Should You Join a Home Inspection Association?

You may wonder if you should join a home inspection association now that you have passed your home inspector exam and started your own business. What are these associations even about, and how can they help you in your new career or side business?

Home inspection can be an inexact science. Rules vary from state to state, and there are no federal laws that govern the profession. In some states, you don’t even need a license to be a home inspector. This casts a pall on the industry because it leaves room for shady characters to set up shop.

Membership in an association can bring you and your home inspection business credibility, which is even more important for those starting out who haven’t yet built the trust of the community.

Membership in ASHI

The American Society of Home Inspectors is a nonprofit professional association with three membership categories. The associate category is for new members. They may either be new to the home inspection business, or they might be inspectors still working on meeting ASHI requirements. Members in this category have passed Standard of Practice and Code of Ethics module and agreed to abide by this code. These members must also do 20 hours per year of continuing education.

A step up from the associate category is the inspector category. These members must do everything an associate member has to do, plus pass the National Home Inspector Examination or a state exam that meets with ASHI approval. They must also meet work experience requirements, including having done 75 inspections. Certified inspectors must meet all of the above requirements, but must have completed 250 home inspections instead of only 75.

Any home inspectors taking courses with ICA get a free one-year associate membership in ASHI.

Home Inspection Associations Underscore Professionalism

You can see from these stringent requirements that merely being a member of this type of home inspection organization lends you the kind of clout and validation small-business owners need to build a successful company.

As proof of your membership, you are allowed to use the gold ASHI logo on your business cards and marketing materials. In fact, you get access to all the ASHI marketing materials, including home inspection and advertising templates, brochures, magnets and more.

Moreover, you can list your information on the ASHI website, so anyone searching there for a home inspector will be able to find you.

Joining a professional home inspection association gives your business the boost in visibility and validity it needs. To start down the path of a new career in home inspection, check out our classes at ICA and enroll now.