Hiring a Home Inspector

Local Inspection Issues Canadian Home Inspectors
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Below copied in part from:

http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/co/buho/buho_001.cfm

Choosing a Home Inspector

The home inspection industry, with support from CMHC, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada and the Construction Sector Council, developed and validated a national occupational standard for home inspectors and a national certification program model to harmonize licensing, standards of performance and the certification of private home inspectors across the country. The purpose was to develop a rigorous and nationally consistent framework for the training and certification of home inspectors in Canada that potential homebuyers could use to identify qualified home inspectors. This national standard and certification program model also provides a way for home inspectors to demonstrate their knowledge and competence. You may ask whether an inspector has been certified by an organization based on this national occupational standard and national certification program model.

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From the same article…

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That is true but it certainly will reduce risks.

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Thanks, Marcel:

The National Home Inspector Certification Council (NHICC), an independent national certification body, is authorized to deliver this certification based on the NOS as mentioned by CMHC. It is the only organization that has agreed to adhere strictly to the content and spirit of the CHIBO model for Canadian Home Inspector Certification. The NHICC welcomes applications from members of any and all associations, or from inspectors who choose to not belong to any assiciation.

Bill Mullen

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Certification by any association merely endorses the membership level of the person belonging to this particular association. It does not certify on his/her ability to perform the inspection properly.
National Home Inspection Certification Council (NHICC), on the other hand, does certify that an inspector has a certain level of verifiable education and experience. This certification also confirms that inspector successfully passed a rigorous practical test with peer review and is capable of conducting the service to the highest level of industry standards.

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Well said, Yuri. Inspectors like yourself who can look at the issues objectively benefit us all. Your understanding and support for the NHICC will soon reap you some important rewards. There is something very big on the near horizon that will directly positively affect the NHICC and its believers and will be a Game Changer for the entire Canadian industry.

Bill Mullen

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thank you.
I applaud the CMHC for reviewing their past practice on recommending C.A.H.P.I. as the first place to start looking for a home inspector.
Are they promoting the national occupational standard Marcel?
Now lets not walk a lobbing line that demotes other inspectors due to there affiliation, association or education and educator…

Let Human Resources in Canada invest in all associations equally so all have the opertunity educate, let the construction into work Marcel.

There are to many lobbing for the finite amount of work.
Let the Skills Development Canada and the Construction Sector Council, work on there members practices, the Human Resources help all Home Inspection associations in Canada gain an equal footing with education and the CMHC be unbiased with there explanation of how to review a prospective home inspector.
E&O being the first good step…

JMO.

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**

http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs075/1102324244169/img/76.jpg

**
**NATIONAL HOME INSPECTOR **
**CERTIFICATION COUNCIL **
**(NHICC) **
The NHICC will be making an announcement at the Ottawa Meeting about a recent agreement with a third party accreditation organization.

Full details of this industry changing development will be released through a joint Press Release next week.

We invite all home inspectors to attend the information meeting we are offering in Ottawa so you can learn more about the NHICC, the National Certification Program and this latest development. There is no charge for the meeting.
Here are the details:

            **DATE:  Wednesday, August 15, 2012**

** TIME: 9:00 AM until 12:00 Noon**

** PLACE: Travelodge Hotel & Conference Centre**
** 1376 Carling Avenue, OTTAWA, ON K1Z 7L5**

Our goal is to show how the NHICC provides a valuable, robust and nationally approved credential. The NHICC is an independent national certification body rather than an industry association, so it welcomes all Home Inspectors.

Home inspectors in Canada are encouraged to consider the benefits and significance of having the NHI credential. It recognizes that we meet the National Occupational Standards that are established for the Canadian home inspection industry.

The National Certification Program was created with the support of every major government stakeholder in Canada, and is owned by Construction Sector Council.

You can contact us at:
info@nationalhomeinspector.org , phone at 519-384-8040 or FAX at 519-383-0526.

National Home Inspector Certification Council
P.O. Box 22028
Windsor, ON N8N 5G6
www.nationalhomeinspector.org

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It sounds good and the website www.csc-ca.org looks great however I would still be concerned that this is a control group for a business that they have no skills In. Is anyone on the council here that has done Inspection for 10 years?
There does not seem to be any training directly linked to Home Inspection.
When it speaks of National Standards! From where?
There is no Mention of NHICC being partnered with them?

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Kevin:

You have me a bit confused, but if you clarify your questions we can likely answer them.

  1. Which website looks good? - NHICC or CSC ??
  2. Which ‘control group’ ? If you are referring to the NHICC, most of its leaders have at least 15 years of inspection experience. If you are referring to the Construction Sector Council, (CSC) they were very active in helping create the National Certification Program and they are the legal owners of the program. However, they do not play a role in delivering the program. They have authorized the NHICC to administer the program.
  3. The NHICC does not do any training. It is strictly in the certification business. CSC also leaves home inspection training up to our industry.
  4. The national standards are the National Occupational Standards for Canadian Home Inspectors that were developed in 2001 and updated in 2008.
  5. Who is the ‘them’ that you say there is “no Mention of NHICC being partnered with them?” If you mean CSC, they are not partnered with the NHICC. This NHICC meeting notice is referring to yet a third national group which is working with the NHICC.

Sorry if it’s confusing. Full details will come out this week in press releases and newspaper articles. Everyone in our industry can benefit greatly from this latest development.

Bill Mullen

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Sorry to clarify you said that NCP is owned by the CSC however none of the the directors are from the NHICC and I cant find info on the NCP for Home Inspection.
Who is this third party that is secretly being put on the wrong MB since you are not a member of InterNachi?
What is the
National Occupational Standards for Canadian Home Inspectors

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It will be next to, but not totally, impossible to find anything about the NCP on the CSC website. They were strong supporters of the original project and played a big part in it, but once it was a done deal, they turned administration of it over to qualified segments of the home inspection industry. (First CAHPI who abandoned it and now the NHICC) I know it’s confusing, even to some of us, but for legal reasons, the CSC offered to ‘own’ the program.

If you want info on the NCP, it is on the NHICC website.

I may not be a member, but I have been allowed to post, especially when it provides information to NACHI members. This announcement that will come out in a few days will be a benefit to all Canadian home inspectors in many ways. The profile of our entire industry is about to be elevated to a new level.

If you and others prefer not to know what’s going on, tell Nick to cancel my posting privileges. However, the NCP is available to all Canadian inspectors, even NACHI members. I can certainly get along fine without this if you wish.

Bill Mullen

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I tried to upload the document but it is too large. You can find it at www.nationalhomeinspector.org
The NOS was reviewed and redeveloped by a committee including NACHI members in 2008.

Bill Mullen

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Bill it is OK to post as long as you are clear in the pursuit. I need not remind you of the the long MB debates about who should control the Industry. I am seeing a win situation right now that we may have to go to the same level as CCHI in Alberta. This is good for Ontario if the right people are put in control.
I don’t think that control belongs to either CAPHI or OAHI ever but InterNachi Inspectors. This is my reasoning on the matter. InterNachi is the biggest most respected Association all across North America.
Each and everyone knows that if you compiled all you can learn from InterNachi for 365/yr it would be well over $50,000. No other association even comes close to this.
Since they are being recognized everywhere. Why try to change the wheel, just come along for the ride.

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Kevin:

This has nothing to do with ‘control’. Your statements above show exactly why no one group should have too much influence. Every association thinks they have all the answers, but we and others have not been asking the right questions to generate those answers.

What is going to happen is that future evaluations and certifications for the industry will be turned over to people who are well trained to do certifications, objective, totally neutral and have no dog in the hunt. There will certainly be input from inspectors, but the days of ‘inspectors certifying inspectors’ might soon be over. Everyone will be measured by the same yardstick. Every inspector in the country will have equal opportunities to take advantage of this.

It’s a win/win for our entire industry. Associations can stick to doing what they should do best, and that is working to make life better for their members.

Bill Mullen

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Now that I can agree with but the input should be the other way around.
No one should be CERTIFYING HOME INSPECTORS unless the Government recognizes fully all Inspectors equally.
Since Alberta Has already got this approved I think Ontario should follow the leaders.
CCHI has already been established and should carry on with the work to get this in Ontario.
CMI and RHI’s should work together to do the same in Ontario.
Government needs to recognize that we could do this on our own but like anything Professional oversite and funding should come from within the Government.

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Hi Kevin:

Somehow I’m not able to fully explain this to you, partly because I have been told to not reveal some details. Maybe we’re getting ahead of ourselves a bit. However, this is NOT a government initiative and the parties involved have nothing to do with government.
Let’s wait until the news releases come out and then we can discuss everything based on real facts.

Thnaks

Bill Mullen

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Ok Bill! I hope it is a good thing for all Inspectors and not just another selection of choice.

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Kevin - unfortunately even with regulations for home inspections in both BC and Alberta, it still seems regardless of the association or credential recognized, not every inspector is licensed based on the same standard.

BC Consumer Protection started down that path, to find uniformity. There still seems reluctance by some (associations) to say we are ALL equal. From my POV and research, some seem lower, and others claim they are the top dogs! Those wanting “equality” need to consider do they actually measure up. Of course the other key point is who “independently” inspects and certifies inspectors? That will be the game changer.

I see and hear of too many that want to take the easy, overnight path to claim they are experts. Reality is by actual assessment and field testing about 20% are not even meeting the SOP (Standards of Practice) and fail to meet an 80% rate of finding “significant” defects.

On another note being the largest, and providing lots of perks and benefits has nothing to do with the providing a high quality and delivering skiils on a consistent high standard.

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Yes I will agree with this Claude!
No InterNachi Inspector should be allowed to advertise they are a CERTIFED Home Inspector until they have completed 250 Hrs of Schooling and about 25 Peer revues. They should also be required to pass a locally recognized test with a score of 80% or better and they can advertize they are working for the CERTIFICATION.
Then they can call themselves CANADIAN or ONTARIO CERTIFIED HOME INSPECTORS.
If they want to progress quicker they can work along with a RHI or CMI.