Independent Home Inspections

Home Inspectors are licensed in the Province of British Columbia. Does this mean they are all equal? Absolutely NOT!

When the licensing was introduced back in April 2009 the BC Government and the BPCPA allowed inspectors that are non members of the designated associations a 2 year grace period to update and join. Some inspectors were issued a licence under a transitional status (grandfathered).

This was granted to prevent home inspectors that have been conducting business for years from shutting down overnight and suffering significant financial implications. In order to be a member of a designated association (CAHPI, ASTTBC, NCP) you must pass entrance exams, academic training, supervised inspections (mentoring), submit reports for evaluation, continuing education credits, follow a standards of practice and code of ethics including being held accountable by the association.

Home Inspectors that are not a member of a designated association DO NOT have to meet any of these requirements until the 2 year grace period is over. At the end of the transitional stage (April 2011) they will have to meet the requirements of a designated association or hand in their licence. You should be leery about the inspectors that do not have credentials.

This may be misleading to the general public as some home inspectors are still conducting business as they were before the licensing. Therefore, the consumer should research, interview and make an effort to find the right home inspector.

Look for an inspector on the internet or in the yellow pages. It is not advisable to take the first inspector a Realtor may offer without doing some research as opportunity for conflict of interest may exist. Ask many questions such as:

• What is the home inspectors training? Academic training plus experience is essential.
• What type of equipment does the inspector use? Some inspectors use state of the art technology like infrared.
• Does the inspector have any references? References should always be available by a reputable company.
• How long does a home inspection take? Some inspectors are more thorough and take longer.
• Can the client attend the inspection? It is a good idea to attend, ask questions.
• What is in the report and how thorough is it? Detailed custom reports with pictures are better. Ask for a sample.
• What association does the inspector belong to? Must be at least one of the approved (CAHPI, ASTTBC, NCP).
• What was the last continuing education course the inspector has taken? Good inspectors are always learning.
• What makes the inspector different from the rest? Licensing is a minimum, what does the inspector offer more then the standard.

Some Home Inspectors are not on a Realtor’s list of preferred inspectors and are blacklisted for being too thorough or an ”alarmist”. These licensed inspectors typically provide a technical, thorough, detailed, independent service working in the best interest of their client(s) and should be considered during the real estate purchase.