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

John,

ASHI has a 23 page PDF file outlining their position on the regulation of Home Inspectors. I haven't gotten through all of it yet, but it looks like they are trying to do the right thing.
>> ASHI Position Statement on Regulation of Home Inspectors

I don't mean to make a big deal of this, but I just think that the people in this (HI) occupation that are trying to do better might deserve a break from people sometimes. It's not their fault that their industry is largely unregulated in some areas.

I'm done (I think)

Bill

Bill,
Need to be careful with the ASHI statement. ASHI refuses to work with other HI Associations in regulating the industry. They want it their way only. They are one of the main reasons (along with several other associations) that regulating of HI's is in such a dissaray. There is a lot of good in the position paper and I strongly believe that there does need to be licensing along the lines of how a sparky gets licensed, but by their requirements an ICC certified building inspector who is state licensed as an electrician could not do home inspections. I was even informed by one ASHI inspector that their Standards of Practice and the National Home Inspector's Exam was based on construction practices and had nothing to do with the UBC, ICC codes or the NEC. The different HI associations appear to be more interested in marking out their territory than producing a competent respectable industry. They (the different associations) also have a Code of Ethics that IMO seem to be lip service. I've seen where they give gifts to realtors (posted on the internet, for one). In PA two associations got together and started a state association with the realtors that had all the appearance of trying to put a third association out of business. One ASHI Inspector here in WA and some non-ASHI inspectors (to include me, I'm an independent) tried to work together and resolve the issue here. The ASHI inspector was all but run out of town on a rail by his association.

The best resolution I've seen is what the Canadian Association of Home Inspectors did in conjunction with their building officials. They established a realistic occupastional and performance standards to include core requirements of the job.

Lots of BS and politics involved on all sides.

Bob

Bob,

I've got to admit to being pretty ignorant of politics and political-type things, and didn't mean for anything to sound like an endorsement. I just wanted to point out that I think that the HI industry as a whole is trying to raise its' level of professionalism in all areas and do want Testing, Licensing and Continuing Education.

Bill

Harold


Yes, in fact we first met at a seminar that I was presenting to home inspector's back in 1991?

John,

I have been doing electrical work in NJ since 1975 and I wasn't aware of NJ issuing HI licenses. As I always say, anyone who thinks they "know-it-all" really doesn't. I feel that I have to learn something new all the time. Otherwise, I am not doing my job correctly. There is a web page that NJ has for anyone with a state lic.. It is under construction as I post this so I can't check it out. I did know that some HI took courses, as Joe said, I met him here in NJ a while back when he was teaching a course to some HI's. I believe that they more they know the better it is for the homeowner too.

John,

Here is the website for anyone licensed in NJ.
http://www.state.nj.us/lps/ca/director.htm

Did you also know that now it is a fourth degree criminal offense to represent yourself as an electrical contractor? That law was passed to protect homeowners from unlicensed electrical contractors. I guess we might have to start carrying around some "heat" in order to protect our people from bad contractors.

The Crusading Caper

Harold,

Now that was funny..
Need some help? what can I do?




Bill