Aug 01, 2007

On Sept. 24, 2007, ASTM International (ASTM) will hold an organizational meeting for a new standards development activity on Home Inspection Services. The meeting will take place at ASTM Headquarters in West Conshohocken, Pa. (see http://www.astm.org/MEETINGS/directions.htm for directions and http://www.astm.org/MEETINGS/hotels.htm for accommodations). The meeting will commence at 9 a.m. and adjourn at approximately 4 p.m. NOTE: There is no fee to attend this meeting.

At an organizational meeting on Feb. 19, 2007, key members of the residential inspection industry, including a diverse collection of service providers, agreed to extend the discussion relative to the development of this new activity within ASTM International. A final organizational meeting on this subject was recommended, with participation from various disciplines, including consumers, realtors, insurance representatives, trade and professional societies, and government agencies. The attendees at the organizational meeting discussed the evolution of current industry standards of practice (SOPs) via the establishment of a truly collaborative process for standards development. It was highlighted that the early implementation of a series of best practice standards would lead to a greater understanding of the variables associated with inspection services, which would in turn help create consistency, thereby increasing consumer confidence. Also discussed at the organizational meeting was the need for standards governing professional responsibility, creating a ‘code of conduct’ for practitioners of home inspection services.

ASTM International stands ready to accommodate this new standardization initiative. Your involvement in this meeting is critical to guide the direction for this new activity. The time is now for participation in a neutral forum whereby the private and public sectors can work together to develop a consensus standards program.

Background

A home inspection is a non-invasive visual examination of a residential dwelling, performed for a fee, which is designed to identify observed material defects within specific components of the dwelling in question. Components may include any combination of mechanical, structural, electrical, plumbing or other essential systems or portions of the home, as identified and agreed to by the Client and Inspector, prior to the inspection process.

At present, there is confusion and inconsistency within the home inspection industry. Disconnects exist among service providers, homeowners, bankers, insurers and state/local officials. Full consensus standards will provide effective communication tools for all relevant parties, and also create a truly objective resource to support a credentialing model for the industry.

If you have any questions concerning the above, please feel free to contact Pat Picariello, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, Pa. (phone: 610/832-9720; ppicarie@astm.org).

Release #7746