Choosing a Home Inspector

Home inspection requires special training, knowledge and communication skills. For some time, a national certification program has been encouraged by consumers, banks, and insurance companies to be developed for the home and property inspection industry, to perform national standards of practice.

To develop and implement an industry led by national standards, a national association, the Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors (CAHPI), was formed by representatives from provincial associations across Canada. With the support of the provincial associations, CMHC and Human Resources Development Canada associations (HRDC), CAHPI has implemented national accreditation and certification standards. This results in a recognizable home inspection industry that can provide Canadian consumers with reliable third-party advice that follow uniform standards.

It is important to choose an inspector wisely.  There is no requirement for home inspectors to take any courses or to have passed any tests; anyone can say that they are a home inspector.

Acknowledged home and property inspectors generally belong to a provincial or regional industry association. Each association has set standards recognized by provincial governments. Some have developed membership categories based on the individual members’ qualifications. In most provinces, a member cannot advertise or promote his or her membership in the association until they have reached the minimum standards of practicing. These standards vary from province to province.

To become a member of these associations, an inspector must meet professional and educational requirements followed by a review. Members of these associations are also required to have errors and omission insurance, as other professionals require.

Next week I’ll share a few important questions to ask when selecting a home inspector!