In the State of Connecticut, home inspectors are required to be licensed or have received an interns permit and be working under the supervision of a licensed home inspector.  The inspector should provided a document for both you and the inspector to sign indicating the inspection will be done in accordance with the State of Connecticut's Standards of Practice.  A good inspection company will provide you with a copy of these standards.   The inspector is required to present his license to you if asked.

In New York, licensing is also require but they have not adopted a Standard of Practice.  This tour is based on the Connecticut Standards. We use the Standards of the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) in New York.  The ASHI Standards are almost identical as the Connecticut Standards; therefore, this tour can be beneficial to New York residents as well.

A good home inspection company will also present to you a written agreement that spells out for you their capabilities and limitations.  Everyone comes to a home inspection with certain expectations as to what the inspection will accomplish.  For some, these expectations are very sensible, others may have unrealistic expectations for a number of reasons.  It should be understood that the State of Connecticut's Standards of Practice and the inspection company's agreement dictate the scope of the inspection and the liability of the inspection company, as long as their agreement is not in opposition to the State's Standards.