Is your home inspector a Certifed Home Inspector?
Licensing of home inspectors only sets a
minimum standard. Much like being
up to code, any less would be illegal. Imaginary people, children, psychics (who claim to "sense" if a house is OK) and even pets can be home inspectors. Other home inspection associations have no entrance requirements and worse, encourage their
candidates to go out and perform actual inspections for poor, unsuspecting consumers as the only way to achieve full membership. InterNACHI finds this practice unconscionable. That is why InterNACHI
front-ends its
membership requirements. We
turn down more than 1/2 the inspectors who want to join because they can't
pass our exam or
fulfill our membership requirements.
InterNACHI inspectors:
- Have to pass InterNACHI's Online Inspector Examination every year with a score of 80 or better. (This general, not association-specific exam is open and free to all).
- Have to complete InterNACHI's online Ethics Obstacle Course. (This open book Ethics course is open and free to all).
- Have to take InterNACHI's online Standards of Practice Quiz (This open book Standards of Practice quiz is open and free to all).
- Have to sign and submit an Affidavit.
- Have to adhere to InterNACHI's Standards of Practice.
- Have to abide by InterNACHI's Code of Ethics.
- Have to continue learning (24 hours/year) as per InterNACHI's Continuing Education Policy.
- Have to maintain a member Online Continuing Education Log (free) as per InterNACHI's Continuing Education Policy.
- Have to (if never performed a home inspection for a fee) submit 4 mock inspections to InterNACHI's Report Review Committee (free) before performing their first home inspection for a client.
- Have to (within 10 days after joining) login to NACHIs educational message board.
- Have to (within 30 days after joining) complete InterNACHI's comprehensive online Standards of Practice course (free).
- Have to (before or within 30 days after joining) complete InterNACHI's onlind Structural course (free).
- Have to (within 45 days after joining) complete InterNACHI's comprehensive online Plumbing course (free) including all the quizzes within and pass its final exam.
- Have to (within 45 days after joining) complete InterNACHI's comprehensive online Electrical course (free) including all the quizzes within and pass its final exam.
- Have to (before or within 45 days of joining) complete InterNACHI's comprehensive online Safety course (free) inclusing all the quizzes within.
- Have to (within 60 days after joining) complete InterNACHI's comprehensive online Roofing course (free) including all the quizzes within and pass its final exam.
- Have to (within 60 days after joining) complete InterNACHI's comprehensive online Wood Destroying Organism course (free) including all the quizzes within and pass its final exam.
- Have to (within 60 days after joining) complete InterNACHI's online 25 Standards Every Inspector Should Know course (free) and pass its final exam.
- Have to (within first 3 months after joining) apply for a membership photo I.D. (free).
- Have to (within first 6 months after joining) complete InterNACHI's online Vermiculite Insulation mini-course (free) including all the quizzes within.
- Have to (within first 6 months after joining) complete InterNACHI's online Polybutylene Plumbing mini-course (free) including all the quizzes within.
- Have to (within first 6 months after joining) complete InterNACHI's online Water Heater TPR Valve Discharge Piping mini-course (free) including all the quizzes within.
- Have to (within first 6 months after joining) complete InterNACHI's online Emergency Exit mini-course (free) including all the quizzes within.
- Have to re-take and pass InterNACHI's Online Inspector Examination again, every year (free).
- Have to (before or within first 18 months after joining) complete InterNACHI's online Log Home course (free) including all quizzes within and pass its final exam.
- Have to (before or within first 18 months after joining) complete InterNACHI's online Green Building course (free) including all quizzes within and pass its final exam.
- Have to (before or within 2 years after joining) complete at least 8 hours of advanced or beyond Standard of Practice coursework (reasonable exceptions apply).
- Have to (within 3 years after joining) complete InterNACHI's online Mold Inspection course (free) including all quizzes within and pass its final exam.
- Have to (within 3 years after joining) complete InterNACHI's online Commercial Inspection course (free) including all quizzes within and pass its final exam.
- Have to (within 3 years after joining) complete InterNACHI's online Inspecting Foundation Walls and Piers course (free) including all quizzes and pass its final exam.
- Have to attend at least one chapter meetings or educational seminars every two years (reasonable exceptions apply).
So the next time you need to refer your clients to home inspectors,
make sure they are members of InterNACHI and never use a
candidate or
associate of any association
. InterNACHI, America's elite home inspection association.
REALTORs should also print "
What Really Matters" and include copies of this article in their buyer's packets.