I’m not a licensed roofing contractor, and there is no licensing for home inspectors in the State of California, so I have to defer the call to a licensed roofing contractor. By the mere authority of licensing, the State of California considers the licensed roofing contractor to be more knowledgeable than me, and practicing as a roofing contractor without a license can be subject to severe civil or criminal penalties. So I must defer to further evaluation by the licensed roofing contractor.
Ditto for the water heater–plumbers are licensed by the State of California, and practicing as a plumber without a license can be subject to severe civil or criminal penalties.
Ditto with electricians, chimney sweeps, engineers, and others. So if there is licensing in another profession, then I have to very much remain a generalist and defer to further evaluation by those licensed professionals. Practicing in any profession without the appropriate license can be subject to severe civil or criminal penalties. That’s why I desire licensing for home inspectors in California. Licensing will also allow me to raise my prices on all my inspection types.
The Family Doctor/Surgeon analogy comes in very handy in these circumstances, providing a real-world example that everyone can understand.
So as the State of California believes, just noting the condition of something does not give me the right to say what needs to be done about that condition. So I have to be very careful how I word my reports. That’s why I spend so much time and effort educating my Clients through my SOLUTIONS](http://www.abouthomes.info/files/NACHI/Solutions1.pdf) Internet-based, educational, interactive report system. Knowledge is power. Give Clients the knowledge, and they’ll be able to make their own decisions.