Home inspector newborns.
Is your home inspector a baby?
Yes they are. We all are. As a profession we are in our infancy, which explains the huge range in quality of home inspections and the 
associated reports of those inspections.
There is much bickering among home inspectors and various associations as to which one is the best, and inspectors will argue themselves blue in the face as to why they are better than inspector “X.” The point I would like to make is that----unlike doctors and lawyers----or even hair dressers----or even massage therapists----we have virtually NO TRAINING that supports any argument as to what association or inspector is any better than any other.
Until there is some sort of peer review and training that takes longer than a week or even a month, it is pretty much a stretch to call ourselves a profession.
I do think that we are becoming a profession and can still provide an invaluable service to our buyers, but 25 years from now we will be as similar as a witch doctor is to a brain surgeon----perhaps even more distinctive. Some of the inspectors that have been involved in this profession from the beginning are being dragged kicking and screaming to the next level. No one wants to admit that this is NOT as good as it gets. What we do now as inspectors will be unrecognizable from what the profession will look like in 10, 20, 30 years from now.
Real Estate Agents are also part of this equation because they need to keep up with the growth of our profession as well. Consumer expectations of home inspectors increases every day which results in better inspections with inspectors spending more time at the inspection. The days of the one hour inspection are justifiably disappearing and the 5 hour inspection is becoming more common.
Home inspectors are all a bunch of “Alpha Wolves” and it is easy for them to get all caught up in their own self-importance. This makes it especially difficult for consumers to know which inspector is actually going to give them the best information possible in the short time that inspector is at the property they are looking at.
My recommendation to consumers is to do as much research as possible about the inspector they are considering. Google their names, their businesses and Professional Associations for more information about them. Check their websites, read their blogs, find out whom your friends used for their inspection-----there is no easy way----but if you do your homework you will find one that is as competent as today’s industry standards allow.
There are no brain surgeons yet----but the diapers are getting uncomfortable.
Charles Buell
Click on the Rose 
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all pictures and smiley-face inserts (emoticons) (when I use them) have messages that show up when you point at them with your cursor.
DeCroe, is my "etherial" home inspector assistant and occasionally flies into my blog and other people's blogs to offer assistance. To find out more about her beginnings just click on Raven.
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Click on the Rose to check out: AHA!---A Forum of Landmark Proportions---your Group
PS, for those of you that are new to my blog (or for some other "unexplained" reason have never noticed)all pictures and smiley-face inserts (emoticons) (when I use them) have messages that show up when you point at them with your cursor.
My WORDLESS WEDNESDAY pictures and some selected POEMS & STORIES.
Charles I always look for the inspectors with a contractor's background. Also it will depend on how willing they are to get "dirty" I am surprised at the home inspectors that will not go into a crawlspace if it is not easily accessible.
Larry, while a contractors background can help, I can tell you that my 33 years as a design/build, hands-on, general contractor no wheres near prepared me for what it takes to do this job. I look forward, for the consumers sake, when there are 4 year college degree programs in Home Inspection. The step that will happen prior to that happening is Peer Review. Finding an inspector that has undergone peer review will be the next big leap forward for the profession.
Charles, You certainly picked a loaded subject to blog about. I suppose no one will ever by able to accuse you of skirting the hot issues.
I agree with the implementation of a 4 year programs leading to a Bachelor of Science in Home Inspection. It would certainly take some of the BS out of our chosen line of work and help reduce the bickering.
I don't fully grasp the concept of Peer Review. As it stands now all the HI associations seem to be at odds with one another. So wouldn't Peer Review elivate the bickering to a higher level? I think licensing, as instituted by NY State would be a better solution. What's your opinion?
Charles, I think you and your cronies friends on activerain are educating the realtors every day. I've learned so much from you guys and girls! Realtors as a profession has been around for such a long time it will take a while for you to catch up but you are leaders of the pack.
Now, to change the subject, what has happened to comments? I clicked on the comments thing above as I have on other blogs but no comments get forwarded like they used to. The featured blog comments come and comments on mine but not the ones AFTER my comment on your blog or Steve's etc. Do you know how it is supposed to work in this strange new world?
Suesan, sorry to change the full impact of your comment when I changed the title:) I am not sure about NY and why it would be considered better than other states----can you enlighten? Peer review programs that would possibly not be related to any one association would be the ideal. The only one currently is the St Louis chapter of ASHI. There is one in the works for the Western Washington chapter of ASHI as well. When all states have licensensing about all that will be left for the Associations will be education as a means of survival. Peer review may be one such attempt. There will always be bickering----this is America:)
Barbara, Thanks. As far as comments go I think you just have to check the box and put in the word called for in the little box and hit "subscribe" and then you should be able to get comments back when new comments are made. Don't know what else to tell you.
Charles,
I leave it up to my buyers to get their inspector, that keeps the liability off me! Most of the time they pick good ones, but that is their choice.
Mary---I hear of more and more agents doing it that way. However, I would think that you could "control" liability better by knowing what quality inspection is going to be done. You know that if anything goes wrong, anyone within a 20 mile radius that had anything to do with the purchase will be named in the suit:)
I was referring to licensing as opposed to the peer review, but not in place of a college degree. I only used NY because I am familiar with their requirements and felt that it was at least a starting point. I'm sure there maybe some other states with even higher requirements. Pa has none other than whatever is required by the association.
Here's a brief description of what they require before issuing the HI license:
Education: Taken and successfully completed a course of study of not less that 140 hours approved by the Council. 40 of those hours must be unpaid field based inspections in the presence of and under direct supervision of a Home Inspector licensed by NYS, or a professional engineer or architect, regulated by NYS. The specifics regarding coursework will be determined by the department, in consultation with the council, or
Have performed not less than 100 home inspections (paid or unpaid) in the presence of and under the direct supervision of a Home Inspector licensed by NYS, or a professional engineer or architect regulated by NYS, and
Successful Completion of an Exam: Have passed the NYS written examination, or have taken and passed an existing nationally recognized examination, deemed equivalent, prior to December 31, 2005.
I do like your comment on bickering ... it is all so true. As long as it's done in a respectful manner I'm okay with that as well.
I LOVE your new profile pic!
Suesan, since state licensensing is such a "Minimum Standard" I see Peer Review as being something that would be on top of the licensening requirements. WA State's new Home Inspector License will require 160 hours of training----120 classroom and 40 supervised field training. Since I teach part of this course I can tell you that this much training is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what an inspector must know to do this job as we know it now. In the future it will be even less adequate.
Courtney---glad you like it---it is kind of a fun one.
So Peer Review would be in addition to state licensing ... I'm starting to follow your train of thought. I would be very interested in hearing what you would consider necessary requirements for passing a peer review. Perhaps topic for a future post.
Thanks for putting up with and answering my questions. My great grandfather always told me that we derive more knowledge from the people we associate with than from the books we read. Given of course that we associate with the right people. Have a great evening Charles.
And things might be coming full circle with that diaper thing... well, I guess that Depends...
So, tell me -- which is the brain surgeon and which the Big Baby?
I had to come back to this blog to see if you'd commented in response and you had. I check the comment box, subscribe hops up, I click it but there are not words to put in. I guess things aren't working right.
If anyone comes close to being a "brain surgeon" of Home Inspection, it must be you Sir Charles. If not you, then Mr Steve?
Suesan, I am hoping that Mike will come on here and give a good description of what Peer review is all about----so stop back. If he doesn't I will take a stab at it. He has been fighting for this a long time and has given it a lot more thought than I have.
Jay, I would recognize that smile anywhere. Here is one of me.
Barbara, I know that sometimes there is no box to put a word in---you just hit subscribe.
Thanks Jim for the vote of confidence but I am by no means the smartest apple in the barrel:)
Charles, it would be interesting to see what fun gadgets that home inspectors will be playing with in the next 20 years or so...
Your building consultant in Fairview, TN ~ Michael
Charlie,
Interesting that the smiling youngster above could turn into the raging squirrel barbecuing maniac we see on active rain today.
Michael---it will indeed be interesting.
Steve, what did Jay do to deserve that comment?:)
Hi All,
Yes, Charlie I got your note and I'll be back here to talk about peer review. I just can't do it right now. What I'll probably do, it go grab one of my couple of dozen descriptions of the concept and post if here if Charlie and others won't mind. I warn you though, in typical doddring Mike O'H. fashion it will probably be a 2-pot-of-coffee read. They just don't write any more boring stuff than mine.
Till later,
ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!
Mike O'Handley, Editor - The Inspector's Journal (TIJ) -- Your Inspector Inc., Kenmore, WA, 425-298-8413
Hey Mike why don't you do a post to your own blog about it and then I will link to it----or how about both:)
To Susean, As a CT inspector I can tell you our requirements are on par with NY. Ct has had licensing far longer however, since 2000. I went through the process and as always hind sight is 20/20.
The educational requirements are only 45 hours of classroom with 100 supervised field inspections. Only the first ten inspections are required to be directly supervised, but the supervisor may opt, wisely, to supervise the entire 100. A test is required to finalize the process. The test used is atrocious.
Back a few years ago when things were booming new inspectors were getting licensed almost every week. What some of these newbies were doing to recoup part of the cost of obtaining their licenses was becoming supervisors for new inspectors in training. Talk about the blind leading the blind. This loophole still exist today. I have brought this to the attention of some of the licensing board members, but to no avail.
Licensing is a step in the right direction, but it hardly solves the problem of poorly educated and skilled inspectors.
I think it is laughable that NY law states that a home inspector can be trained by an engineer or an architect. Neither of those professions are qualified to teach home inspection. That seems to be a common mis-conception, that an engineer or architect is some how more qualified to inspect a house that a well trained and experienced home inspector.
Charlie, I don't entirely agree with you on us being in diapers, I think were learning to walk. We certainly have along way to go, but as long as the profession is progressing and not regressing I believe that's ultimately the most important thing.
I believe some of the bickering is fueled by the disparities in association qualifications. I would again disagree that licensing will make associations only importance educational. That is a good portion of their function now, but not just inspector education. The public and real estate professionals are also targeted.
ASHI is currently working on an independent third party certification process for their members. I would consider this progressive thinking with an eye toward a higher level of competence for the members of the association.
So in essence association membership should enhance the qualification of an inspector. Licensing is only, as you stated, a minimum requirement. So associations will, if they progress with the profession, certainly serve as an additional guide for the public seeking a qualified home inspector.
James, well you know it is only an "analogy"----I could have used "teenager":) That time in our growth will be interesting!
Hi Charlie,
Back again. It's not about peer review, but I did post something over on my blog that sort of touches on some of this stuff. It might be good for some discussion of folks can stay awake long enough to get to the end of it. You know me, my stuff is more like a short story than a blog entry.
ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!
Mike O'Handley, Editor - The Inspector's Journal (TIJ) -- Your Inspector Inc., Kenmore, WA 425-298-8413
Hi Charlie,
Don't know if it's what you're looking for but this is another one that discusses peer review.
ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!
Mike O'Handley, Editor - The Inspector's Journal (TIJ) -- Your Inspector Inc., Kenmore, WA 425-298-8413
Mike thanks for the links----they should help.
Charlie - Good advice. A good home inpsector builds their credentials and earns their reputation just like any other proffesional.
Carol, I think we are getting there----the old guard usually has the most trouble moving ahead.