What is the Home Inspection Industry
The home inspection service evolved as an industry in the 1990’s from a need for professional advice on the condition of a dwelling prior to its purchase. This was a giant step away from the concept of “Buyer Beware” into the age of consumer awareness. Consumer awareness escalated with the “leaky condo syndrome” drawing attention to apartment and townhouse complexes requiring massive costly repairs due to water penetration. The result is a growing demand for highly trained individuals with a depth of knowledge in all components related to residential construction and a keen interest in protecting their client.
Government licensing regulations mandated that all those providing a home inspection service to the public for a fee must be licensed. This meant each individual had to be licensed not just the owner of the business; in essences each individual was responsible for his or her results.
As a result the industry has become high risk in that the home inspector is responsible for reporting all deficiencies from a visual inspection. This is not an easy task nor is this responsibility taken lightly. The risk involved is offset by the rewards, here are a few examples:
- Gratification from sharing experience and knowledge that clients can rely on.
- Pride of business ownership.
- Finance reward.
- Opportunity to continue education and personal growth.
Individuals entering this industry should alien themselves with an organization dedicated to protecting consumers through Professional Designations protected by Government Legislation creating longevity to their business.
The three steps to a House Inspector business:
- Membership in an organization approved by government, ASTTBC is.
- Certification by that organization.
- Government Licensing.