Professional qualifications in the home inspection industry are currently not regulated by the State of Ohio. Any member of the public or construction industry may promote him/herself as a home inspector, whether or not he/she is fully qualified to do so. However, some assurance of professional standards can be gained by hiring a home inspector registered/certified with a professional organization. The American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), The National Association of Certified Home Inspectors (NACHI) and The National Association of Home Inspectors (NAHI) sets specific guidelines and rules for its members to follow. To become registered/certified home inspectors, members are required to complete specific course work and/or pass the organizations examination(s). Carrying errors and omissions insurance may be a requirement of membership. Unfortunately, not every community will have available an inspector registered/certified with one of these organizations. There still may be several highly qualified home inspectors in your area, but you may have to work a little harder to identify one. There are likely several home inspectors from whom to choose, and some registered architects and engineers offer home inspection services. Here are some recommended steps to follow in making your selection: - determine the length of time the inspector has been in business;
- ask for referrals from an impartial person;
- find out what professional qualifications the inspector has and what other building trades the inspector is involved in, if any;
- if you are buying a condominium, ask whether the inspector is experienced with such multi-family buildings;
- look for an inspector who carries errors and omissions insurance for the type of property you are considering buying. For example, if you are considering buying a condominium, make sure the insurance will apply to inspections of such properties; and
- call some of the inspector's former clients.
You will also want to review the written disclaimers that the home inspector will be using in his report as well as the proposed scope of the inspection...what will he inspect? As well, if you are buying a condominium, particularly in an older building, you will want to know how much of the common property the inspector will be examining. Before choosing an inspector, you should always ask for a list of services the inspector will perform, a sample written report, and a cost estimate. To assist you in your search for a home inspector we have provided links to the websites of several organizations that register/certifiy home inspectors. The links shown below should not be considered as an endorsement/recommendation of any particular organization or individual home inspector. 
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