Our Standards of Practice

The South Carolina Residential Builders Commission uses the Standards of Practice for Home Inspections as outlined by the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI).  These standards are the minimum requirements that must be performed by a home inspector.

In general, the State Standards of Practice require an inspector to visually inspect readily accessible and observable installed components and systems in the home.  These components and systems include:

After the inspection is completed, the inspector is required to provide a written report to the client that:

  • States the systems and components inspected
  • Identifies those systems and components that, in the opinion of the inspector, are not functioning properly, are significantly deficient, are unsafe and/or are near the end of their service lives
  • Makes recommendations to correct or monitor for future correction those systems and components that are found to be, in the opinion of the inspector, not functioning properly, are deficient, are unsafe and/or near the end of their service lives
  • States reasoning or explanation as to the nature of the deficiencies that are not self-evident

The Inspector is also expected to adhere to the ASHI Code of Ethics for the Home Inspection profession.

General limitations and exclusions of a home inspection

The Standard of Practice indicates that home inspections using this standard are not technically exhaustive and that an inspector is not required to identify and report concealed conditions, latent defects or cosmetic imperfections that don’t significantly affect a component’s performance.  In addition, the home inspector is not required to determine:

  • The condition of systems and components that are not readily accessible
  • The remaining life expectancy of systems and components
  • The strength, adequacy, effectiveness or efficiency of systems and components
  • The causes of conditions and deficiencies
  • The methods, materials and costs of corrections
  • Future conditions including, but not limited to, a failure of systems and components
  • The suitability of the property for specialized uses
  • The compliance of systems and components with past and present requirements and guidelines, such as codes, laws, ordinances, specifications, regulations, use and care guides, installation and maintenance instructions, etc…
  • The market value of the property and/or its marketability
  • The advisability of purchasing the property
  • The presence of plants, animals and other life forms or substances that may be hazardous or harmful to humans including, but not limited to, wood destroying organisms or insects, mold and mold-like substances
  • The presence of environmental hazards including, but not limited to, allergens, toxins, carcinogens, electro-magnetic radiation, noise, radioactive substances, and contaminates in building materials, soil, air and water
  • The effectiveness of systems installed and methods used to control or remove suspected hazardous plants, animals, insects and environmental hazards
  • The operating costs of systems and components
  • Acoustical properties of systems and components
  • Soil conditions relating to geotechnical or hydrologic specialties
  • Whether items, materials, conditions, components or systems are subject to recall, controversy, litigation, product liability and other adverse claims and conditions

The inspector is not required to offer:

  • Warranties or guarantees
  • Or to perform acts or services contrary to law or government regulations
  • Or to perform architectural, engineering, contracting or surveying services or to confirm or to evaluate such services performed by others
  • Or to perform trades or professional services other than home inspections

The inspector is not required to operate:

  • Systems and components that are shut down or otherwise inoperable
  • Systems and components that do not respond to normal operating controls 
  • Shut-off valves and manual stop valves 
  • Automatic safety controls

The inspector is not required to enter:

  • Under-floor crawl spaces and attics that are not readily accessible
  • Areas that will, in the judgement of the inspector, likely be dangerous to the inspector or to other persons, or that will damage the property or its systems and components

The inspector is not required to inspect:

  • Underground items including, but not limited to, underground storage tanks and other underground indications of their presence, whether abandoned or active
  • Items that are not installed
  • Installed decorative items
  • Detached structures other than garages and permanent carports
  • Common elements and common areas in multi-unit housing
  • Every occurrence of multiple similar components
  • Outdoor cooking appliances

 The inspector is not required to:

  • Perform procedures or operations that will, in the judgement of the inspector, likely be dangerous to the inspector or to other persons, or that would damage the property or its systems or components
  • Describe or report on systems and components that are not included in the Standard of Practice and that were not inspected
  • Move personal property, plants, furniture, equipment, soil, snow, ice and/or debris
  • Dismantle systems and components, except those explicitly required by the Standard of Practice
  • Reset, re-program or otherwise adjust devices, systems and components affected by inspection required by the Standard of Practice
  • Ignite or extinguish fires, pilot lights, burners and other open flames that require manual ignition
  • Probe surfaces that would be damaged or where no deterioration is visible or presumed to exist