Reintroducing the Discussion Forum

The ASHI membership comprises many insightful inspectors: those new to our profession and those who’ve been inspecting homes for years. In my time in the association, ASHI members’ eagerness to continually learn and improve as professionals always stood out. I believe this sets ASHI members apart from others in the industry, given their willingness to share their knowledge with fellow inspectors.

In-person and at various live events, you will see groups of inspectors connecting, talking shop, and swapping stories. In addition to their camaraderie, they share insights or tips that benefit each other in an effort to become better prepared for whatever the next job throws at them.

But not everyone has the opportunity or resources to attend as many live events and conferences as they would like. However, you may not realize that the same insightful discussions you will have at these events are happening online every day on the ASHI Discussion Forum. This is where you can ask any questions you come across in your day-to-day and business planning and receive the educated answers and constructive input you are looking for.

To visit the Discussion Forum, go to the Members tab of the ASHI website, homeinspector.org, and click on “Discussion Forum” from the dropdown menu.

Starting the Discussion

If you’re beginning your career in home inspection and starting to grow your business, you’re likely to have some questions along the way. The Discussion Forum is an excellent place for new inspectors to bring their questions to other ASHI members to receive feedback and insights from people who have been in your shoes before.

Whether you come across something unexpected during your inspection, aren’t sure how to write it up in your report, or have a question concerning something beyond the inspections, start a thread and a discussion.

Starting a new topic is super easy. All you need to do is create a topic title, choose the appropriate category, and add any other details, photos, or links you wish to include. Once the topic is created, it’s only a matter of time before the replies start rolling in.

Topics of Discussion

Technical Category

A large category is devoted to Building Technical Topics, which comprises sections of all the major systems and structures. In these sections you will commonly find discussion threads around identifying uncommon defects or components inspectors have uncovered in the field or how to write up findings in the inspection report correctly.

Business Category

The discussions are not limited to technical topics, however. Like many members, the home inspection itself is only part of your responsibilities, and operating your business comes with its own set of hurdles. You will find discussion threads that dive into all of the intangibles of running a business and working with clients: dealing with call-backs or claims, preferences on software or tools, and how to market your business.

Everything Else

Aside from the Technical and Business-focused topics, you’ll find categories such as “General Chit Chat” and “ASHI Membership Q&A,” among others, that encourage members to offer their opinions and perspectives. These topics can range from more serious conversations such as bylaws or policy changes to more light-hearted topics like sharing postcards from the field or swapping exciting stories fellow members have run into on the job.

Offer Your Insight

For the experienced inspectors who have conducted thousands of inspections and have established a successful business, your inputs are the driving force of the Discussion Forum.

You play an important role as leaders in the association, helping the future generation of inspectors find their footing in the profession.

We encourage you to check in on the Discussion Forum when you find a few minutes throughout the day. You never know how your reply can help the inspector who is stuck on their report or stumped by something they came across.