Be sure that the Inspector you retain has professional affiliations and certifications through nationally recognized organizations such as NAHI (National Association of Home Inspectors), ASHI ( American Society Of Home Inspectors, ICC (International Code Council), EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), NEHA (National Environmental Health Association), etc. This information will help to give you insight into the background, and depth of industry involvement of the Inspector you plan to hire. Membership in a recognized association of home inspectors, such as the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) or the National Association of Home Inspectors (NAHI), is commonly held to be a measure of professionalism among home inspectors.  Look Only For NAHI - ASHI Inspectors. (Logos are to the left) Don’t be confused by Home Inspector "certifications" obtained through quick study courses (sometimes two weeks or less) or sold through trade organizations such as (NACHI) National Association Of Certified Home Inspectors.

When it is time for you to start looking for a Home Inspector, You might  look on the web or in the Yellow Pages under Home and Building Inspections, ask friends or co-workers, or check out the directories of top national organizations such as NAHI or ASHI for a listing of Inspectors in your area.  We recommend  using only these two organizations, Other associations such as NACHI are no more than diploma mills with meaningless certifications.  

 A) Choose wisely when selecting your Home Inspector. Direct, "hands-on" experience in building is one of the most important criteria to look for. For instance, a house cannot be dismantled during an inspection, so it is important to have someone with the experience and background who doesn’t have to disassemble a wall to know what’s inside and how it’s put together. A house is made of many different components and systems that are all inter-related and are all supposed to work together. Many of these are hidden from view, and cannot be directly viewed. It is important to choose an inspector who has experience in home-building, from the ground up, and has been involved in the installation and layout of these systems. 

2) Building Code Certification: Although code certification is not a professional requirement for home inspectors, some inspectors acquire code credentials to increase their knowledge of potential building defects. This knowledge is unquestionably beneficial.  The Montana Code Authority is ICC (International Code Council)

Years of dedicated practice can produce home inspectors with the ability to discover defects that would be missed by inspectors with less experience. On the other hand, shortcomings in talent or integrity can diminish the benefits of accumulated experience. Check into how long the Inspector has been in the business, and how many Home Inspections he has performed. There is no equivalent to experience! Do you really want someone inspecting your home who is doing this "part-time", or has only been performing inspections for a year or two?

Sample reports provide clues as to the thoroughness of a home inspector. On the other hand, anyone can purchase a high-tech report writing system. The report may look great, but this does not mean there is a qualified inspector behind the printed page. Furthermore, sample reports only show the problems that were found by the inspector, not the ones that were missed. Be sure that your Home Inspector provides a detailed written report, not a hand written checklist with stock responses that is given to you at the end of the inspection. A checklist can be difficult to interpret and to read, and may be void of many of the details and advice you need.

A computer-generated report, which offers a combination of the checklist and a narrative reporting formats, and which includes specific comments and photos of each home

An Inspection Report should encompass three basic areas:

The Inspection and Report should give you the information that you, as the buyer, need to make an informed decision about your new purchase.