Choosing the right home inspector can be difficult. Unlike most professionals you hire, you probably won’t meet me until our appointment. Furthermore, different inspectors have varying qualifications, equipment, experience, reporting methods, and pricing.
Ultimately, a thorough home inspection depends heavily on the individual inspector’s own effort. If you honor me by permitting me to inspect your new home, I guarantee that I will give you my very best effort.
This, I promise you. – Ed Lawton
NJ 13:40-15.16 STANDARDS OF PRACTICE
a) All home inspectors shall comply with the standards of practice contained in this section
when conducting home inspections. The scope of home inspection services performed in
compliance with the requirements set forth in this section shall provide the client with
objective information regarding the condition of the systems and components of the
home as determined at the time of the home inspection.
b) Nothing in this section shall be construed to require a home inspector to:
1) Enter any area or perform any procedure which is, in the opinion of the home
inspector, unsafe and likely to be dangerous to the inspector or other persons;
2) Enter any area or perform any procedure which will, in the opinion of the home
inspector, likely damage the property or its systems or components;
3) Enter any area which does not have at least 24 inches of unobstructed vertical
clearance and at least 30 inches of unobstructed horizontal clearance;
4) Identify concealed conditions and latent defects;
5) Determine life expectancy of any system or component;
6) Determine the cause of any condition or deficiency;
7) Determine future conditions that may occur including the failure of systems and
components including consequential damage;
8) Determine the operating costs of systems or components;
9) Determine the suitability of the property for any specialized use;
10) Determine compliance with codes, regulations and/ or ordinances;
11) Determine market value of the property or its marketability;
12) Determine advisability of purchase of the property;
13)Determine the presence of any potentially hazardous plants, animals or diseases or
the presence of any suspected hazardous substances or adverse conditions such as
mold, fungus, toxins, carcinogens, noise, and contaminants in soil, water, and air;
14) Determine the effectiveness of any system installed or method utilized to control or
remove suspected hazardous substances;
15) Operate any system or component which is shut down or otherwise inoperable;
16) Operate any system or component which does not respond to normal operating
controls;
17) Operate shut-off valves;
18) Determine whether water supply and waste disposal systems are public or private;
19) Insert any tool, probe or testing device inside electrical panels;
20) Dismantle any electrical device or control other than to remove the covers of main
and sub panels;
21) Walk on unfloored sections of attics; and
22) Light pilot flames or ignite or extinguish fires.
Below you will find the areas that I inspect as per our New Jersey state licensure and by the standards established by the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors – InterNACHI.
Heating & Air Conditioning Inspection
Plumbing & Electrical Inspection
Structural Components Inspection
References
“13:40-15.16 STANDARDS OF PRACTICE.” NEW JERSEY ADMINISTRATIVE CODE: HOME INSPECTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE: Home Inspection Advisory Committee (n.d.): n. pag. NJ Consumer Affairs. 20 Apr. 2015. Web.