By Barry Stone
Dear Barry,
I've read that home inspectors do not perform code compliance inspections but that they still disclose problems that violate the building code. This is very confusing and became an issue during my recent home inspection. The inspector made it clear that he was not performing a code inspection, but then he cited an electrical problem as a violation of the code. How can home buyers untangle this contradiction and gain a clearer understanding of which codes are included in a home inspection and which are not? - Adrianne
Dear Adrianne,
Yours is an excellent questions which, to date, has never been adequately answered. It is an uncomfortable issue for most home inspectors and, in fact, is an area where inspectors tend to walk on eggs.
Industry standards specifically list building code compliance as not within the scope of a home inspection. This is because the building code, plumbing code, electrical code, mechanical code, fire code and other related codes are encyclopedic in size and scope. No person could possibly master the entirety of these volumes, and expectations of that magnitude would subject home inspectors to unacceptable levels of liability. On the other hand, many of the faulty conditions routinely reported by home inspectors are specifically based upon standards set forth in the code. If a home inspector says the risers in a staircase are 9 inches high and should not exceed 7 or 8 inches (depending upon the situation), where do these numbers originate? You guessed it: the building code. If a home inspector says the fire door in the garage must be self-closing, what is the source of that standard? Right again: the building code.
Regarding code compliance inspections, the problem here is that no one can accurately define the boundaries whereby the building code is applied to the home inspection process. Thus, home inspections should not be regarded as all-encompassing code compliance evaluations, even though the building code is applied in some cases (without the word "code" being specifically mentioned in the text of a home inspection report).
If that's not sufficiently clear to the reader, don't feel left out: It's not yet clear to many in the home inspection profession either.
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