What is a Home Inspection?
What services does a Home Inspector provide?
While it may vary from house-to-house, a home inspection may include the
home’s exterior; landscaping and drainage; decks; the home’s foundation and
walls; chimneys and roofs; windows and doors; attic insulation; electrical
components; plumbing; central heating and air conditioning; lighting fixtures
and appliances; and garages. The extent of the home inspection is dependent upon
safe access and an environment that does not pose a risk to the home inspector.
What is the National Association of Home Inspectors (NAHI)?
NAHI is a national nonprofit association of some 2,000 professional home
inspectors. Members belonging to NAHI must meet strict membership criteria,
including demonstrating experience and competence as a home inspector,
completion of a written exam, and adherence to a
Standards of Practice and
Code of Ethics. A home inspector
who has conducted 250 inspections and has passed required examinations and
requirements set by the NAHI Board of Directors is recognized as a NAHI
Certified Real Estate Inspector (NAHI
CRI).
Is there an advantage to using a NAHI member home
inspection company?
Absolutely. NAHI members have the training and experience, but also comply
with NAHI’s strict Code of Ethics. The Code
of Ethics sets forth certain standards, the most important of which is, that:
“The inspector will act as an unbiased third party to the real estate
transaction and will discharge the Inspector’s duties with integrity and
fidelity to the client.” NAHI members also “will not conduct a home inspection
or prepare a home inspection report for which the Inspector’s fee is contingent
upon the conclusion in the report.” In addition, “the Inspector will not
disclose any information concerning the results of the inspection without the
approval of the client for whom the inspection was performed, unless compelled
by court order.”
What if the client (customer) disagrees with the home
inspection report?
A client (customer) is always encouraged to discuss the inspection with the
NAHI professional. Differences in opinion may arise. The NAHI inspector’s
first priority is to determine the integrity of the home. A NAHI inspector will
work diligently to resolve the issue.
After the real estates transaction is completed, what if
problems arise?
A NAHI member will work with the client (customer) to determine whether the
problem could have been foreseen during the inspection. In most cases, such as
appliance failure, the inspector could not have foreseen the problem. The NAHI
member will work with their client to resolve any disputes.
What recourse does a client (customer) have if they have
a dispute with an NAHI member?
NAHI is the ONLY NATIONAL HOME INSPECTION ORGANIZATION with a formalized
system for resolving conflicts with its members. Only clients (customers) using
a NAHI inspector have this recourse. Clients (customers) may call
1-800-448-3942 to discuss the issue.
- As a consumer, we encourage you to
review the NAHI Standards of Practice and NAHI Code of Ethics. The NAHI
Standards comprise a minimum guideline for conducting a home inspection.
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NAHI
Standards of
Practice
NAHI Code of
Ethics
