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Many people are unaware that the Home Inspection industry in Florida is currently unlicensed and unregulated. There are government proposals to try to pass a bill and regulate the industry by 2010 but in the past this has been pushed out of favor and the end date keeps moving. This unfortunately means that anyone can literally be working in the industry with little or no knowledge of construction or local building standards. By comparison in the UK, as a Chartered Surveyor, before you can achieve a University honors degree in Construction and Surveying, you have to commit to 8 years of continuous study and pass national examinations on in depth building analysis, design, technology and regulations or codes.
It is imperative that before purchasing a property that a professional Home Inspection is carried out. Only a few professional organizations have been established to assist with setting up a common Standard of Practices. Membership to these organizations is Not mandatory therefore all current members are clearly demonstrating their ability and commitment to professionalism for consumers who recognize the importance of regulation. When researching an organization check to see if membership is purely submitting a fee or sitting a 40 hour training course and fee.
The state wide leading organization is The American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) www.ashi.org and their aim is to assist with regulation of the industry by requiring all inspectors who wish to become members obtain a minimum inspection experience of 250 inspections. These inspections reports are examined and graded to ensure the Professional Practices and Code of Ethics are maintained. When ASHI is satisfied with the inspector’s competence, the inspector is then required to take and pass a state exam. The exam is designed to test the knowledge and experience of the construction industry together with construction fault diagnosis and remedies. Becoming a member demonstrates to the Real Estate Industry the inspector’s level of professionalism.
Qualifications & experience
There are many inspectors out there in Florida that simply lack the qualifications and experience to provide a professional service. If the inspector has a web site and cannot post qualifications that can be verified, it can be generally assumed that there are none to post. Many inspectors now work with franchise organizations that promote the franchise company and come out top on the internet search engine, that doesn’t generally mean you have a good home inspector; it could just mean that they paid a fee and bought a marketed company. Be sure to check further into any claims for experience and qualification.
I have been in the industry for over 30 years and have inspected buildings and fixed structures from underground tunnels to high rise commercial buildings. I have a Bsc Honors University Degree in Construction and Building Surveying and have been awarded the highest Fellow membership from two of the international leading building Institutes and associations for my contribution and work within the construction and engineering industries.
As a building and construction specialist I know what is important or applicable when inspecting a home and work within the professional standards of ASHI. In Florida it is essential to inspect and report what is required and not to just add padding to a report to make it look good. I work closely with builders, developers, realtors and customers understanding their need for a clear concise report for the customers to understand easily. I always encourage my clients or realtors to accompany me on the inspection as I have pride in sharing my inspection techniques with them and I can identify visual defects as we physically work through the inspection.
Many of my clients are overseas investors and schedule my services directly after obtaining a referral from a professional organization. My services offer the facility to schedule, pay and review reports online from my web site. Understanding many of the problems with Florida construction is explained through comprehensive reports published directly on the web site. My fees are very competitive and when taken in comparison to other inspectors, you may find one cheaper but not with the experience and qualifications to match mine.
Tips to find a good home inspector
- Research the leading professional association ASHI
- Check qualification & experience
- Check for other professional association or affiliations
- Check for license and insurance
- Establish reporting methods
- Never go by the cheapest price first
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