Look for RHI designation to ensure you're not getting uncertified `cowboy'

[John Q. Public]

I think he's right!!!

http://www.thestar.com/article/256044

[rcooke]

Originally Posted by John Q. Public

I think he's right!!!

http://www.thestar.com/article/256044

Yep treat the RHIs special and tell the rest of the members they can do inspections but are not allowed to tell people they are members of OAHI .
242 RHIs being qualified to do inspections
104 Associate who are on their way to being Qualified
6 applicants who want to be associates
412 Students who have no recognized qualifications
764 total who are doing inspections and
OAHI says only 242 RHIs are qualified .
This is sure a poor way to treat a large % of their members .
Two thirds of the OAHI members are second class people.

NACHI treats all who have passed the NACHI exam and joined NACHI as equal home inspectors 100 % is great and cost is $269. Conference was $99:00
OAHI cost starts at $450;00 and continues to up too $10,000; and they do not let many make it to the RHI for many many years it has stayed at 200+~ RHIs can you say a closed door group .
Been there saw how they work and Joined NACHI the Greatest Home Inspection association around .
Where all are welcome to visit even those who will not sign their own name like MR John Q Public , So sorry you have to hide who you are .
.... Cookie








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[rwand1]

John Q Public is showing just how little he knows.

Anyone in the Registry is entitled to use RHI. That is a fact. Therefore anyone who is a member who hasn't jumped through all the hoops is in fact a RHI! Needless to say OAHI is deceitfully and wantonly misrepresenting and acting contrary to PR 158. Its like many things OAHI does which are contrary to the Act. Mr. Maxwell may wish to brush up on his topics before he readily accepts false information from OAHI that they wish to be printed.

Perhaps Mr. Maxwell should be asking about the financial concerns with the falling revenues and decreasing membership along with non conservative budget estimates contrary to the bylaws.

[rwand1]

My letter to Mr. Maxwell.

Dear Mr. Maxwell,

Re your article entitled "Home inspectors' qualifications vary", in the Saturday Toronto Star.

I am a senior member of OAHI since 1991, and I can tell you that article is in err. I have attached the Private Members Bill (Pr 15 which you can see for yourself gives OAHI its charter.

You should be aware that anyone in the Registry is entitled to use RHI. That is a fact. Therefore anyone who is a member who hasn't jumped through all the hoops is in fact a RHI! Needless to say OAHI is deceitfully and wantonly misrepresenting and acting contrary to PR 158. Its like many things OAHI does which are contrary to the Act. Mr. Maxwell you may wish to brush up on the Act before accepting as fact what OAHI has provided you. These gives consumers a false sense of security.

Further contrary to your article there are many private inspectors who are qualified to inspect because they are past members of OAHI. There are also two other home inspection associations which you have failed to mention. These are ASHI (American Society of Home Inspectors) and NACHI (National Association of Home Inspectors) each association has varying degrees of entry requirements. By no means is OAHI RHI the only qualifying credential. Further there are many Professional Engineers and Architects providing inspection services and are not members of any home inspection association.

Also please note that National Certification is another self regulating body made up of voluntary membership which is home inspectors overseeing home inspectors. Licencing is the only alternative to bring all home inspectors in Ontario under the scrutiny and oversight of government appointed governance council to ensure the home buying public is being served fairly.

I hope you take the time to correct the misinformation that you have provided the public in your article.

Thank you.

Raymond Wand RHI, CHI, ASHI, OAHI, CFIHI.
http://www.raymondwand.ca

[cgoyette]

Originally Posted by rwand1

My letter to Mr. Maxwell.

Not from Canada but I like how you operate!

[rwand1]

Curt

Thanks!

The number of hits on this Canadian section is a testament how many Canadian members from that other association come here to get the truth, that they will not get from their own association. OAHI has a long history of abuse of its members by a clique.

[rwand1]

I guess Mr. Maxwell wouldn't care to know that at least one RHI was caught using PEO designation of which he was not an engineer.

Or another recent member (RHI) who I reported to PEO for use of desginations he was not qualified to use. And when I reported that RHI to OAHI the reply that came back was I was more or less a hypocrite.

Or what about the other member who was charged with defrauding the school board of hundreds of thousands of dollars and found guilty by the courts?

Or what about a former Board of Examiners who had a member complaint buried to suit his buddies on the BOE agenda?

Or how about vote fixing, and proxy fixing?

Or how about serious questions to answers about the financial info?

Or how about other serious matters many do not even know about or have chosen to ignore because they have been intimidated?

Now you know why Cam Allen, myself and others have publicly called for a forensic audit!

[rwand1]

I have rec'd a reply from Mr. Maxwell.

He asks what is the best way for consumers to find a reputable home inspector, if the RHI designation can't be trusted.

If you folks would like and before I reply, ... I can incorporate your answers into my reply.

Thank you.

[mdiplock]

Ray, there are many excellent inspectors in different associations, there are also some that are, shall we say not so excellent. How does one find the truly qualified inspector. Do they go with a known franchise or perhaps just word of mouth, or maybe they know someone who had an inspection who found their inspector to be very thorough. I don't know what the answer is or what to tell this guy. It's buyer beware, I know I'm a good inspector (and modest ) I hear your a very good inspector as are many many of us out there. So how do we get the general public to be aware of who we are and how to find us? It will be interesting to hear some ideas.

[rwand1]

How to find a reputable home inspector.

* Check for affiliaions/memberships in Nachi, Ashi, CAHPI.
* How long has the inspector been in biz?
* Does the inspector subscribe to industry SOP/COE?
* Can the inspector provide referrals?
* Referrals from relatives, friends, co-workers
* Referrals from realtors provided they provide three names of inspectors
* Ask your insurer, mortgage lender, lawyer

a few that come to mind..

[Brian A. MacNeish]

Originally Posted by rwand1

How to find a reputable home inspector.

* Check for affiliaions/memberships in Nachi, Ashi, CAHPI.
* How long has the inspector been in biz?
* Does the inspector subscribe to industry SOP/COE?
* Can the inspector provide referrals?
* Referrals from relatives, friends, co-workers
* Referrals from realtors provided they provide three names of inspectors
* Ask your insurer, mortgage lender, lawyer

a few that come to mind..

Using realtors for referrals is the last thing I'd recommend to anyone unless they were friends with the realtor. Remember, they make good money from a sale so who's interest is primary in the transaction?

The only realtor that recommends me reguilarly is a long time 30+ year veteran that sold me my home. Others use me occasionally when there is a property that really needs a thorough, accurate inspection or when they, a family member or friend needs a good inspection. This happened 8-9 times in the past year.......one guy used me twice for his soon-to-be-married daughter's first home and for his retirement residence......haven't received any other work from him in 16 months!!! A realtor building a $5-600,000 home on the water directly accross the road from me has never referred me but has called me twice about items for his new house.......I seemed to be too busy those days......wonder how that happened.

[rwand1]

Brian

While its a love hate relationship with realtors, there are some very professional and ethical agents. I know that because I have the privilege of working for a number of them. Having said that I know that these agents would only be recommending the best inspectors only when the client asks who is the best in their opinion. It stands to reason that a purchaser would naturally ask about inspectors and who they recommend or at the very least their feedback on the clients chosen inspector. Such information can verify and provide info on the consumers choice(s).

[Brian A. MacNeish]

Actually, Ray, one of my 4 inspections this weekend was a referral (talked to client after last post) from a realtor- get 2-3-4 per year from this guy but they are all houses that need a really experienced inspector. This one yesterday was built in the 1930's, had moisture in basement, lots of efflourescence, had crumbling concrete in some areas of foundation/floor slab, new steel jack post, few doors that would not close, had new electrical entrance and basement wiring, dated light fixtures upstairs and of course K+T wire (found 50-60% of total wiring).......that's why I got the call.......to figure this all out for first time young buyers!!

Other clients were: a mechanical engineer I inspected for 5-6 years ago, a young second time buyer and a lawyer + wife second time buyers looking at her parents home.....both the second time buyers used one of the large franchisors for their first homes and didn't want that experience again...found my Yellow Pages ad, went to my website and no further!!

Hope I can find some of those very professional, ethical agents you talk about!! The Independant Inspectors Association looks pretty good at times!!

[George A. H. Luck]

Look for the C.M.I. designation for the solution to the designation question. C.M.I is the only INTERNATIONALLY recognized designation and trumps provincial and so called national wannabees!

[gmortensen]

Originally Posted by rwand1

How to find a reputable home inspector.

* Check for affiliaions/memberships in Nachi, Ashi, CAHPI.
* How long has the inspector been in biz?
* Does the inspector subscribe to industry SOP/COE?
* Can the inspector provide referrals?
* Referrals from relatives, friends, co-workers
* Referrals from realtors provided they provide three names of inspectors
* Ask your insurer, mortgage lender, lawyer

a few that come to mind..

I agree with all of these statements and would add: ask how many inspections the inspector will perform in a day? That is, how much time will he spend doing my inspection? Can I expect a thorough inspection or does he try to squeeze 6 in a day?