WV HIs

[Roy D. Cooke, Sr]

WV Home Inspections
WTAP News
Denise Alex

A new state law going into effect Tuesday requires that all West Virginia home inspectors be certified through the state fire commission.
To be certified, home inspectors will have to pass the national home inspection exam. The new law also includes requirements for continuing education and liability insurance coverage.
if (self['plpm'] && plpm['Mid-Story Ad']) document.write('');if (self['plpm'] && plpm['Mid-Story Ad']){ document.write(plpm['Mid-Story Ad']);} else { if(self['plurp'] && plurp['97']){} else {document.write(''); } }if (self['plpm'] && plpm['Mid-Story Ad']) document.write('');Michael Reel of Integrity Home Inspections in Williamstown is a charter member and current vice president of the West Virginia Association of Home Inspectors. He wrote the legislation, which was approved by lawmakers in April.
Reel says that in the past, someone could go to the secretary of state's office, get a business license and call himself a home inspector. He says that put the public at risk because many people wrongly assume a business license is the same thing as having credentials.
The state rules are based on the guidelines of the American Society of Home Inspectors and the National Association of Home Inspectors.

Roy Cooke sr

[JLilly]

The State has not issued a single license. I'm attending a meeting of the WVAHI tonight to learn more. My paperwork is in order and in the State Fire Marshal's office. I'm working today. The word is that license numbers will be issued during the week but as of this morning no one has been issued a license yet.

[JLilly]

The State Fire Marshal will start issuing License Numbers Thursday the word is. W.Va. inspectors may work as long as they have their paper work turned in.

[Steven A. Hensley]

I am sorry to say that the State of WV seems to be trying to making it impossible for NACHI inspectors.
Every time I call the Fire Marchalls office I get the same old line of ---- and it is not recognizing NACHI membership whatsoever.
The National exam is a joke and all the experience I have, and the study material that is out there is useless unless you are a ASHI member.
I took the national and was outraged how the test had hardly any home inspection techniques used in the field, and really don't know where to turn .
I have surfed the internet for days to come up with anything that is similar to the national ( now that I know what it consist of ) and feel kinda lost at this point.
The NACHI material as good as it is was no help because the test is not intended for a NACHI member.
Is anyone else having trouble with the National...please reply.
PS. sorry, don't mean to whine I'm just pissed

[JLilly]

This is definitely an ASHI and NAHI situation with the state. I passed the National. I did study a little before test day but mostly relied on my experience and HI training. One book that I did read before the test was “Essentials of Home Inspection”. There have been two recent threads on the National Exam. I started one of them. I didn’t know what to expect with the test and thought I would get as much info as I could before taking the test. See this thread http://www.nachi.org/forum/showthread.php?t=4852&highlight=nhie

[Steven A. Hensley]

Thank you James

[jsmith14]

Well, I just got off the phone with The State Fire Marshalls Office in West Virginia.It was explained to me on Thursday of last week that the NACHI exam would be considered an equivalent to The NHIE.Well, today he said that they had a meeting on that subject and decided that until NACHI ,NAHI,and ASHI sent them their format of testing that they would only accept the NHIE for now.So I guess there goes another $100.

[Erby Crofutt]

Most of the experienced HI's that flunk the NHIE forget that it is a BASIC exam asking questions they haven't really thought about for years and stumble on the answer.

i.e. what size of drain pipe is needed under a lavatory?

or how many amps will a #6 wire carry, etc, etc, etc.

Someplace I made and posted some basic notes I used to study for the NHIE.


Want a copy e-mail me at erby@b4uclose.com

[jsmith14]

Hey thanks,
I don't mind taking the exam,especially if it were offered online.It's just a pain in the buttox to go to Dunbar ,WV ,sit down for 4 hours and take the exam.The other fact is that there is $200.00 worth of pressure on you to pass.It seems to make some simple questions appear to be trick or difficult questions.Ok,I'll stop whining,It just seems a little starnge that there is only one exam that we can take,and not a State written or generic type of exam that maybe cost $30.

[ddelaney]

The process to this point has been pushed by ASHI & WVAHI. Just play their games, and get the certification--they are collectively hoping that the members not in their organizations will not get certified, and they can have the additional business.

I consider this as a challenge. I have purposely been to SEVERAL RE offices since this legislation was signed, just to HELP them to understand what this means, and how it works--I have also happened to recieve about 30% MORE inspections since. I like the way they brought this all about.

Stand up, play their game, and beat them at it. You will be very happy when you see just how furious it makes them.

[John Bowman]

Originally Posted by ddelaney

The process to this point has been pushed by ASHI & WVAHI. Just play their games, and get the certification--they are collectively hoping that the members not in their organizations will not get certified, and they can have the additional business.

I consider this as a challenge. I have purposely been to SEVERAL RE offices since this legislation was signed, just to HELP them to understand what this means, and how it works--I have also happened to recieve about 30% MORE inspections since. I like the way they brought this all about.

Stand up, play their game, and beat them at it. You will be very happy when you see just how furious it makes them.

One of the most reasonable posts I have read in a long time. From my observations enacted laws put ASHI/NAHI candidates out of business more than any other association. Perhaps the reason may in fact be that NACHI puts vast amounts of effort behind supporting their membership in their individual goals in education, marketing, and benefits.

Hopefully in the future NACHI West Virginia members will speak out against the exclusive use of the NHIE exam for state licensure. Signaling out one particular business within any law should be (or is possibly) a violation of anyones constitutional rights and definitely violates free trade practices. Just what will West Virginia and other states do when the NHIE goes belly up.

As it stands now, ASHI has total control over many states, solely based on their being the loan holder of the business operated by Noel Zak and her group that administer the NHIE. ASHI could in fact call that loan in tomorrow, find Noel and her group in default and assume control of the NHIE. In fact ASHI could shut down the exam totally tomorrow and in many states this would halt the licensure process completely. No state should be held hostage like this.

[James H. Bushart]

I agree with Mr. Bowman. The time to fight legislation is prior to its becoming law. Once it becomes law, our COE requires compliance.

Turning their chicken sh*t into chicken salad is the way to defeat those who enacted the law to put you out of business.

Go get 'em, West Virginia!!!!

[jsmith14]

You know,I used to have to deal with alot of county commissioners once when I helped a friend get his heavy equipment business off the ground.And I realised one thing in doing business with government officials.If you become their friend,and you really want to sell them something,you can talk these guys into writing the specs on whatever they need around your product or equipment as in my case.I don't know how many boom mower tractors I sold because I could get the county to write the specs around what product I was selling.It's a sure deal.I think that is what happened with The State of West Virginia.Someone has a friend....who has a friend.Oh well,I will focus on what I need to now,and that's to kick some major bootie.Hey I might see some of you guys in Richmon,Virginia

[jsmith14]

You know,I used to have to deal with alot of county commissioners once when I helped a friend get his heavy equipment business off the ground.And I realised one thing in doing business with government officials.If you become their friend,and you really want to sell them something,you can talk these guys into writing the specs on whatever they need around your product or equipment as in my case.I don't know how many boom mower tractors I sold because I could get the county to write the specs around what product I was selling.It's a sure deal.I think that is what happened with The State of West Virginia.Someone has a friend....who has a friend.Oh well,I will focus on what I need to now,and that's to kick some major bootie.Hey I might see some of you guys in Richmon,Virginia

[Steven A. Hensley]

Can NACHI send WV the testing format to the Fire Marshall and show them that the NACHI format and National exam is not something that just anyone can pass.
I'm not trying to get out of the NHIE, I just know for a fact that we are as good as it gets in education and standards, but if we don't have each other's back down here than WV will be all ASHI.