Asking that the prospective client not smoke or mentioning that their house becomes your workplace and discussing California law regarding smoking in the workplace is likely be poorly received.

If the prospective clients smoke, you can say you have a sensitivity to it and are unable to work a job where smoking is onsite.  If the clients really want you to do the work, they will voluntarily make the adjustments necessary to hire you.

I'm not a smoker, but people have the right to smoke in their own homes, just as you have the right to decline work.

In cases involving a rental, the discussion should take place with the landlord or property manager.

When you are in a home, the home owners are the ones that set the rules. 

Tom, I'd guess the option would be you can choose to do the job with them smoking, or to not do the job.

I wouldn't tolerate it though, 2nd hand smoke is disgusting and I think we have a right to not be impacted by someone else's habit.

That's a tough one. There is definitely a difference between a commercial office building and a private residence. My guess here is that you can't dictate what someone does in their home. All YOU can do is choose not to work ina smoker's home...

That's a really interesting question Tom. My first thought is that people can do whatever they want in their own home. But... it IS your workplace.

Might be a good one to ask with a call to the Attorney General's Office. 

Back when my husband smoked, he never smoked when there were other people in the house....however, it always smelled of second hand smoke, and no one ever said a word about it.

Now if we go buy the guidelines, you are right Tom Arstingstall, General Contractor, Dry Rot, Water Damage Sacramento, El Dorado County - (916) 765-5366 - they should not smoke at home inspection.

Law or not I won't put up with it Tom. I have Asthma and smoke bothers me.

If only you could...it would be awesome, but I don't think it would fly.

Good question, we do not allow our renters to smoke in the home.

I think so.

Sure. Why not?

Great question for an attorney!

I'm not a lawyer or a smoker, but it might seem a little cheeky to ask someone not to smoke in their own home - although I've done it when I've been working on listing preperations.

I don't know about the legalities of this for California, Tom, but I'm going to guess that you certainly have the right to ask them to stop smoking, but I think they also have the right to continue to smoke if they are jerks.