Standards of Practice across all Associations

Has anyone done a side by side by side comparison of the the SOPs from the associations to see how similar or different they are? Would be interesting to know what differences there are, and if it makes sense to include them in how you inspect, even if you are not a member of that association.

I agree with you Scot: I just have not taken the time to compare them all. I don't belong to Nachi anymore now, so I feel it would be hypocritical for me to adopt their SOP.
I follow the Florida SOP and went with it. I'm sure they all have their pluses and minuses like anything though.

They are all virtually the same. I believe NAHI added appliances this year. Either they added them or they were thinking about it I'm not entirely sure.

Just my opinion: no need to compare them. All the old standards aside from some state standards are a joke. barely okay for years ago but they are now about 30 years old. from what I hear they were intentionally left vague (not sure, I've only been in the biz for 3 years). NAHI is the only association to revamp the standards(effective 1-1-2015). NAHI also has standards for appliances and some other things we inspectors inspect. we need standards so we have something to be held accountable to. So far NAHI is the only one providing a standard that even a consumer can understand.

Appliances may be the only thing?

I compared the SOP of CREIA (California Real Estate Inspection Association) and ASHI about a year ago. I don't know if it will help, but here it is.

I'm an ASHI member and an InterNACHI member. It's effectively the same.

And let's not forget that licensure states may have their own SOP, which would supersede any Ass'n SOP.

I dont think it makes much sense to join an assoc for me since im in NY and cant get any online CE credits from anyone plus have to follow NY SOPs

When Kansas was shoved into licensure about 6-8 years ago, a committee was named to write SoP. They had 1 member each from iNACHI, ASHI and NAHI.

They met for months comparing SoP's of the 3 associations; states like Florida, Texas, Oklahoma, etc. Their end decision was all had good and weak places but they felt the NAHI set of SoP's were most clearly written. So that was their base line. When done they submitted them to the Chair of the Kansas Home Inspectors Registration Board. He was ASHI ................... I'm told he dismissed the committee, and with the help of another ASHI inspector reworked them to more closely resemble the ASHI layout but with more of the NAHI clarity in them.

I belong to ASHI (#103

for 29 yrs; NAHI for almost 20 years; and iNACHI for a little over 10 years.

Kevin Moore wrote:I dont think it makes much sense to join an assoc for me since im in NY and cant get any online CE credits from anyone plus have to follow NY SOPs

EXACTLY. In FL, you can get all the CE's you need for $59., online, one sitting, while you watch football, write reports, clean the garage or get drunk. Use the state required SOP only; otherwise you just agreed to give the lawyer a whole bunch of ammo to use against you. Having reviewed at least a couple of hundred of inspectors reports I promise you, I have not found one yet that even remotely covered everything contained in the association SOP they brag about being a part of. "I am a member of XXXX and I conduct myself in accordance to the rigid standards of the XXX SOP" - well if you do, your report sure as hell does not reflect that from what I have seen. BTW, I challenge anyone to review any inspectors posted Sample Report online and find one that covers everything contained in the association SOP - if you do, it would need about 200 pages.