How do I become a home inspector?

[Billy Boerner]

Originally Posted by ldapkus

Do you read the newspapers or go online and follow the real estate market??? Now is not a good time to start a career in any real estate related business. Duuuuh!!!

Yea your right. However it won't last forever. And when the market picks back up that's NOT the time to start making a presence. You better have your name out and about or you could get left behind.

To answer your question...

Licensed state? Read the state rules and follow them. Usually requires some sort of school up to 80 hrs. After that you go take a state exam. Pass wala your a inspector. Don't pass wala you lost your money try again.

Unlicensed state? Pick up a tool belt, throw up a website and call your self a inspector if you want to. However most of us is set well apart from you. How? For example I have both field training and vo tech level training as a inspector before ever doing my first paid inspection. If you don't join a association IMO your hurting your chances of getting a job over the rest of your competition. Most inspectors belong to some kind of association. Even with years of experience in home construction you need to show you had some sort of training as a home inspector. At a minimum NACHI will do that for you.

Bill

[Scott A. Hand]

I think that this would be a good time to start in this business!

Just be smart about it. It may not be the right time to go into this FULL BORE, but while you are working your 9-5 job you can certainly get your schooling done, pick the type of corporation you want to be, buy the needed tools and software, familiarize yourself with all your new toys, join InterNACHI and learn from all the courses that are offered as well as jumping in to this message board and reading all you can to learn as much as you can so when the market picks back up you're ready.

I personally think that if you started while the market is HOT you would be more apt, and possibly forced, to jump in too early before you feel completely competent in your abilities. You don't want to fumble around like you don't know what your doing. This is something you need to take your time with.

Allowing yourself time to become as knowledgeable as possible, before you have to do an inspection, will help to reduce the likelihood of making some stupid mistake that could have been avoided if you had the time to gain more knowledge. This is a great time to research and practice your craft.

From my years as a sales manager: Practice, Drill and Rehearse. Repetition is the mother of all learning. Inspect your house many times. Inspect your friends house many times. Go over the process in your head so many times that when it is time for your first PAID inspection you are confident and it shows.

Maybe it is this way for me because I don't have all the years in the construction industry behind me. But regardless of experience, we all need to be competent in order to become more confident in our skills. This will obviously take longer for some, shorter for others. That is why I believe this is a great time to start.

OK now...I'm ready!!! Where the hell are all the inspections?

Just my 2 cents.

[John McKenna]

Originally Posted by jbushart

Bad? What did I say that was "bad"? The guy is looking for a quick and easy way to be a home inspector.

What did I say that was not true, John?

The man asked ...

I'm not currently a home inspector but have been in the trades for many years, my question is, does NACHI help one become an inspector or, do I have to find a school prior to becoming NACHI certified. thanks

and... you see this as a chance to tell him about the evils of licensing.
Can we say "one track mind".?

and... I see nothing in his question that implies that he is looking for the "easy way".

Perhaps he just wanted help in the right direction?

BTW... if he lives in a licensed state, then it would be good for him to fulfill
the law, regardless. I doubt he is going to move to another state looking for
his favorite set of licesning laws.

I know some retired hair dressers that have become home inspectors within the
time it takes to put up a sign in unlicensed states. Don't tell me it does not happen.

Not all states make it easy to be an inspector (you missed that).
In fact, given the current requirements in Texas, I doubt that even you
would qualify as a home inspector. That is not a slam, given that most
people do not qualify, without some extra steps, when they come here.

TEXAS REQUIREMENTS are not easy.

448 hours of inspector education and training.
7 years experience as an Engineer, Architect or General Contractor.
Yearly CE requirements and mandatory E&O.

Think about it before you respond.

[Billy Boerner]

Originally Posted by shand

I think that this would be a good time to start in this business!

Just be smart about it. It may not be the right time to go into this FULL BORE, but while you are working your 9-5 job you can certainly get your schooling done, pick the type of corporation you want to be, buy the needed tools and software, familiarize yourself with all your new toys, join InterNACHI and learn from all the courses that are offered as well as jumping in to this message board and reading all you can to learn as much as you can so when the market picks back up you're ready.

I personally think that if you started while the market is HOT you would be more apt, and possibly forced, to jump in too early before you feel completely competent in your abilities. You don't want to fumble around like you don't know what your doing. This is something you need to take your time with.

Allowing yourself time to become as knowledgeable as possible, before you have to do an inspection, will help to reduce the likelihood of making some stupid mistake that could have been avoided if you had the time to gain more knowledge. This is a great time to research and practice your craft.

From my years as a sales manager: Practice, Drill and Rehearse. Repetition is the mother of all learning. Inspect your house many times. Inspect your friends house many times. Go over the process in your head so many times that when it is time for your first PAID inspection you are confident and it shows.

Maybe it is this way for me because I don't have all the years in the construction industry behind me. But regardless of experience, we all need to be competent in order to become more confident in our skills. This will obviously take longer for some, shorter for others. That is why I believe this is a great time to start.

OK now...I'm ready!!! Where the hell are all the inspections?

Just my 2 cents.

Scott you nailed it. I wouldn't recommend anyone getting into this business without a 9-5 job when first starting out. That could lead to financial problems in a hurry. This business takes time to build up to what Dale and other's state.

Bill

[David P. Valley]

Getting started in the home inspection business will always be slow and gradual, especially with today’s R/E mess. Many newcomers to this profession get very frustrated during that first year and some finally throw in the towel and return to construction work or to their previous occupation (yours being Heath Care). Selling your HI services to R/E agents before you have actual field experience is not easy, but it has been performed by nearly everyone who is an experienced home inspector today.

Instead of worrying about your lack of inspection experience, your better off telling people about your related knowledge and experience -- such as contracting or whatever it was you did previously that relates to Home Inspections. Tell them about your certifications and any other professional credentials that might apply to Home Inspections. Tell them about your commitment to do excellent work. But don't say you are a "continual learner" because that infers that you have not yet sufficiently learned about Home Inspections. And don't ever tell them that you're an "overachiever" because many agents are afraid of home inspectors who might "kill the deal" by being overly zealous. But when someone asks you how many inspections you've performed, just tell them the truth and let the chips fall as they will. Most people, however, won't even ask if you act professional enough to make them think you're GOOD.

R/E Agents are used to newby inspectors coming into this field all the time. At first, you may be dismissed as just another home inspector. But gradually, if you're GOOD, you'll get inspection orders -- a few here, a few there. And if the R/E agents really like your work, they'll call on you and refer you again, and again. And little by little, you'll become an experienced Home Inspector.

But while you're gaining that valuable experience, you'll be missing property defects that would be discovered by a more experienced Home Inspector. These undisclosed conditions will result in callbacks, monetary claims and possibly a major lawsuit. So be sure to carry Errors-and-Omissions insurance, and do all you can to continually advance your HI education. The more you know and the more you practice, the more effectively you'll serve your customers, the more protected you'll be from liability, and the more often you'll be recommended to home Buyers on a continuing basis.

If you make the wise decision of attending a professional home inspection school, you will see many ads that say you can make hundreds of dollars a day as a Home Inspector. The home inspection schools always print many of these ridiculous ads and what they claim is simply not true. They paint a bright rosy picture about the HI profession and how easy it will be for you to make a ton of money virtually overnight. Bullshi+.... If you believe that story, I'll tell you another, if your gullible enough to listen.

What these HI schools and the various companies’ (selling Home Inspection courses) won’t tell you is how difficult it is to be successful in this business, especially with today's real slow R/E market. Some National HI schools make it sound so easy to get started overnight. They simply explain how easy it would be to start doing one or two home inspections a day with little or no effort. Don't allow then to fool ya. The HI business is like any other professional business. It takes dedication, strong finances and a lot of time to become very successful.

Many HI schools do not tell you about the massive liability side of the home inspection industry. The home inspection industry is and always will be a very high liability profession. Every single home you inspect, is a potential lawsuit for you. It doesn’t matter that you may be the most thorough home inspector in your area. Home Inspectors are sued over things that the homeowners thought they should have found whether or not you could actually see the defect or not. There’s an old saying in this business. It’s not IF you get sued, but WHEN you get sued. So if you can’t live under this sort of pressure, you’d be best off looking elsewhere for a different profession.

All it takes is a ladder, a flashlight and pickup truck…right?

Well, guess what? Here’s more bad news, and I apologize but it's the absolute truth. Like most legitimate businesses, it takes a little more than a few simple tools. A new home inspector is going to need about $5000 worth of tools just to get started in this business. Then there is the issue of insurance. Errors & Omissions Insurance will cost a new inspector (if you can even get it) anywhere from $3,000 to $4500 per year. Then there’s General Liability Insurance that will run you anywhere from $500 to $1500 per year. In some states, you can’t even get started without this insurance.

Do you have a rainy day fund?

I hope so, because it will absolutely rain on your parade! Just like any new business, the 1st year or two will be very rough. It may take you anywhere from 6 months to 2 years to even get to the point where you’re bringing in a hefty steady income. Many Home Inspectors came into this business by doing home inspections on the side or on a part time basis. That is the exact approach I would advise any new inspector to take. Don’t quit your day job just yet!

What about the Real Estate Agents?

The schools make it sound like there’s a R/E agent behind every tree just waiting for good ole' you. Odds are that R/E agents have their favorite Home Inspector already and they’re not likely to use a newbie Home Inspector because they do not know what to expect from you as of yet. It will take you many months up to a year or more before you’ll be getting regular referrals from your favorite real estate agents. Don’t count on them to feed your family when you first start your HI business. This industry can be very rewarding in many ways, however it’s likely to leave a sour taste in your mouth if you enter thinking that it’s a pushover to get started in this industry. I’ve seen way to many good people go broke trying to get started in the HI business because home inspection schools and trainers left them unprepared for what they were about to face in the real world.

I really wish you all the Luck in your career decision and whatever your goals may be. After hearing me tell you the real truth about this industry and you are still truely thinking of dedicating yourself to become an HI, the first thing you should do is join iNACHI and then participate in this MB on a daily basis. You'll be amazed at how much you can learn in a single day.[/font]

[James H. Bushart]

Originally Posted by jmckenna1

I know some retired hair dressers that have become home inspectors within the
time it takes to put up a sign in unlicensed states. Don't tell me it does not happen.

I know a guy who purchased an IR camera and instantly became qualified to teach it, all over America. What's your point?

[Frank Magdefrau]

Originally Posted by jbushart

I know a guy who purchased an IR camera and instantly became qualified to teach it, all over America. What's your point?

I know a guy who became a new home inspector and a INACHI Certified home inspector and instantly starting offering new inspectors like himself ride alongs and writing education courses.

[Frank Magdefrau]

Originally Posted by jbushart

I know a guy who purchased an IR camera and instantly became qualified to teach it, all over America. What's your point?

This has to be the best "come back" of the year.

[Nick Gromicko]

It was pretty funny.

Anyway, if you are trying to start a "traditional" home inspection business where all you offer is home inspections for real estate agents who have buyers... forget it (unless you really understand marketing). Too few traditional buyers these days. Investors coming out of the wood work though. Anyway...

If I was going into the business right now, and was technically weak, in a weak residential real estate market... I'd go into commercial inspections. Commercial inspections requires almost no technical knowledge at all, you simply act in the same way a General Contractor does in arranging all the qualified subcontractors, scheduling, marketing, etc.

Furthermore, with the soft business environment, 2009 will be the year of the commercial inspection. More business will trade hands than any other time in history. More commercial property will trade hands than any other time in history.

Hence www.nachi.org/comsop.htm and www.nachi.org/commercialcourse.htm

Anyway, take my advice for what I charged you for it.

P.S. Consider offering and marketing annual home inspections this winter to home owners who aren't selling. Explain that you will keep a record of each inspection for use when they do go to sell. Also visit www.OverSEEit.com

[Marcel R. Cyr]

Originally Posted by gromicko

If I was going into the business right now, and was technically weak, in a weak residential real estate market... I'd go into commercial inspections. Commercial inspections requires almost no technical knowledge at all, you simply act in the same way a General Contractor does in arranging all the qualified subcontractors, scheduling, marketing, etc.

Hi. Nick;

I have reservations to that statement.

In some areas of the Country and even Maine, what you describe above would be what I call a suitcase Contractor.
They are a one man show in the field and have at the most two laborers and maybe one carpenter and most of the time they are full of BS.

That is how they operate.
To inspect a Commercial Property, you can not be down in this category.

The cost implemented in hiring professionals to do the job of an inspector that is technically weak would outway the economics for the client and the client would choose to hire one that can do at least 20% of the work.

Sub Contracting for Inspections on Commercial jobs should be set to the limitation of HVAC, Electrical, and maybe Roofing Contractor depending on the Geographic Area.

There are 16 Divisions not including sub-parts to the AIA Docouments in Building a Commercial Project.
Your statement of technically weak would therefore require 16 sub-contractors and the General to market and fill in the report.

I believe anyone with this type of technical deficiency, should wait for another Home Inspection. JMHO

Marcel

[John McKenna]

Originally Posted by jbushart

I know a guy who purchased an IR camera and instantly became qualified to teach it, all over America. What's your point?

I know a Level III Thermographer who has years of experience with 60K IR
camera who is asking me how to use the infrared camera to do a home inspection.
Why? Because he said that a person with many years of construction knowledge
and training can do more with an IR camera than he could, who had very little
construction background, even though he is a master in the infrared field and has
a 60K IR camera. When you figure that out call me.

BTW... this Level III thermographer had been doing infrared scan for a long time and,
he just wanted to see what all the "home inspection" buzz was about, so he took a course
about using the infrared camera for building inspections. Half way through the course he
said that all the construction knowledge was too intense and he would be glad when the
class was over.

As for the comment about the hair dresser becoming an inspector in an unlicensed
state, you already know what that implies and choose to ignore it. I suspect the
hair dresser and yourself have similar political views on the benefits of no
requirements being put on inspectors. ...

[Nick Gromicko]

I don't know anything about AIA documents, sorry. I only know www.nachi.org/comsop.htm If you are performing a commercial inspection to ASTM or AIA or some other document, disregard everything I've said and God Bless ya.

Anyway... this from www.nachi.org/comsop.htm 4.3 (2nd sentence very important):

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.

It takes a couple years to become a great home inspector. It would take me about a day to train a blind man to be a good commercial inspector.

This is because the best commercial inspectors aren't performing any portion of the inspection that they aren't qualified to inspect and they very likely aren't inspecting everything in the InterNACHI Standard of Practice (see 4.3 above).

The document you want to inspect to is www.nachi.org/comsop.htm MODIFIED by the scope of work document.

I'm going to make this really easy for InterNACHI members. I'm building an international network for all of us. www.nachi.org/cominspect.htm Give me a little more time and I'll show you where I'm goin' with this one.