Advice for a newbie

[Paul Hman]

Folks, I am trying to enter the home inspection field. I am midway into my course and am hoping I might get some advice on working in the field. Are there jobs available or is it mostly independent/family business? Also, are there ever opportunities to apprentice for experience? Any help would be great.
Thanks
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[ldapkus]

Good luck !!!

[Randy D. Stufflebeem]

In my area the market is small over the past two years 3 of 5 businesses have folded. I do not know where you are located but here is what I would ask myself and you can trust the brotherhood on this board will add to it.
1) How big is the real estate market where I live?
2) How many Home Inspectors are in the area?
3) Can I afford to support myself getting started? Expect it to take awhile.
4) Can I afford the start up costs? IE: Marketing, Insurance, memberships, etc
5) Do I want to work for someone, start my own business, join a franchise?
6) Am I prepared to put in 12-14 hours a day working, marketing. etc?
7) Can I afford to weather the real estate market fluctuations?
This should help but I will say this business may be advertised as an industry that needs people but I can tell you at least in my area that is not the fact. I have seen the ads in the paper and think what a joke? "Be your own Boss", "Choose your own Hours" "Get ahead of a Growing Trade". This is all good but the market and your marketing combined with skill will dictate your survival. You may be thinking why are you still in the business if it is bad? The answer is I have weathered the storms.........so far! Best of luck and you came to the right board for the question. Almost everyone here will tell you the way it is...period.

[Mathew Hawley]

Paul,

Get a good website that can easily be found when using common search terms for home inspections in your area. My website has been the best marketing by far "for me anyways". Then you will start getting referrals and it will just build up from there.

Inspect your friends and families homes and your own home. See if you can do some ride alongs with another inspector, HVAC tech, electrician ect. Visit homes under construction on weekends and just study the different phases, read as much as you can. There is a ton of great info on this MB and many good books out there.

Good luck to you

[Paul Hman]

Great stuff gentlmen. I appreciate your responses. FYI, I am in Orlando FL. But I am hoping to head back North to Pennsylvania.

[klott]

Paul, I noticed your post starts with a sad face. This business is like any other business or job out there, if you want to suceed you must start with a positive attitude. Listen to all advice, take only what will help you to reach your goals, make a game plan, study, work hard, and never give up. Do not let your competition discourage you. Go for it! Good fortunes, Ken

[Randy D. Stufflebeem]

Maybe some of the guys from PA will reply. Check current legislation and legislation on the dockets there. I have heard some debate and displeasure with some laws that may come into effect there on this board but I can't recall exactly what they were. Just remember MARKET, EDUCATE, DRIVE, CONTINUOUS CAPITAL. By the way consider NACHI membership because I can honestly tell you I have learned more here than I ever learned in the classroom. Good Luck!
Randy

[John McKenna]

Originally Posted by Paul Hman

Folks, I am trying to enter the home inspection field. I am midway into my course and am hoping I might get some advice on working in the field. Are there jobs available or is it mostly independent/family business? Also, are there ever opportunities to apprentice for experience? Any help would be great.
Thanks
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You may have to contact a home inspector who far away in order
for him to be willing to help you with some ride along inspection training.

Inspectors are sometimes unwilling to help a new person train
within the same local area that they service (it means less pie
for everyone).

Good luck and stay close to NACHI. Call me anytime for help.

[Paul Hman]

Originally Posted by klott

Paul, I noticed your post starts with a sad face. This business is like any other business or job out there, if you want to suceed you must start with a positive attitude. Listen to all advice, take only what will help you to reach your goals, make a game plan, study, work hard, and never give up. Do not let your competition discourage you. Go for it! Good fortunes, Ken

Awesome Ken, I needed that

[cduphily]

Originally Posted by Paul Hman

Great stuff gentlmen. I appreciate your responses. FYI, I am in Orlando FL. But I am hoping to head back North to Pennsylvania.

1) Join NACHI - you will learn more on this message board than you will in any class room (imho)

2) Don't quit your day job! - at least not right away It can take a while to get the business rolling full time.

3) make a phone script and know it! a big mistake I made was not making a script, as a result A lot of potential clients booked with someone else.

4) Don't be afraid to call a fellow inspector to ask their advise ...especially if they offer their number to you.

5) market, market, market when your tired of marketing and not getting new business market some more! They will come if you build it

[Bob Elliott]

What everyone said is true.
This is a business with low start up cost,so the only thing that can ever hold you back is yourself.

[Marcel R. Cyr]

Originally Posted by relliott

What everyone said is true.
This is a business with low start up cost,so the only thing that can ever hold you back is yourself.

Bob, that could not have been said any better.

Paul, Exellent advice here from everybody, and hope you do well in your endears, feel free anytime to ask questions, we are all here to help you.

Education will limit your mistakes even without your experience, but always better to have both. Start slow and go from there. Treat your Clients with Honesty, and serve with your upmost intergrity, but most of all, be Honest with yourself and follow the SOP's.

Experience= a whole lot of mistakes.

Let this Board help.

Marcel

[Russel Ray]

Originally Posted by cduphily

5) market, market, market when your tired of marketing and not getting new business market some more! They will come if you build it

Such worthwhile advice. I wish I had said it.

[Joseph Hagarty, CMI]

Originally Posted by Paul Hman

Great stuff gentlmen. I appreciate your responses. FYI, I am in Orlando FL.

But I am hoping to head back North to Pennsylvania.

http://www.phic.info/SB1032P2140.pdf

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/CFDOCS/Legis/PN/Public/btCheck.cfm?txtType=HTM&sessYr=2007&sessInd=0&bill Body=S&billTyp=B&billNbr=0359&pn=0395

[Paul Hman]

Thanks again to all of you. I will stay tuned.