The thing is, US law doesn't have any provisions in place yet to certify qualified home inspectors. Just about anyone with a bit of experience around buildings can call himself an inspector, start a home inspection company and get into business.
If you're interested in running an honest business, you don't really have much help from an established system. While there are a few certifying schools and bodies for home inspection out there, there are no rules that say that one has to be qualified. And so, it's rather hard for any home inspection company to find qualified and experienced team members.
If you run a home inspection company, you should of course first start out by looking for potential candidates who are members of the American Society of Home Inspectors - a strictly opt-in membership.
It isn't just about right qualifications when you look for someone who's a member the ASHI. It's also about hiring an ethical inspector. Membership rules require that member inspectors never have a vested interest in the homes they certify. They have several employees because it's been known to happen that inspectors will on the side, agree with local realtors to come in and pass a bad house just for a cut of the proceeds they get later.
Considering how most people find a home inspection company to hire through their realtor, this is a possibility that everyone needs to be careful about. The ASHI isn't the only home inspector certifying body. But it's the biggest one. Andno inspector is offered membership unless he has a couple of hundred inspections under his belt, is willing to sit for an exam and is willing to submit himself to the regular training to keep up with new building techniques.
Before you hire a new team member for your home inspection company, you would do well to ask him the kind of questions you have seen clients ask home inspectors before hiring them. You do need to make sure personally, that the person showing up for the interview actually is a home inspector.
Ask him about the building techniques he is familiar with. Ask about the kind of experience he has with residential buildings and commercial buildings. Ask if he's willing to put himself through the membership requirements set up by the National Society of Professional Engineers , to National Institute of Building Inspectors or another body.
It could take a while to discover someone who is just right. When you come upon the right kind of person though, he should be a real asset to your business.
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