Should an inspector provide a repair estimate to clients?

An inspector should not provide a repair estimate to clients because their primary role is to assess the condition of a property and report on its various components, rather than to estimate costs for repairs. This separation of duties is important to maintain the integrity and objectivity of the inspection process. By refraining from giving repair estimates, inspectors avoid potential conflicts of interest and ensure their professional evaluations remain unbiased and focused on identifying issues.

Furthermore, providing repair estimates can lead to questions regarding the accuracy of that estimate, especially if the repairs are complicated or include several variables. This can place inspectors in a position where they might be held liable for the estimates they provide, which detracts from their primary responsibility of identifying and reporting issues.

For these reasons, the most appropriate approach for inspectors is to stick to their role as unbiased evaluators of property conditions, rather than attempting to provide estimates for repairs.