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General Contractors and Home Inspectors | Are You Hiring the Right Professional?

By Majid Zare

4 min read

Updated Mar 01, 2025

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General Contractors and Home Inspectors | Are You Hiring the Right Professional?

General contractors and home inspectors are your go-to people when buying, selling, or renting a house. They help you make a rational decision about the property and ensure your money is well spent. But do you know which one can help you the most? Let’s find out what each of them does and what sets them apart.

Who Is a General Contractor?

A contractor is someone you work with to build or renovate a house. They work with other contractors (sub-contractors), such as electricians, plumbers, constructors, etc., to build or redesign a home based on your preferences. They also oversee the process to ensure everything goes according to the plan and stays within the budget.

When Do You Need a General Contractor?

When to hire a general contractor

A general contractor’s job is basically to oversee the construction or remodeling of your house based on your preferences. You need a general contractor when:

You want to construct a house from scratch.
You’re thinking of remodeling the kitchen, adding a room or other large-scale renovations.
Your house needs structural repairs like repairing foundation cracks.
The work requires a permit, such as installing a deck.
You want to ensure compliance with the local building codes.

Who Is a Home Inspector?

A home inspector is a licensed professional who assesses the condition of your home with professional equipment. They inspect the whole house and issue a formal report that indicates potential issues in every part of the house and gives guidelines on how to address these issues. Hiring a home inspector is particularly important before buying a house. Click on the pre-home inspection checklist before buying a house to learn more.

Should You Hire a Home Inspector?

When to hire a home inspector

A home inspector can perform different types of home inspection and notify you about urgent or minor issues your house may have and save you lots of money, time, and energy. You should hire a home inspector if:

You want to buy or rent a house
You want to sell your house (pre-listing inspection)
You live in an old house
It’s been too long since you last inspected the house
Something is wrong with the house, and you can’t figure it out

General Contractors vs Home Inspectors | What’s the Difference?

General contractors and home inspectors can both help you repair your home and increase the value of your property, but there are some differences between their areas of expertise. You can learn more about the differences between the duties of contractors and building inspectors here.

Aspect	Home Inspectors	General Contractors
Primary Role	They evaluate the condition of a property and identify potential issues.	They manage and execute construction, renovation, or repair projects.
Focus	Inspection and assessment of existing structures and systems.	Building, improving, or repairing structures and systems.
Purpose	To inform buyers or sellers about the condition of a property.	To create or enhance a property’s value and functionality.
Timing of Engagement	Usually, before buying or selling a house.	After you buy a house or before you move in.
Hands-On Work	They use professional tools like a moisture meter to detect potential problems.	They use construction tools for building or renovating a house.
Licensing	They have a license from local authorities.	They adhere to construction codes, but they are not necessarily licensed.
Project Duration	It takes one or two hours, depending on the condition and size of the house.	It can take months, based on the scope of construction or remodeling.

Do You Need an Inspector for Your New House?

Hiring a home inspector isn’t just for selling or buying a house. Homeowners can hire home inspectors to detect problems early on while it’s still manageable and affordable to solve them. Houmse professional inspectors can inspect your house and give you a formal report plus guidelines to solve the potential problems.

The Bottom Line

General contractors and home inspectors can improve your home buying or selling experience and give your house a fresh look. Hiring an inspector before buying or selling the house can indicate hidden problems that could skip your attention, and working with contractors can improve the condition and looks of your home. Whether you need to work with a contractor or inspector depends on your intentions.

Written by

Majid Zare