Why Ashi?

First, please be cautious.  It is extremely common for local inspectors to claim to be ASHI members when they are not.  Always check them out at ashi.org

Florida does not regulate home inspectors at all. Anyone can call themselves a home inspector, and many are not qualified at all. In my over 26 years of combined experience, I have learned that only about 20% of home inspectors are competent.

So why ASHI?  Sadly, most home inspector certifications are bogus.  They simply are diploma mills that are meaningless.  In Florida the 2 most coveted certifcations one can achieve are ASHI and FABI.  (I have both.)  ASHI being national and FABI being Florida only.

As a member of the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), and the Florida Association of Building Inspectors (FABI), you can be assured that not only am I qualified, but I also adhere to the association’s standards of practice and code of ethics. You can find more information about ASHI at their website, www.ashi.org.

ASHI certification is the most difficult by far to obtain. It is the only home inspector certification that has been directly copied by most every state home inspector license law.

Never take an inspector's word when they claim to be an ASHI or FABI member.  It is extremely common for unethical inspectors to claim to be ASHI members when they are not.  Statements like "I inspect to ASHI standards" are worthless.  Since they're not a member, how do they know if they meet our standards?

This interesting article gives a brief overview:

Home Inspection
Home inspections were being performed in the mid 1950s and by the early 1970s were considered to be essential to the real estate transation. The escalating demand was due to a growing desire by home buyers to learn about the condition of a house prior to purchase. Meeting the expectations of comsumers required a unique discipline, distinct from construction, engineering, architecture, or municipal building inspection. As such, home inspection requires its own set of professional guidelines and qualifications. The American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) formed in 1976 and established the ASHI Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics to help buyers and sellers make real estate transaction decisions based on accurte, objective information.

American Society of Home Inspectors
As the oldest, largest, most respected and highest profile organization of home inspectors in North America, ASHI takes pride in its position of leadership. Its membership works to build public awareness of home inspection and to enhance the technical and ethical performance of home inspectors.

Standards of Practice
The ASHI Standards of Practice guide home inspectors in the performance of their inspections. Subject to regular review, the Standards of Practice reflect information gained through the surveys of conditions in the field and of the consumers interest and concerns. Vigilence has elevated ASHI's Standards of Practice to the most widely-accepted home inspection guidelines in use and to be recognized by many as the definitive standard for professional performance.

Code of Ethics
ASHI's Cod eof Ethics stresses the home inspector's responsibility to report the results of the inspection in a strictly fair, impartial, and professional manner, avoiding conflicts of interest.

ASHI Membership
Selecting the righ home inspector can be as important as finding the right home. ASHI Members have performed not fewer than 250 fee-paid inspections in accordance with the ASHI Standards of Practice. They have passed written examinations testing their knowledge of residential construction, defect recognition, inspection techniques, report-writing, as well as ASHI's Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics. Membership in the America Society of Home Inspectors is well-earned and maintained only through meeting requirements for continuing education.

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