Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 21, 1993 TAG: 9303190142
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: F1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
REPUTATION IS EVERYTHING TO INSPECTORS
Home inspectors are paid to tell owners - and prospective owners - what they think about houses. They're expected to uncover defects before they become major faults and to steer buyers away from lemons with shingles.But it's not as easy as it sounds. They spend an average of two to three hours looking at electrical and mechanical systems, plumbing and the structure of a house to see if everything is in working order. Generally, they charge $175 to $200 depending on the size and age of ahouse.
If you're buying a house, a home inspector can help you determine a fair offering price by factoring in the costs of any necessary repairs.
But many inspectors haven't taken a test to qualify them to sell you this information. None of them is licensed, and generally they like it that way.
"The general feeling among home inspectors is that a license doesn't account for experience," said Doug Mauer, owner of Home Technologies, a Blacksburg inspection company.
The Virginia Board of Commerce, the state agency that administers licensing programs for most trades and professions, is studying the feasibility of requiring that home inspectors be licensed. The proposal may be considered by next year's session of the General Assembly depending on what the study committee finds.
Now, anyone can work as a home inspector.
Mauer, who also has two part-time inspectors at his company, has been at it for seven years. He's handled jobs in the New River and Roanoke valleys.
He admits that there are some good and some not-so-good home inspectors. But he said he thinks requiring a person simply to pass a test isn't tough enough to weed out the bad seeds.
"People should check references and go on an inspector's reputation," he said.
There is another way people can find out if an inspector is worth the report he writes. If he is a member of the American Society of Home Inspectors, chances are better that he's got a good reputation.
"Many real estate people refer clients to home inspectors who are members of ASHI," said Vera Hollander-Walder, spokeswoman for the Washington-based trade group.
Mauer is no longer a member of ASHI because of "political reasons" but he says he still subscribes to its guidelines and code of ethics.
Hollander-Walder said members must pass three written tests, have performed at least 250 inspections, complete 40 hours of continuous education every two years and be reviewed by a board. Just because you apply doesn't mean you're accepted, Hollander-Walder said.
ASHI, founded in 1976, has 1,242 members nationwide and 2,157 candidates for membership, Hollander-Walder said. There are 53 members in Virginia and 66 candidates. According to the list of Virginia members, there are four are in Southwestern Virginia.
Just because a person isn't an ASHI member doesn't mean he isn't a good inspector, Hollander-Walder added. She attributed the lack of larger membership to a stringent admissions process and the fact that the group isn't well known.
A state licensing system would only let more people, some of whom aren't qualified, into the business, she contended.
"In other states where licensing has been proposed, they found it wasn't warranted," said Hollander-Walder.
Texas is the only state that currently requires inspectors to be licensed, she said. Because of so many problems in the system, it's in the process of being overhauled. Oregon is trying to implement mandatory forms, Hollander-Walder said.
"I doubt if any state can create the professionalism that a trade organization has," said Don Cass, who has been a home inspector for 15 years.
Cass owns Architectural Inspections Inc., is a member of ASHI and also is a licensed contractor in Virginia. However, he said he focuses strictly on home inspection these days.
He's one of two home inspectors listed in the Roanoke Yellow Pages.
Richard Hylton isn't listed under home inspection or on the current list of ASHI members. But he has been doing only house inspections in the Roanoke Valley for 12 years. He said there are several home inspectors in the area.
Some of them only do home inspections, but there are others who either work in hardware stores or are contractors. The concern about using a contractor as a home inspector is that he may discover problems just to have something to fix. Although this is not the norm, it has happened and it these are the people who give home inspectors a bad name.
Home inspectors say they don't want the state to regulate the industry because it would not be strict enough.
"The industry is better left unregulated," Mauer said. "It's not the competition, because it takes a while to build up a reputation and a practice; just like people don't go to a new doctor in town until someone tells them he's OK."
Charlyne H. McWilliams covers real estate for the Roanoke Times & World-News.