Committed to the Cause

Nearly 40 years ago Roger Herdt got his start as a home inspector. He was in his late 30s when he decided to leave the “dog eat dog” world of retail management and consider another career. He had a background working in electrical work with his father as well as working with his father-in-law who was a custom builder. He then decided to get into home inspecting. “I was the first home inspector in my town,” Herdt said.

Today Herdt continues to live and work in Florence, South Carolina, where he founded Herdt Home Inspections, a one-person operation for all things home inspection, serving Florence, South Carolina, and the surrounding areas. He’s since completed more than 15,000 paid home inspections and served in leadership roles across ASHI South Carolina and ASHI National, including as past president and secretary for ASHI SC and currently as ASHI National Treasurer. He is a founding member of the SC Association of Home Inspectors. 

Herdt was recently recognized with ASHI’s prestigious John E. Cox Member of the Year Award. The Cox Award recognizes an ASHI member who has made exceptional contributions to an ASHI chapter. We caught up with Herdt to learn more about his experience as a home inspector. 

Starting Out 

“It took probably five years before it would support a family,” Herdt said of kickstarting his career. He was one of the first 12 people to earn a home inspector’s license in South Carolina when licensing started in the state in 1996. “My license number is 6,” he laughed. 

It took awhile for some real estate agents to understand that he wasn’t trying to mess up their sales; he was trying to help. In the beginning of his career, there was no South Carolina ASHI presence, Herdt said. “You had to go to DC to take the test to become a member. I couldn’t afford to do it. I didn’t join ASHI until 2008.” 

Prior to helping ASHI begin a South Carolina chapter, Herdt was part of the state association. He then became secretary of the South Carolina chapter the very day after becoming an ACI, staying in that role for 17 years. “Our association likes the secretary and the treasurer to be semi-permanent positions. We think it gives us continuity in leadership,” he said. 

Committed to Leading 

“Mr. Herdt has been our SC-ASHI chapter secretary for many years and has been the foundation of our chapter,” said Brad Johnson, SC ASHI Past President. “He has worked with the SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation—our regulatory agency—for the benefit of the home inspection profession in South Carolina.” 

The South Carolina chapter is fairly small today, Herdt said, with about 30 active members compared to the state’s 90 or so national members. In his time as secretary Herdt said he became the chapter historian, too, which he loved. “

Over the years I’ve organized a lot of things for the chapters and worked closely with a lot of really good people. I’ve enjoyed it,” he said.

Now 75, Herdt still does home inspections four days a week (down from five days a week), conducting one or two inspections a day. He enjoys the flexibility of making his own schedule and expresses gratitude over his career. “I started when I was in my late 30s. It’s been a good thing. We raised and put two kids through college on it.” His wife helps run the business.

Meeting interesting people is a large part of what keeps Herdt doing the work, he said. He enjoys helping people, too. “And I’m not sitting in a cubicle. I’ve always liked to be out,” he said. “There’s always something new in this job. Every day you run into something and I say, ‘I’ve never seen that before.’” 

He’s learned good things and scary things over the years, he said, including what might be hazardous to your client or the structure but also to yourself—legally and physically. “I can remember being young and stupid and going on a roof that had frost on it. I ended up flat on my face, sliding down the roof toward the edge. It’s one of those ‘what have I done’ moments. There’s a lot you learn from experience.”

Herdt is still learning from his fellow inspectors, too, including at the chapter’s hybrid meetings that he enjoys attending in-person. “I really believe in the value of in-person meetings because we sit together before and after the meeting and we share war stories. You learn a lot just from hearing what the other guy survived. You can also get new ideas for your business. There’s a lot to be learned from in-person contact.”