I was doing a home inspection, and a customer ask me to fix some of the thing i found wrong in the inspection. So I had to explain as a InterNACHI member i was not allowed to do any work in there home 12 after the inspection is complete.
Starting this course.
Conflict of interest or code of ethics violation
A good example of a conflict of interest would be if the inspector does inspections for a family member that happens to be the real estate agent thats trying to sell the house that is to be inspected. Maybe the agent is not a family member and the inspector gave favorable inspection reports in exchange for referrals or other goods which would be very unethical. whatever type of situation may arise the inspector should never engage in any type of questionable activity.
My conflict would be. While doing an inspection and finding a few plumbing issues that need fixed. The client asks me who I recommend to do the plumbing repairs. I would be unable to recommend the plumbing company I work for, as I would stand to profit off the client.
Though would it be a conflict if I gave them a list of 5 or 6 local plumbers and included the company I work for without telling them I work for that company?
Another question would be. Am i able to do the work if they chose the plumbing company I work for randomly out of the phone book with no Knowledge or recommendations given?
Studied Basic Basement Water proofing. The watered down version of the article instructs you to make sure roof runoff and rain water are getting away from the house. Use proper grading around house. Make sure all basement walls are in good repair. Seal any and all cracks and holes. They also suggest using a sodium silicon sealant to create a vapor barrier on your walls.
An inspector is hired to do a home inspection prior to the purchase of a home. He discovers a damp wall in one of the upstairs closets and tells the new buyer about the problem in the report. He suggests that the roof should be repaired before purchase and that the price of the home should be lowered by $5000 to cover the cost. He then says his brother is a roofer who can fix the roof for $3000 which will save the buyer $2000.
I’m new, starting the Ethics course, will look forward to learning, and eventually sharing my limited wealth of experience!
My name is Joel Meyri, Owner of JM Contracting. I’m a California State licensed General Contractor and Plumbing Contractor, carrying both journeyman license classifications. (B and C-36)
Because of this, I have often been asked to perform multiple trade related repairs, alterations, and services in residences, even being handed inspection reports as a bid worksheet and/or as a punch list of items to correct.
I foresee a conflict of interest wherein I, acting as Home Inspector, will be invited or urged to perform repairs on areas of concern, for expediency’s sake. Also, seeing that the area of Orange County, my “territory”, is extremely competitive and inundated with RA, I would imagine that I’ll be solicited to give or get a percentage for performing inspections.
Therefore, knowing the ethical traps, I’m prepared to proactively tell clients beforehand that I am restricted and unable to perform work pertaining to my findings, for 12 consecutive months, and for Real Estate Agents, to dignify them by (reminding) telling them I will not be accepting or offering any monetary, trade, gift, or any other incentive for rendered inspection services, other than what is legally stipulated in our contractual agreement.
I read the article on the deformed garage that would fail to hold a snow load. I was able to see before reading this that the load being connected to the walls was incorrectly designed. The plywood connectors offered no real support, and metal deck fasteners used for the crossbeams would not be sufficient to support a roof. I learned that deck screws have vertical strength but are not designed to handle sideways shear. The inspector was correct in finding this garage in violation of many requirements, and I thought it was interesting that he picked up side information from a neighbor before conducting his inspection.
I’ve been particularly interested in curbless, aka accessible, showers for a while now. After seeing city inspectors come and go, I’m convinced that not all are aware of current UPC and CPC dictates for pitch and drainage in a shower pan, as well as in front of the shower.
If I see any showers in a residence that have no dam/curb, you better believe I’ll pull out my torpedo level and see if there is at least 1/4" per foot (quarter bubble) within first two feet outside of shower area, pitched BACK TOWARDS shower.
Comments? Anyone else come across poorly constructed or non-compliant showers?
Since an inspector is supposed to allow the client, in this case a prospective buyer, to attend the inspection, I could see a situation where the client asks the inspector to find a defect that must be corrected in order to provide the client with a bargaining chip with the seller. To help that along the client begins to point out various problems that he has seen, such as cracks in the brick veneer exterior and offers the inspector a bonus to his fee if he reports the foundation is failing and will need to be repaired and the brick veneer replaced.
A conflict of interest might be that the house someone wants you to inspect is owed by one of your family members.
Hypothetical conflict of interest assingment
After completing an inspection the inspector gives a copy of the report to a contractor. Without the written consent or knowledge of the homeowner.
Aluminum Wiring Report
From 1965-1973 aluminum wiring was used instead of copper because of cost reasons. Although aluminum was a cheaper alternative it was also less safe than copper. Aluminum is softer and can cause loose connections. It is more prone to corrosion and has greater thermal expansion and contraction rate which can be cause a fire hazard. These are just some of the reasons why finding and reporting this wiring are important.
Can a house be constructed to tight?
Today with everyone wanting there homes to be energy efficient and builders are making houses that of fewer air exchanged with outside air .This may make a home hold the energy inside but might not be as healthy for the occupants. People have different level of sensitivity to pollutants. Homes need to be construed for a particular occupant. Sometimes air to air heat ex changers need to be installed. You would think with today’s technology that a standard for fresh air should be determined and a device would control the air intake on the air ex changer.
A code of ethic would be that if someone was purchasing a home that belong to a cousin and you were asked to inspect it.
You tell someone they need a new roof and then tell them by the way I do roofs.
It is unethical to pay a realtor a fee in order to receive business in Home Inspections. It is also unethical to write an untruthful home inspection report in order to not “kill the deal” for the realtor.
Defensible space refers to the area surrounding a building that is mitigated to protect it from wildfires. Along with the quality of a building’s roofing material, adequate defensible space is one of the most important factors in determining a building’s ability to survive a wildfire. Inspectors should know enough about defensible space to educate their clients, particularly in fire-prone regions so that their clients understand the home environment that they will be living in.
I have researched the article ’15 Tools Every Homeowner Should Own’ by Nick Gromicko and Ben Gromicko. This article suggests a list of tools that may seem like common sense to you, but as the younger generations start acquiring their own homes, they may have no idea of the tools that are necessary to perform basic routine maintenance. For example just owning a plunger could save you an expensive call to your plumber. You may already have and know how to use these tools, but it’s possible that you don’t consider the health risks involved with not owning a pair of safety goggles or a safety mask. A little reminder never hurt anyone and this article does the job.
Hypothetical Essay for Ethics Course
A hypothetical conflict of interest or violation of the Code of Ethics could take many forms. One such hypothetical would be a Realtor who offers to direct more clients to your business in exchange for monetary remuneration.