ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Home Inspectors: How can we work together?

Wow, alot of people really don't like the home inspectors! Here in Ga. it is not required that a home has a inspection before selling it ( with the exception of new construction).
I deal with very many home inspectors. And yes some don't know as much as I think they should. But on the other side of the coin, they do catch alot of problems in an old house. Also, every home inspector that I have run across always leaves this at the bottom of thier electrical notes..." Have home checked for other violations by a Lic. electrician".
I do find other problems in some of the houses I work in, but I seem to find that the main problems have already been found by the home inspector. Another way to look at this is that even the AHJ sometimes miss problems on the houses they inspect. It's only human!
I believe that they do a pretty good job ( at least most of them). So a big ATTA-BOY for the inspectors.
By the way, if we all were perfect, there would never be a need for inspections at all!

GEC-1,
i would'nt say that i flat out dislike HI's, no......more like i have to live with them and work with them.

that is my only option, so i'll make the most of the situation with as much discretion as possible.....

My 2 cents would be that there are good HI and bad ones. As is with all contractors and inspectors. I once was called out after a HI said that there was AL wire in the house. It turned out that it was old RHH service cable that was copper, but looked gray from oxidation, and the HI thought that it was AL. By the way, Joe, didn't you teach a course or two to HI people?

Harold

GEC,

Actually I thought more of the responses were positive rather than negative.

John,

Yes, I wanted to try to keep out horror stories because they prove nothing and only cloud the issue here. There are plenty of good people trying to do a good job and have gone through Training & Licensing etc. and we should try to work with them instead of against them. BTW, the ASHI requirement is for 20 hrs. of Continuing Ed. per year. Not for nothing, but in 20 years of being a Master Electrician I have not been required to have any continuing education.

>>
Short & sweet....
An existing house, that has no dangerous visable conditions, and is structuraly "sound", should "pass" a HI, Right?

Therefore, knowledge of the current "codes" is not a mandatory requirement to inspect a home, Agree??
<<

From the ASHI website: >>
Am I correct that we, as inspectors, and contractors, cannot "make" a person "update" there electrical system if it is "safe" and no work is being done???

I really can't find the words to express what I'm trying to type.....
If a HI looks for obvious "flaws", is that enough?
(THe roof is in need of replacement; the crawl space has signs of water damage; there are two cracked roof joists visable in the attic; you should consider a GFI in the bathroom; etc., etc.)
<<

I think that it is supposed to be almost like taking an inventory, documenting what the house "contains" in terms of types of materials and components and a description of their general condition. It is basically a visual inspection/reporting of "readily accessible" things and not meant to be an in-depth evaluation of anything.

Bill

John,
I found this info on the ASHI site under State Regulations:

Bill
I agree 100% that there are more positive responses. yet the negative responses are asking more of a HI than they are really hired to do. As you stated, they are here to inspect the house. Knowing the local codes is a plus, but not a requirement. I am glad that there is someone to find potential problems for the homebuyers. And if they make a mistake ( at least on the electrical part of the inspection) I just explain to the realator what the code says and they make the decision of wether to repair the problem he listed, or forgot to list.
I had an HI inspect a house that had a fuse panel in it. He put on the report that the panel had to be replaced. I explained that the panel did not have to be replaced, but that I would recommend it. The seller did not want the panel replaced, but the buyer called me back later to replace it after they had moved in. They said that they used me because they felt I was honest by not trying to sell them a panel change out. Since then, I have done several houses for that buyer. Funny how not trying to push someone into doing something, gets you more work that you ever thought possible. Honesty is still the best policy!

GEC,

I agree, a little Honesty can go a long way. Home Inspection is relatively new in many areas and as yet may have little or no regulation there. From what I see, the Home Inspection industry is trying to get regulations passed and establish or raise its' level of professionalism everywhere. It will take time though. I think it is something that is likely to become more and more commonplace and we should be looking for ways that we can 'fit' together.

Basically I'm venting here because it just bugs me (a lot) when I see a Home Inspector get dumped on (not here) for asking a question that will help him do his job better. Why does he always get told about the guy that someone knows? It's not right.

(Someone keeps leaving that soapbox here, sorry)

Bill

Oops!,
I guess i need to strap that S-Box to my A** where i can find it!

In my locale' i would more than welcome any mandate requiring an HI to view new construction.

I feel we have some real bad news here, and could use any third party's unbiased opinion.

I'm not talking little nit picky stuff either, a broader assessment would be fine and save much ado....

The fact is if your a tradesman, and around other trades all the time, when something looks odd to you..... it probably is.



[This message has been edited by sparky (edited 12-31-2002).]

Bill:
First, I was not aware of the requirements that you found, and I thank you for the link and info.

Second, It appears that I have to "eat crow", for not knowing this firsthand.
(Salt, Pepper & catsup please)

Third, Harold did you know about this???

My NJ Contractors License comes from:
NJ Dept of Consumer Affairs. (DCA)

My NJ Electrical Inspectors License comes from:
NJ Dept of Community Affairs (DCA)

WE utilize the NJ Uniform Construction Code
(Blue Book) 5:23 et al as the basis for Construction Code enforcement rules, regs, and adopted National Codes, with amendments.

And now, I have to remember Title 45, Chapter 8. It looks like that comes from the Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors, Consumer Affairs, Dept of Law & Public Safety.

Boy, I would think if it's part of the "Building Codes", it should be under the UCC, but I'm only an EC & AHJ

HAROLD HELP, WHAT'CA THINK OF THIS???

THANKS AGAIN BILL.
John

Bill,
Ditto!

Roger