Commercial Inspections - Out of State

Good evening all,

I received a referred inquiry about doing a commercial inspection out of state(Ohio), I’m in PA. I’ve done some commercial inspections locally, but wasn’t sure about doing out of state commercial inspections. I know Ohio has their specific home inspection regulations, but couldn’t find anything regarding commercial property inspections. Any guidance is appreciated!

Paul

Hi Paul

Long as it is a commercial property and you are performing a PCA or equivalent to that, you should be good to go.

Sounds like you’ve completed other commercial inspections so I won’t go into detail about scope of work, guidelines, insurance coverage etc. :grinning:

Wish you good fortune.

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Paul

No prohibition in place in Ohio. We are on the 2017 OBC and the 2017 NEC.

(8) Licensees shall not represent a determination of compliance with Ohio residential, mechanical, plumbing, or electrical codes, specifically the existence of serious hazards as defined in rule 4101:8-2-01 of the Administrative Code. Licensees may recommend a client seek further evaluation and repair or remediation of suspected safety hazards by a certified or licensed professional. Such recommendations shall be in the home inspection report.

This applies to home inspectors only. It does not apply to commercial inspections.

That said, read Chapter 3783 - Ohio Revised Code | Ohio Laws

That is crystal clear. If you have questions contact me direct and I’ll help you with what to say regarding the electrical installation so you don’t jamb yourself up.

Why you should listen to me? I’m on this list. No one else here is. ESI Certification Look Up

Thank you guys, both, for your guidance. Regarding electrical, I stick to only visual electrical hazards and refer to a registered electrician… similar to when I was doing municipal fire inspections. I appreciate the info.

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May I suggest keeping this thread for you records?

In Ohio it is a Licensed Electrical Contractor.

Is there a requirement for licensing of commercial inspectors in South Carolina? All I am reading refers to the licensing of Code Inspectors, per the Building Code Council.

Yes in South Carolina you must be either an architect engineer. Or a general contractor

Hi Anthony, I hope you are doing well. Do have a source for this information?

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South Carolina Code of Laws

Unannotated

Title 40 - Professions and Occupations

CHAPTER 26

Commercial Inspectors

SECTION 40-26-10. Definitions.

When used in this chapter:

(1) “Board” means the State Licensing Board for Contractors (excluding mechanical contractors), the State Board of Architectural Examiners, or the State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers (excluding land surveyors), as is applicable to the person performing a commercial inspection.

(2) “Commercial inspection” means the rendering of a written or oral report, for compensation of any sort, as to the condition of the construction or improvements to a commercial structure, including, but not limited to, structural problems and conditions, visible damage, safety problems or deterioration, and equipment and systems that are visible and readily accessible. Commercial inspection does not include a contract or proposal for design, repair, renovation, or remodeling of the improvements to a commercial structure. The parties to an agreement for a commercial inspection may limit or expand the scope of the inspection by agreement.

(3) “Commercial inspector” means a natural person licensed, registered, or certified pursuant to Chapter 3 of this title or a natural person licensed as a general contractor pursuant to Chapter 11 of this title or a natural person licensed or registered as a professional engineer pursuant to Chapter 22 of this title, and who, for compensation of any sort, performs a commercial inspection.

(4) “Commercial structure” means a building, highway, sewer, improvement, reimprovement, or structure, or part thereof, which is not a residence as defined in Article 3 of Chapter 59 of Title 40.

HISTORY: 1994 Act No. 463, Section 4.

SECTION 40-26-20. Commercial inspectors must be licensed, registered, or certified; licenses for groups prohibited.

(A) No person may engage in or transact any commercial inspection business, or hold himself out to the public as a commercial inspector, or offer to engage in or transact any commercial inspection business in this State, unless the person is licensed, registered, or certified pursuant to Chapter 3 of this title or is licensed as a general contractor pursuant to Chapter 11 of this title or is licensed or registered as a professional engineer pursuant to Chapter 22 of this title.

(B) A person engaged in the business of performing commercial inspections on the date this chapter becomes effective who is not, on that date, qualified under the terms of this chapter to perform commercial inspections is allowed ninety days from such effective date to comply with the provisions of this chapter for the purpose of qualifying to perform commercial inspections.

(C) No license shall be issued under the provisions of this chapter to a partnership, association, corporation, firm, or group. However, nothing in this chapter precludes a person licensed pursuant to Chapter 3 of this title or licensed as a general contractor pursuant to Chapter 11 of this title or licensed or registered as a professional engineer pursuant to Chapter 22 of this title from performing commercial inspections for or on behalf of a partnership, association, corporation, firm, or group or from entering into contracts or enforcing contracts as a partnership, association, corporation, firm, or group.

HISTORY: 1994 Act No. 463, Section 4.

SECTION 40-26-30. Applicability of chapter.

The provisions of this chapter do not apply to:

(A) a person employed by the State of South Carolina or any political subdivision of the State as a code enforcement official when acting within the scope of that employment;

(B) a person inspecting a commercial structure exclusively for the use of a bank, savings and loan association, or credit union, unless otherwise required by federal law or regulation.

HISTORY: 1994 Act No. 463, Section 4.

SECTION 40-26-40. Disciplinary action for violations.

A violation of this chapter is considered a violation against the person’s license, registration, or certification and subjects the person to disciplinary action by the board under which the person is licensed, registered, or certified.

HISTORY: 1994 Act No. 463, Section 4.

SECTION 40-26-50. Prohibited conduct; unlicensed inspectors prohibited from enforcing contract.

(A) Any person who is licensed, registered, or certified pursuant to Chapter 3 of this title or who is licensed as a general contractor pursuant to Chapter 11 of this title or who is licensed or registered as a professional engineer pursuant to Chapter 22 of this title and who performs a commercial inspection is prohibited from engaging in any of the following conduct:

(1) making a false or misleading statement in that portion of a written report that deals with professional qualifications or in any testimony concerning professional qualifications;

(2) any act or omission involving dishonesty, fraud, or misrepresentation with the intent to substantially benefit a commercial inspector or other person or with the intent to substantially injure another person;

(3) any act of fraud, misrepresentation, or deceit in the making of a commercial inspection;

(4) payment of a finder’s fee or a referral fee to any person in connection with an inspection of a commercial structure;

(5) failure or refusal without good cause to exercise reasonable diligence in developing a commercial inspection report, preparing a report, or communicating a report;

(6) accepting a commercial inspection assignment when the employment itself is contingent upon the commercial inspector reporting a predetermined estimate, analysis, or opinion or when the fee to be paid is contingent upon the opinion, the conclusions, analysis, or report reached or upon the consequences resulting from such assignment;

(7) the performing of any improvement to a commercial structure upon which the commercial inspector performed a commercial inspection within the previous twelve months;

(8) committing an act, or acts, of malpractice, gross negligence, or incompetence in the performance of commercial inspections;

(9) practicing as a commercial inspector without a current license, registration, or certification issued pursuant to Chapter 3 of this title or issued pursuant to Chapter 11 of this title for a general contractor or issued pursuant to Chapter 22 of this title for a professional engineer;

(10) engaging in conduct that could result in harm or injury to the public.

(B) A commercial inspector who is not duly licensed, certified, or registered as required by this chapter may not bring any action either at law or in equity to enforce the provisions of any contract for a commercial inspection which he entered into in violation of this chapter.

HISTORY: 1994 Act No. 463, Section 4.

SECTION 40-26-60. Inspectors to determine applicable building code provisions.

When an inspection report includes a deficiency that is alleged to be a building codes violation, the inspector is responsible for determining the construction dates and building codes in effect at the time of construction and must conduct the inspection using the building codes in effect at the time of construction.

HISTORY: 1994 Act No. 463, Section 4.

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I also have an email from their board stating what I said. I am able to do commercial inspections because I am an employee of a General Contractor. If you would like to see the email just give me your email and I will send it to you

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Thank you for providing the exact reference! This is from paragraph (3) near the top. Do you know what/where is chapter 3?

Related…

Chapter 3…

https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/title40.php

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Here is website information

https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/title40.php

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That’s it. Thank you JJ!

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a natural person licensed, registered, or certified pursuant to Chapter 3 of this title

That’s a lot of OR’s.
“licensed, registered, or certified” appears to indicate that there are other venues for becoming qualified as a commercial property inspector in South Carolina.
Having said that, it appears that SC may be a murky business environment for inspectors. The home inspection licensing is, from what I have read, controlled by the Builders Association.

True, which is why I asked. But it becomes pretty clear…architect per chapter 3, general contractor per chapter 11 or engineer per chapter 22. Once you go back to these chapters, each field is defined.

But nowhere in Chapter 3 (Architects) is there any mention of being an architect a qualification for obtaining licensing, certification, or registration as a commercial property inspector.

Basically, in order to be a commercial inspector your qualifications must match the requirements in one of the following fields defined in chapter 3, 11 or 22.

Murky and Murkier.

They basically have the architects, builders, and engineers policing themselves under the banner of Commercial Property Inspectors; while barring entry from any other free market forces.