Well,
But since you asked, let me start by saying that I don't live in MN.
There is no License or qualification required to become a Home Inspector in MO.
I have been involved in commercial building maintenance as an Operating Engineer for about 14 years, which required me to become familiar with NFPA Codes and Standards.
I have also been trained to be a HI as such to meet the requirements in states that do have licensing. I've passed the National HI Exam, and I read 90 words a minute with 95% comprehension, which qualifies me to look up things in the code book, and search for things on this forum for clarification if I need it.
You seem to be having difficulty understanding that there's NO ONE but me looking at a lot of these installations. You cannot pull permits if there isn't a provision to issue them. You can't get your job inspected if there's no one (government employed) to inspect it. You can't get a license to be an EC if there's no provision for issuing them. I know that it may be hard to understand, but that's the way it works in a lot of places around here.
I am hired by the perspective HO to protect them from unscrupulous contractors, sellers, RE agents, etc. that are willing to make a buck at the expense of their safety. My inspections are not meant to be technically exhaustive, and I recommend the deficiencies that I discover be repaired by a qualified contractor. It's up to them to find out who that may be.
That's where things like the BBB and other consumer advocate groups come into play.
I work in some cities that do require Contractors Licenses and permits, and I would say that, excepting new construction, I find almost as many things wrong there. Most HO's don't pull permits, most HO's don't want to spend the money on a contractor that's licensed and pulls permits, these are just facts of life.
Another fact is that there are far more complaints with the BBB regarding contractors, and RE agents, than HI's, and I routinely find violations (in certain local municipalities) that Codes Inspectors miss.
I may not meet the lofty standards set forth by your state, but believe me, I am much better than NOTHING.
Most EC's like me, because I generate work for them, unless they fall into the unscrupulous category, then they don't like me very much.
I have 10's of gigs of pictures that show the most ridiculous installations some of you may have ever seen. I also check the plumbing, HVAC, and structure as well.
Human ingenuity never ceases to amaze me.
