Almost a year has passed by, and COVID-19 shows no signs of slowing down. It continues to evolve, bringing fast-moving and unexpected variables, making it harder for companies to operate.
A home inspection is undoubtedly a vital part of a home purchase. The American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) believes that inspections can continue only when prudent safety precautions are practiced.
ASHI’s Advice for Best Practices
As a home inspector, you need to take the following precautions from the CDC Guidelines and OSHA requirements to protect your clients, employees, real estate agents, and home occupants:
- Advise clients to remain outside the home while the inspection is taking place.
- Handle questions and reviews via social media platforms.
- Wear a combination of personal protective equipment (PPE), for example, gloves, masks, etc..
- Bring a hand sanitizer with you, containing at least 60% alcohol to clean your hands frequently.
- Bump elbows instead of shaking hands with clients or real estate agents.
- Avoid working when feeling unwell or showing symptoms of COVID-19.
- Ask the home’s occupants if anyone in the house has flu-like symptoms, including fever, cough, or shortness of breath. If so, change the inspection date immediately.
- Stop the inspection if anyone is visibly sick.
- Stay at a safe distance of at least 6ft away from other people.
- Daily health checks for all team members.
- Daily temperature checks.
- Keep your hands off your face as that is one of the easiest ways to get infected.
- Handle all documents online to reduce face-to-face interaction.
Buyers and real estate agents:
- Must not attend the inspection, but if they insist, they must stay at a centralized location, and must not follow the inspector around. They should not bring relatives, contractors, and others to the inspection.
- Must use a hand sanitizer before entering the home and after leaving it.
- Must touch as few things as possible if inside the home.
Sellers:
- Must immediately reschedule if anyone in the home exhibits symptoms of COVID-19.
- Must not attend the inspection.
- Must sanitize the most frequently touched surfaces before the inspection (be sure the wipe instructions allow the surface that they will clean.)
How to Handle Client Concerns
During the COVID-19 pandemic, there is less work in the home inspection industry. Clients are concerned about their health, and bringing people to their homes can put their health at risk. As a home inspector, you should be as worried as they are.
The above-mentioned best practices are the key to ensuring that your business can continue to grow despite the current situation. All that information should be listed on your website or social media platforms to inform people coming to your business that you have taken the necessary measures to protect them, yourself, and your employees.
Make them feel comfortable enough to give you a call without feeling worried. That is what a client needs during these challenging times.
