Should You Join a Home Inspector Association?

For new home inspectors, joining a home inspection association can add yet another start-up cost. For experienced inspectors, it may not seem necessary if you have steady business or your state licensing carries more weight.

However, a home inspection organization can add tremendous value in a couple ways:

1) Continuing Education

Home inspection associations will keep you abreast of changes in inspection laws & regulation. It's important to be aware of how this affects your business and how you operate.

Keeping up-to-date on building standards and best practices will not only make you a better inspector, but it could limit your liability as well.

2) Added Credibility

Since not all states have legislation enacted that requires home inspectors to be state licensed, certifications from home inspection associations can give instant credibility. Customers and real estate agents like seeing neutral proof that you are certified and validated by a legitimate third-party.

3) Sense of Community

Being a home inspector is a lot like work from home or freelance jobs. You don't have an office to go to. You don't have the "water cooler talk" that traditional jobs have.

Part of the benefit of joining an association is the feeling of belonging. Feeling like you have inspectors you can bounce ideas or problems off can be a valuable resource. The conferences can be great learning experiences & provide great networking as well.

4) Standards of Practice

Each association has a "Standards of Practice", which sets a uniform inspection method by which inspectors adhere to. This document outlines what an inspector will (and won't) inspect. It protects you and also sets clear expectations for your realtors and clients.

Ok, so you think you want to join. Which home inspection association is the best?

Research the benefits, costs & requirements below and get in touch with members of each if you can. Obviously some will be fiercely loyal to the organization they belong to, but focus on the benefits you'll get that will help grow your business and make you a better home inspector.

This breakdown is not meant to be a comprehensive list of inspection organizations or their benefits. The goal of this article is to give you an idea of the benefits & requirements of the 2 major home inspector associations so you can do your own research. 

InterNACHI (International Association of Certified Home Inspectors)

InterNACHI boasts 35 inspector certifications, 515 hours of training, and over 20,000 members. Their founder, Nick Gromicko, is very active in the forums and provides a great e-book on how to run a successful home inspection business. Their other founder, Ben Gromicko, is pretty great too with educational videos and is an all-around helpful, genuinely nice guy.

Member Benefits

Some of their member benefits include:

• 515+ hours of continuing education
• 2,000 pre-licensing practice questions
• 30+ certifications
• Logo design services
• Access to the Home Energy Report
• Free Legal Documents
• An active forum community, including the "emergency forum"
• Client newsletter
• Images from the Graphics Library
• Fee & Scheduling Calculators

Membership Tiers and Requirements

To attain their Certified Professional Inspector designation, inspectors must:

• Pass InterNACHI's Online Inspector Examination
• Complete Code of Ethics Course
• Complete Residential Standards of Practice Course
• Submit 4 mock inspection reports (if you haven't done any fee-paid inspections)
• Sign an affidavit
• Within the first year, you must complete 12 specific training courses
• 24 hours/year of continuing education
• Every 3 years you must pass the Online Inspector Exam, with a score of 80 or better

Cost/Dues

$499/yr or $49/mo and you can cancel anytime.

ASHI (American Society of Home Inspectors)

Member Benefits

From their site, benefits of membership include:

• Resources that enable you to become a more successful home inspector.
• Direct contact with clients via the ASHI Find-an-Inspector search function.
• Education through the annual conference, ASHI@Home, The ASHI School, 80-Plus Chapters, and the ASHI Online Learning Center, free to members.
• Discount purchasing programs including E&O and Health Insurance
• Stay current with changing trends in the home inspection profession.
• Provide credibility to your work.
• Learn and associate with the best and brightest.
• Develop a network of like-minded professionals committed to improving the profession.
• Make a commitment to high standards and ethics.

ASHI also states they are active in lobbying at the Federal level on behalf of the inspection profession.

Membership Tiers and Requirements

ASHI has 3 categories for inspectors:

Associate

• Pass ASHI's Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics module
• Agree to follow the ASHI Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics

Inspector

• Pass the National Home Inspector Exam or valid state exam approved by the Membership Committee
• Have reports verified for compliance with ASHI's Standards of Practice
• Submit a valid list of at least 75 fee-paid home inspections that meet or exceed the ASHI Standards of Practice
• Complete notarized affidavit validating at least 75 inspections
• Agree to follow the ASHI Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics

Certified Inspectors

• Pass the National Home Inspector Exam and ASHI's Standard of Practice and Code of Ethics module
• Have reports verified for compliance with ASHI's Standards of Practice
• Submit a valid list of at least 250 fee-paid home inspections that meet or exceed the ASHI Standards of Practice
• Complete notarized affidavit validating at least 250 inspections
• Agree to follow the ASHI Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics

Cost/Dues

The last published dues we could find was $399/year, plus $25 application fee.

NAHI (National Association of Home Inspectors)

*NAHI closed it's doors in 2016.

Established in 1987, NAHI's mission states:

The National Association of Home Inspectors, Inc. (NAHI) was established in 1987 as a nonprofit association to promote and develop certified and licensed home inspectors in the professional home inspection industry.

NAHI prides itself on the honor and integrity of its members and directors, and places high importance on educating its inspectors via online resources & their signature NAHI Training Institute (NTI).

Member Benefits

Some of their benefits include:

• EDUCATION: Whether it is webinars, chapter meetings, or national seminars, you can be assured that NAHI arranges continuing education training sessions taught by the most recognized experts in the nation.
• MENTOR Assignment (live or remote)
• “THE NAHI FORUM” MAGAZINE:  The FORUM is a technical magazine written by home inspectors for home inspectors that keeps you ahead of the competition with timely articles, inspection tips, and advertisements for the tools you need.
• INSPECTOR FIELD NOTES:  This on-line newsletter tells you twice a month what is happening in the industry that could affect your business as well as providing valuable money making tips.
• STATE CHAPTERS: Attending state Chapter meetings keeps you on top of government rules and regulations that could affect your business and gives you a chance to meet other inspectors from your area.
• CERTIFICATION:  The NAHI Certified Real Estate Inspector (CRI) designation identifies inspectors who qualify as Professionals, not just home inspectors.
• PUBLIC RELATIONS: NAHI can help you get free press coverage each time you do something newsworthy.
• LEGISLATIVE ASSISTANCE: NAHI monitors state rules and regulations to keep you aware of changes that might be unfair to your business.
• BUYING DISCOUNTS: NAHI helps keep your costs down by constantly searching for companies that want to do business with you and by negotiating member discounts on your behalf.
• STANDARDS OF PRACTICE: Because the NAHI Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics state in clear terms what a home inspector is supposed to do and not do during an inspection, you and your client can get down to business without a lot of confusion.
• NAHI LOGO: Displaying the NAHI logo gives you credibility as a member of a nationally recognized professional organization and sets you apart.
• VOTING: Because NAHI is a membership driven association, members get to select who the leadership will be through an annual election of its board of directors.

Membership Tiers and Requirements

NAHI offers 4 different membership levels:

Provisional/Student Member

• Recently completed a minimum 40-hour comprehensive home inspection training course
• Expires 6 months from date of enrollment
• Must upgrade to Associate Member after 6 month period

Associate Member

• Complete 40-hour comprehensive home inspection training program; or
• Complete minimum of 20 full fee-paid home inspections
• Complete a minimum of 16 continuing education units (CEUs) each calendar year

Regular Member

• Must complete a minimum of 100 full fee-paid home inspections
• Pass one of the following exams:
  • NAHI Certified Real Estate Inspector Exam (NAHI CRI)
  • National Home Inspector Exam (NHIE)
  • State Real Estate Inspector Exam (SREI)
• Complete a minimum of 16 continuing education units (CEUs) each calendar year

NAHI Certified Real Estate Inspector (NAHI CRI) Membership

• Complete a minimum of 250 full fee-paid home inspections 
• Pass the NAHI Certified Real Estate Inspector Exam (NAHI CRI)
• Complete a minimum of 16 continuing education units (CEUs) each calendar year

Cost/Dues

$425 for 12 months of membership, plus one time application fee of $50 for new members.

Takeaway

Joining a home inspector association has numerous benefits, from tools & resources to help you become a better home inspector, to credibility that give buyers & real estate agents piece of mind.

Being certified by a particular home inspection association won't, by itself, make or break your business. You won't be a better or worse home inspector just from joining alone. It's how you utilize the tools & resources of each that will make you a better inspector and business-minded entrepreneur.

Do your research. Talk to home inspectors from each association. Then go with what feels right and re-evaluate quarterly or annually to make sure you're seeing the benefit you desire.