ATLANTA - COMMERCIAL INSPECTION - GENERAL
3. Use
3.1 Royalty-free use
Although this standard is protected by copyright and other laws, the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors, Inc. (InterNACHI) hereby grants non-exclusive, royalty-free license to all members of InterNACHI and their clients and all public authorities, government agencies and government employees throughout the world to use this code as desired including making copies, posting, transmitting, and incorporating into reporting software, free of charge, without the need for pre-approval, provided that each use is clearly attributed to InterNACHI.
Acceptable examples of attribution include "performed in accordance with InterNACHI's Commercial SOP," "based on InterNACHIcomsop-2008" or "see www.internachi.org/comsop."
Nothing in this license shall preclude InterNACHI from modifying this standard and users should regularly check for the latest revision at www.nachi.org/comsop.htm which supersedes earlier versions.
3.2 Conflicts with other standards, codes, local laws, and manufacturer's instructions.
There likely exist other standards, codes, local laws, and manufacturer's instructions that differ or are in conflict with this standard and with each other. Although this standard does not require an inspector to know or discover all the provisions that may pertain to every situation, this standard does require an inspector, if aware of such conflicts, to author the inspection report based on the requirements that provide the greatest protection of life and property, in the inspector's judgment. This standard is not intended to usurp or abridge adopted codes or ordinances.
3.3 Substantial compliance
The inspector shall substantially abide by this standard unless otherwise agreed to in writing by the inspector and client.
3.4 Disclaimer of liability
InterNACHI administers the process in the development of its standards. InterNACHI does not independently test, evaluate, or verify the accuracy of any information or the soundness of any judgments contained in its standards. InterNACHI disclaims liability for any personal injury, property or other damages of any nature whatsoever, whether special, indirect, consequential or compensatory, directly or indirectly resulting from the publication, use of, or reliance on this document. InterNACHI also makes no guaranty or warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of any information published herein.
Anyone using this document should rely on his or her own independent judgment or, as appropriate, seek the advice of a competent professional in determining the exercise of reasonable care in any given circumstances.
4. Inspection
4.1 Objective
The objective of an inspection is to provide written communication describing the issues discovered from observations made and research conducted by the inspector and that, in the inspector's opinion, are likely to be of interest to his/her client and to enhance the client's information and knowledge about the commercial property to improve decision making for buying, selling, maintaining, or improving the property.
4.2 Who may perform the inspection
Any portion of the inspection including the walk-through survey, research, and report generation may be performed by the inspector, his/her staff, or any consultant hired by the inspector. This standard recognizes that for the majority of commercial inspections, the inspector is likely an individual with a general, well rounded knowledge of commercial properties and that the inspector or client may want to augment the inspector's skills with specialty consultants who have particular expertise in certain areas. The decision to hire specialty consultants will of course rely on budget and time constraints as well as the risk tolerance of the client.
4.3 Varying levels of due diligence
This standard is designed as a baseline from which the inspector and client can develop and agree to a scope of work that may deviate from this standard depending on budget, time constraints, purpose of the inspection, age of the subject property, and risk tolerance of the client. The level of due diligence should be set where the cost, in time and money, of acquiring information about the subject property will not likely exceed the value of that information. Therefore an inspection performed in accordance with this standard will not be technically exhaustive.
4.3.1 Sample language for use when defining the scope of work
"The inspection will be performed in accordance with InterNACHIcomsop-2008 except that... "
4.3.2 Representative observations
In recognizing that the client likely has the goal of acquiring information about the subject property at a cost, in time and money, that does not exceed the value of that information, representative observations are not just permitted by this standard, but recommended as well.
4.4 Uncertainty
The client should understand that no inspection report is completely accurate. A report is only the written communication of the observations made and research conducted by the inspector. The report contains those items which in the inspector's opinion are likely to be of interest to his/her client.
4.5 Subjectivity
The client should understand that the inspection report is, to a large degree, the subjective opinions of the inspector based on his/her observations and research within the limits of access, time, and budget and without the aid of special equipment or meters and without dismantling, probing, testing, or troubleshooting and without detailed knowledge of the commercial property, its components or its systems. The inspection report is not much more than a subjective professional opinion.
4.6 Not an architectural or engineering service
An inspector performing a commercial inspection in accordance with this standard is not practicing architecture or engineering.
4.7 Not a warranty, guarantee or insurance policy
The inspection is not a warranty and the inspection report is merely the written communication of the inspector's subjective opinion on the condition of the subject property.
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