Myth: The Master Inspector Certification Board (MICB) which owns http://assignments.uspto.gov/assignments/q?db=tm&rno=2892104 and administers the Federal Certification Mark “Certified Master Inspector” (CMI) is a competing trade association to NACHI.
Fact: The MICB is not a trade association. It holds no events and has no members. It has but one benefit which is that FREA offers CMIs free zero deductible on E&O insurance.
Myth: There are no qualifications.
Fact: You can only be a CMI by:
- Completing 1,000 fee-paid inspections or hours of inspection-related continuing education (combined) in their lifetime.
- Abiding by the industry’s toughest Code of Ethics.
- Substantially following a Board approved Standards of Practice.
- Submitting to a criminal background check.
- Applying for Board certification by signing the affidavit in front of a Notary.
Myth: The MICB is not non-profit.
Fact: The MICB is not only non-profit, it has acquired tax exempt status: http://www.certifiedmasterinspector.org/pdf/cmi_tax_exempt.pdf
Myth: One can be a CMI without ever having performed an inspection.
Fact: Although technically true, it would have required that the applicant take 1,000 hours of continuing education, yet never performed an inspection. This situation has not ever happened and there exists no inexperienced CMIs as of yet. A minimum amount of inspections performed and CE hours (in each category) has been suggested as an additional requirement, but because the problem is to date hypothetical, it has undergone no real consideration.
Myth: The CMI requirements are too low and too many can become a CMI.
Fact: In the inspection industry which has a 35% yearly turnover rate and where home inspectors have less than a 3 year life expectancy, CMI requirements unfortunately represent less than 5% of the inspection industry, and actual applicants represent less than 1% of the industry.
Myth: CMIs do not have a COE.
Fact: Here it is: http://www.certifiedmasterinspector.org/cmi/coe.html and it is tougher than any known in the inspection industry.
Myth: CMIs do not have an SOP.
Fact: Correct in the sense that the MICB doesn’t have its own. CMIs must substantially perform inspections in accordance with any one of 7 different board approved SOPs listed in the application from ASHI, CAHPI, CREIA, FABI, ISHI, NACHI, or TREC.
Myth: CMI is a marketing gimick.
Fact: CMI is a professional designation just like REALTORs have http://www.realtor.com/FindReal/DesigsPop.asp?poe=realtor It demonstrates (in the name of the designation itself) to the public and real estate community that one has achieved a certain amount of combined experience and education. It just happens to be a really well named professional designation “Certified Master Inspector.”
Myth: CMI is NACHI.
Fact: Anyone can be a CMI if they qualify, they need not join NACHI. Here is the application: http://www.certifiedmasterinspector.org/cmi/apply.htm
Myth: I can call myself a Certified Master Inspector.
Fact: “Certified Master Inspector” is not merely a Federal Trademark, it is a registered Federal Certification Mark. Only CMIs can call themselves “Certified Master Inspectors.”
Myth: The dues are expensive.
Fact: There are no dues. There is a one-time application fee that you get back if not approved. There are no other fees and no annual dues.
Myth: The Founder of this whole CMI stuff admits that he intended it to be used as a way for more experienced and educated veteran inspectors to raise their prices.
Fact: Yes, that is true.