspector will provide you with a standardized report telling you any issues the property has. Make sure that you are aware of any local regulations specific to your area so that you can make sure your inspector complies with them all in their report. These home inspections need to be scheduled early in the escrow process. This is necessary in case the sellers have to perform repairs prior to closing on the sale.

Ultimately, hiring a qualified South Dakota home inspector will save you the hassle of finding out about repairs that need to be made to the property last minute, costing you valuable money and time.