code enforcement officer

[Ilpo E. Majuri]

is internachi inspectors certification equal and reciprocating with icc inspectors certification

[Nick Gromicko]

No. 98% (less for the electrical portion of the inspection) of all the defects a home inspector normally uncovers are of systems or components installed perfectly to code... the system or component simply isn't functioning, is damaged, is worn out, is old, etc.

Codes are of use in installing an asphalt roof to code, but of little use when you have to inspect that same roof 25 years later when the roof is in horrible shape. The reasons the roof goes from perfect to horrible often have nothing to do with improper installation.

Anyway, the two disciplines are different. They may overlap, but only slightly.

[James H. Bushart]

Codes are the minimum basic legal standard by which anything less is against the law.

Home inspectors report upon the current conditions of the systems, reporting material defects when found, and (sometimes) recommending when to repair or replace them.

While home inspectors must know the codes that are applied in the area(s) in which they work, the code inspector is strictly limited to them. His hands are tied when the very basic minimum standard has been met....but the home inspector can still address the defects and recommend repair or replacement.

Often, a confrontation will take place between a commissioned real estate salesman and a home inspector over this very issue. The commissioned salesman, who does not get paid unless there is a sale, will quickly point out to an inspector that an item he has called out for repair or replacement "meets code" and will insist that it is, thereby, not defective. Often, they will use the approved permit inspection as evidence to their claim.

[cjustason]

Originally Posted by jbushart

Codes are the minimum basic legal standard by which anything less is against the law.

Home inspectors report upon the current conditions of the systems, reporting material defects when found, and (sometimes) recommending when to repair or replace them.

While home inspectors must know the codes that are applied in the area(s) in which they work, the code inspector is strictly limited to them. His hands are tied when the very basic minimum standard has been met....but the home inspector can still address the defects and recommend repair or replacement.

Often, a confrontation will take place between a commissioned real estate salesman and a home inspector over this very issue. The commissioned salesman, who does not get paid unless there is a sale, will quickly point out to an inspector that an item he has called out for repair or replacement "meets code" and will insist that it is, thereby, not defective. Often, they will use the approved permit inspection as evidence to their claim.

And your response to the realtor is?

[Mike O'Handley]

Hi Ilpo,

About 8 years ago, the Alliance of Canadian Building Officials' Association (ACBOA) and the Canadian Association of home and Property Inspectors (CAHPI), with the assistance of Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) commissioned a role delineation study of the building inspector and home inspector professions and then collaborated to develop national standards for the public and private sectors of the building inspection industry.

The reports and occupational standards that came out of that study are an excellent way to understand what it is home inspectors do, what building inspectors do, and what they both do. The occupational standards were broken down into three categories - the home inspector's core competencies, the building inspector's core competencies, and the common core competencies that both must know. The common core competencies are listed here:

http://www.cahpi.ca/images/stories/pdfs/common.pdf

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike O'Handley, LHI
Your Inspector LLC.
Kenmore, Washington
Wa. Lic. Home Inspector #202

[Paul Pendley]

Are you a code inspector or a home inspector?

[cjustason]

ignore inspector

[James H. Bushart]

Originally Posted by cjustason

And your response to the realtor is?

Usually, I don't respond to the commissioned real estate salesman at all, at that point. I will smile and acknowledge him, and I will inform my client of the difference between merely "meeting code" and quality.

Often, I will use the government code for acceptable food as an example. The code will allow up to a certain amount of rat feces to be in my baloney before the government will stop it from being sold. Now, while X% of rat poop might "meet code", most of us prefer to have no rat poop on our sandwiches at all.

Your commissioned real estate salesman, who does not get paid unless there is a sale, will tell you that your baloney "meets code" and is thereby not defective. So must your code inspector. I, however, will still point out to you that there is rat poop in your sandwich.

That is the difference.

[Gerry Pallotta]

Jim
LoL. Great response. I have to steal that one from you.

[Chuck Evans]

Perfect response James. Destined to become a classic!

[Bruce A. King]

Originally Posted by Mike O'Handley

Hi Ilpo,

About 8 years ago, the Alliance of Canadian Building Officials' Association (ACBOA) and the Canadian Association of home and Property Inspectors (CAHPI), with the assistance of Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) commissioned a role delineation study of the building inspector and home inspector professions and then collaborated to develop national standards for the public and private sectors of the building inspection industry.

The reports and occupational standards that came out of that study are an excellent way to understand what it is home inspectors do, what building inspectors do, and what they both do. The occupational standards were broken down into three categories - the home inspector's core competencies, the building inspector's core competencies, and the common core competencies that both must know. The common core competencies are listed here:

http://www.cahpi.ca/images/stories/pdfs/common.pdf

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike O'Handley, LHI
Your Inspector LLC.
Kenmore, Washington
Wa. Lic. Home Inspector #202

wow! Talk about a good document for setting up code inspectors for major liability! That document could bury the whole code inspection division of the government. I seriously doubt if its any different in Canada than here. They may want the public to think they inspect everything in that core competency document but the hard truth is that they do very little of it.