So I have been having a few people ask if I can do there termite inspection with my home inspection and I am not licensed for that inspection. So what are others doing about termite inspections, did you find a local company that will do that inspection, I have even seen a few inspectors that are offering the termite inspection for free, so does that mean maybe the pest control company is doing this for free or are they just absorbing the cost?
You have to be a Certified Operator or an ID card holder to provide a WDO inspection. Most will have another do the inspection. The legalities of doing proper WDO inspections as an **employee **of a Pest Control Operator can be tricky and are specific.
There are companies that you can work for that will allow you to do the inspection as an ID card holder, but you must follow all of the rules. The company(ies) change every few years because they do not follow the rules and DACS catches up to them.
In some instances, it is a symbiotic relationship. The pest control company doesn’t charge the inspector for the inspection in the hopes of being able to either get a treatment or pest control out of the inspection.
I just refer my clients to someone and they pay him separately. If they get the treatment, they will usually refund the fee.
Can a Florida Licensed Contractor (Div.1 of course) do WDO inspections under the scope of their license?
No. It’s actually handled by a whole different governmental agency. GC falls under CILB (Construction Industry Licensing Board) and CPCO falls under DACS (Department of Agricultural and Consumer Services).
Interesting. Why not? As inspections and repairs are within the scope of a Florida Licensed Contractor, It would seem logical that WDO inspections would be within that same scope?
I understand that the WDO is regulated by a different agency than the CILB. But— so is home inspection and mold licensing- different divisions of DBPR.
How would identifying insects fall under a contractor’s license? Unless you ask the contractors lobby, then it makes perfect sense.
In Indiana it is the State Chemist office that issues the WDO Licenses. It is interesting and confusing to hear how different states handle these things
How does mold assessment and remediation and home inspection fall under a contractor’s license? I can find no language in FS489 scope section the even mentions the word “inspection”. Clearly, the legislature (back in 1971 I believe) recognized the conflict of inspecting your own work. I believe that is why we have municipal code inspectors as a non biased independent inspection of a contractor’s work.
One final time and I will step off my soap box and go to work:
** I have no issues with contractors doing inspections**- provided they play by the same rules as professional inspectors. Under the current scenario created by the CILB and DBPR, contractors are not bound by the home inspectors SOP for inspections, nor are they bound by ethics provisions that professional inspectors are bound by in the inspector’s statute. These are facts-(as I see them). Clearly, this scenario created by the CILB and DBPR is a disservice to the home buyer and effectively urinates on the home inspector licensing law.
Because contractors have been doing this work way before MRS and HI licensing started. You seem to forget a very important part of this, which states that contractors are NOT allowed to hold themselves out to the public as Mold Assessors, Mold Remediators, or Home Inspectors without the additional license. So it’s kind of moot point and not a real problem.
I don’t want to hijack this thread, but this topic deserves further civil discussion. I have many questions. Here is one. Does a Florida licensed ccontractor (div 1) that does a home inspection have to abide by the home inspectors statute relating to SOP and ethics provisions?
If they call it a home inspection, and its done for a real estate transaction I would say yes. They could call it something else and follow whatever rules they want to then.
I understand your position and thought process regarding calling the service a home inspection or if it is part of a real estate transaction. However, what legal doctrine or statute is there to support your position? Your second sentence asserts that as long as they call it something other than a “home inspection”- then they are not bound by any SOP or ethics provisions that professional inspectors are bound by is what is disturbing to me.
Exactly
Disturbing to all, actually. But in reality, are these pseudo/quasi-inspections a trend in today’s marketplace? If so, I haven’t seen it in my neck of the woods, either that, or I’m not looking hard enough.
How about everyone just worries about what THEY can or Cannot do and STOP trying to LIMIT competition through legislation ???
If you think someone has an advantage over you because of the license or qualifications they have then…
A Novel Idea coming up…
Get the same qualifications or license they have.
Many here make me think about Witch Doctors b i t c h ing that they cannot prescribe meds. Personally I do not care but if you want to prescribe meds then become a doctor.
If you want the rights and ability to do things Div 1 contractors have or do then get the license. If not go home and quit crying about what is not fair. They have earned their rights and such you can do the same.
I really think that when I get a nasal infection or something I know antibiotics will cure I could just go get them myself but GUESS WHAT? I cannot because I am not a Doctor. I know what my problem is and I know what I need but the LAW says I cannot get it myself. Get used to it. Do not try to equal the playing grounds by holding others back get the qualifications and licenses to do what you want then kick their a s s like a man or woman legitly “I don’t think that is a real word but oh well” without begging for help from the Gov…
No one is “holding anyone back”. In fact, it is the reverse. The contractors, you in particular, do not want to get a home inspection license, because you feel as a contractor, you are qualified to perform inspections. On one hand, you don’t want licensing, but on the other, you think because you have a GC license, you are qualified to do anything you want.
As to your doctor analogy…stick to doing wind mits…at least you know something about those. :mrgreen:
I have a home inspector license and was one of the first to get it #299 
And how many verifiable complete home inspections have you performed? 