Home Inspection

Seneca College, in partnership with Carson Dunlop and Associates and in cooperation with the Ontario Association of Home Inspectors (OAHI), is offering a ten-subject Home Inspection program that incorporates the Standards of Practice of ASHI/CAHPI (American Society of Home Inspectors/Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors). The program is based on a curriculum developed by ASHI in conjunction with Columbia Assessment Services Inc., because of their Role Delineation Study of the home inspection profession.

Students will learn the systems and components of a house including roofing, structure, electrical, heating, air conditioning/heat pumps, plumbing, exterior, insulation, and the interior. The ten subjects in this certificate have been organized to address each of these, as well as to provide students with the communication skills and knowledge of professional practice required to be successful in this growing industry. The emphasis of this certificate is on very practical knowledge of the performance of the systems and components of a house, not on theory.

The curriculum has been thoughtfully organized into subjects that describe the materials used in the construction of each house system and how they are assembled. Content covers what may go wrong as well as the causes and the implications of problems that result. The program gives students clear directions concerning what to look for during an inspection: signs of non-performance due to old age, deferred maintenance, weather damage, and poor workmanship. It is this aspect of the program that distinguishes it from the knowledge of contractors or other building professionals.

Successful completion of this program fulfills the academic entrance requirements of the Ontario Association of Home Inspectors (OAHI) except for the Defect Recognition and Reporting Subject, which must be taken through the OAHI directly – www.oahi.com. (NOTE: OAHI requires that students receive a minimum of 70% in each course to qualify for their certification.)