2. Are you "Code" certified? ('Code' referring to the certification bestowed for successfully passing the International Code Council (ICC) International Residential Code (IRC) for One and Two Family Dwellings exam. Still referred to as 'CABO' in the Atlanta area.)
3. Are you a FULL member of ASHI? (American Society of Home Inspectors). ASHI has three levels of membership:
A. Candidate
B. Candidate II (has performed at least fifty fee paid inspections on their own)
C. FULL MEMBER (has performed at least two hundred fifty fee paid inspections, has passed the National Home Inspection Exam, and the ASHI Standards of Practice and Ethics exams)
4. Are you a FULL member of GAHI? (Georgia Association of Home Inspectors) The requirements for FULL membership in GAHI are very similar to ASHI EXCEPT that GAHI requires their members to be CODE certified before becoming FULL members. They are the only home inspection organization in the U.S. that has that stringent requirement plus calling for two hundred fifty fee paid inspections and passing their Standards of Practice and Ethics exams.
5. NACHI (National Association of Home Inspectors) requires the member to pass a "certification" exam very similar to the National Home Inspection Exam plus their Standards and Ethics Exams.
6. For specific expertise in STUCCO, the inspector should be certified by the Exterior Design Institute (EDI) and/or the Moisture Free Corporation.
7. Is home inspecting your FULL TIME income source?
8. Do you use a written inspection report?
9. Do you use an inspection agreement or contract with your client?
10. Do you or your company have a business license in Georgia?
11. Do you or your company have general liability insurance that would protect you or your employees while performing a home inspection?
*To the best of my knowledge, there are only two laws in Georgia for home inspectors: 1. They must inform the client of the services they are about to perform (the agreement or contract) and 2. They must provide a written report of their findings to the client.
While it may be very difficult to find anyone that has all of these credentials, the inspector should have at least one of them and/or be affiliated with a company that has one or more of them.
The vast majority of professional home inspectors are most supportive of licensing efforts. We feel licensing would reduce the number of people professing to be a home inspector while, in actuality, only carry a business card to substantiate the fact.
Asking the questions above and having them substantiated with copies of certificates will help identify those that would qualify under the new GAR contract.
RE/MAX Champions
2810 Paces Ferry Road NE
Suite 202
Atlanta, GA 30339-3715
office: (678) 305-0070
fax: (678) 560-5658
email: chjoiner@mindspring.com