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While 90% of the inspectors responding to the ASHI survey rated their relationships with builders as at least “average” and as good as “great,” the poll also found room for improvement.
ASHI Executive Director Rob Paterkiewicz said builders should know that the members of his organization are required to have comprehensive technical knowledge and field experience and to continue their education.
“Because home inspectors have the unique advantage of being able to observe building products and techniques as they age and endure the local elements, inspectors can bring a reliable second set of eyes and special insight to the situation,” Paterkiewicz said.
He said that more than half of the survey participants reported observing construction products or practices that seemed to have a high incidence of failing or being defective during the previous year.
About 10% of those surveyed said that they had worked for builders as consultants to help find ways to improve their product.
“We should respect each other’s profession and understand we are all working towards the final goal of a reliable product for the consumer, with minimal call-backs,” said Mike Casey, ASHI’s immediate past president.
“Houses are built by hand out of sticks and other materials,” he said, “not stamped out of a machine. Professional judgment has to be used when inspecting. The primary goal is to deliver a safe home that will perform as expected for a reasonably useful life.”
ASHI is sharing its survey findings with NAHB so that “there can be a mutually beneficial relationship when both builder and home inspector put the best interests of home buyers first,” Casey said.
ASHI has more than 6,000 individual inspector members and can be reached at 800-743-ASHI.
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