kendm1
Member
- Location
- Louisville KY
:thumbsup:
Home Inspectors
- Thread starter kendm1
- Start date
- Status
kendm1
Member
- Location
- Louisville KY
?? We do in KY. It's required to have background checks every license period and most good inspectors submit a pretty good list of qualifications on their website. My dad died when I was 10 and I was the youngest or 5 back during the Vietnam era and we ran with all the rednecks older than ourselves when everyone still had fun tinkering with cars and building treehouses and hunting. After getting kicked out of 3 high schools I went to and graduated from Job Corps with diploma in Construction and Concrete. The recession of 84 was still happening so I went into the Union for a stint then residential building, maintenance and remodeling. Did room additions, remodels and structural repairs for years and started my own handyman repairs business. Like I said before I don't know as much as I should and always learning just like most people still breathing. Trust me there are some extremely god inspectors out there just too few.
jxofaltrds
Inspector Mike®
- Location
- Mike P. Columbus Ohio
- Occupation
- ESI, PI, RBO
Sounds more like a bash the electrician thread! :lol:
kendm1
Member
- Location
- Louisville KY
I hope I did not make it sound that way, it was not intended.
jxofaltrds
Inspector Mike®
- Location
- Mike P. Columbus Ohio
- Occupation
- ESI, PI, RBO
most of us here have hard skin.. no worries -- at the end of the day its all good
electricalist
Senior Member
- Location
- dallas tx
If was a HI and did as good a job as I could I would defend my integrity to, like I said earlier you guys make me money, the only thing I don't agree with Is that once you state " violation" it can leads to someone losing the value on a syllable item. With no proof of when why or if its even a violation, that's not right. You can't back up and say my finding is wrong, you won't get hired again and the buyer will never be ok with anything less than fixing what you cited.
jxofaltrds
Inspector Mike®
- Location
- Mike P. Columbus Ohio
- Occupation
- ESI, PI, RBO
I make lots of money coming in and showing what is and isn't a 'violation'/defect.
electricalist
Senior Member
- Location
- dallas tx
And I make ok money doing it the way you want when it's right or wrong.
jxofaltrds
Inspector Mike®
- Location
- Mike P. Columbus Ohio
- Occupation
- ESI, PI, RBO
And why would you do it if it was/is wrong?
electricalist
Senior Member
- Location
- dallas tx
Your right. I'll do what it says even if it was probably compliant when it was done....
John120/240
Senior Member
- Location
- Olathe, Kansas
Mike, You are employed by a municipality correct ? So the violations that you cite are enforceable correct ? Deficiencies noted by a Home Inspector are only recommendations used by the home buyer to negotiate a lower price,
jxofaltrds
Inspector Mike®
- Location
- Mike P. Columbus Ohio
- Occupation
- ESI, PI, RBO
Nope. Code Consultant. If you are looking at my credentials "Official" is just part of the cert. Does not mean AHJ.
electricalist
Senior Member
- Location
- dallas tx
So you're not an authority that has any jurisdiction? People consult you on codes?
You're an electrician.. Welcome
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
If nobody did anything wrong you would soon lose your job:lol:
Do you work for an AHJ, my position is your city/state or other political subdivision related inspectors are not the AHJ, they are representatives of the AHJ. This is just a general rule, specific laws in a particular area may clearly spell out things like this, others may leave it wide open for interpretation.
I also believe NEC definition of AHJ is more loose then that - if there is no city/state or other political subdivision that has authority over the application then there could be someone else that is the AHJ for a particular application - maybe the design engineer, maybe an insurance company, or even just the person doing the installation.
mwm1752
Senior Member
- Location
- Aspen, Colo
I tend to agree with Mike, though having the qualifications does not necesarly make you an expert but at least well informed. I believe the E2 covers commercial inspector. Good comments about was it compliant at the time of installation. Also consider is it a life safety hazard. Just because you wear a badge dosn't mean you can't use common sense in judgement. The I code (cause I said so) is a major pet peeve with me. Code is minimum
MasterTheNEC
CEO and President of Electrical Code Academy, Inc.
- Location
- McKinney, Texas
- Occupation
- CEO
A home inspection is simply a "Snap-Shot In Time".
It is a generalists account of potential safety concerns that may or may not be actual code violations. The HI is charged with being someone with general knowledge of all trades associated with a building and generally defers issues that are beyond their scope of expertise that takes them away from being a generalist.
As an educator to the HI industry for over 10 years and doing many educational pieces for them, the vast majority of these individuals are TOP NOTCH and really do have the interests of their clients at heart. While there is always the exception to the rule.....it is also said for all industries as well.
When an HI makes a recommendation for GFCI Protection in a home that is say Pre-1965; they are saying that current codes (based on data history and safety confirmation) would indeed raise the level of safety when dealing with these unprotected circuits. It is kinda a message of how GFCI's have evolved and are proven which no one can deny. However, it is a recommendation for the buyer and seller to negotiate and not a real concern of the Home Inspector.
I have always taught HI's to learn as much as they can about Electrical Issues (I Call Electrical Defect Recognition) in order to better bridge the communication gap between them and the electrician. This ensures that the right message is being sent and the item that needs correcting or evaluated by an electrician (whom has advanced knowledge on a specific topic) can give their opinion or possibly resolve the issue.
However the Home Inspection is again a "Snap-Shot In Time" and is only good for the day of the inspection. It is a 30,000' view of the entire system that makes up the building or structure. It is also a negotiation tool between the buyer and seller and should play zero role in the Home Inspectors task of doing a fair and unbiased inspection.
It is a generalists account of potential safety concerns that may or may not be actual code violations. The HI is charged with being someone with general knowledge of all trades associated with a building and generally defers issues that are beyond their scope of expertise that takes them away from being a generalist.
As an educator to the HI industry for over 10 years and doing many educational pieces for them, the vast majority of these individuals are TOP NOTCH and really do have the interests of their clients at heart. While there is always the exception to the rule.....it is also said for all industries as well.
When an HI makes a recommendation for GFCI Protection in a home that is say Pre-1965; they are saying that current codes (based on data history and safety confirmation) would indeed raise the level of safety when dealing with these unprotected circuits. It is kinda a message of how GFCI's have evolved and are proven which no one can deny. However, it is a recommendation for the buyer and seller to negotiate and not a real concern of the Home Inspector.
I have always taught HI's to learn as much as they can about Electrical Issues (I Call Electrical Defect Recognition) in order to better bridge the communication gap between them and the electrician. This ensures that the right message is being sent and the item that needs correcting or evaluated by an electrician (whom has advanced knowledge on a specific topic) can give their opinion or possibly resolve the issue.
However the Home Inspection is again a "Snap-Shot In Time" and is only good for the day of the inspection. It is a 30,000' view of the entire system that makes up the building or structure. It is also a negotiation tool between the buyer and seller and should play zero role in the Home Inspectors task of doing a fair and unbiased inspection.
jxofaltrds
Inspector Mike®
- Location
- Mike P. Columbus Ohio
- Occupation
- ESI, PI, RBO
Yes I hold an Electrical Contractor License and a Plumbing Contractor License.
That said, in Ohio you must hold an ESI if you do the following:
(B) The "practice of electrical inspection" includes any ascertainment of compliance with the Ohio building code, or the electrical code of a political subdivision of this state by a person, who, for compensation, inspects the construction and installation of electrical conductors, fittings, devices, and fixtures for light, heat or power services equipment, or the installation, alteration, replacement, maintenance, or repair of any electrical wiring and equipment that is subject to any of the aforementioned codes.
3783.06 Certificate required.
No person shall engage in the practice of electrical inspection in this state unless he is the holder of a certificate of competency as an electrical safety inspector issued under Chapter 3783. of the Revised Code. Any person practicing or offering to practice electrical inspection shall show proof of his certification upon request as provided by rules of the board of building standards.
Effective Date: 03-22-1973
PS I HAVE performed electrical inspections for the State of Ohio in the past as a Private Contractor.
stevenje
Senior Member
- Location
- Yachats Oregon
I see a few of these HI reports come across my desk every year and they always have the recommendation for the upgrade to GFCI protection per the current NEC code. I find it odd that they do not also include recommendations for upgrades such as AFCI protection, TR receptacle and all of the other NEC code changes since the home was originally wired, that are clearly based to protect the structure and its occupants.
MasterTheNEC
CEO and President of Electrical Code Academy, Inc.
- Location
- McKinney, Texas
- Occupation
- CEO
At the end of the day it is not up to you nor I to determine what an HI recommends as they own their business and it is their choice. All I can attest to is that some HI's (as with electricians) are better than others and some have more knowledge than others. Also in some parts of the country their recommendations are limited due to laws and guidelines. Image for a second the responses an HI would get on here if they stated they recommend AFCI's..when we know their are plenty of AFCI-Haters out there.....so each HI has to do what they feel is best and each is different.
As long as they adhere to their SOP then they are doing their job.
electricalist
Senior Member
- Location
- dallas tx
Seriously I just saying welcome as in sorry if I made any comment that imply you aren't qualified . ,,,,ah your an electrician,,,,,welcome ..
- Status