National Home Inspection Exam?

[Nick Gromicko]

Correct. Passing one exam doesn't teach anyone anything unless it is combined with education. Regardless of his/her score, an exam taker doesn't know any more coming out of an exam than he/she did going in. And any association that uses the passing of but one beginners exam (NHIE) as the basis to award their highest membership status is no different than diploma mill ASHI.

Want to be the best inspector in your market area? Learn something new every evening after dinner: www.nachi.org/education.htm

[James H. Bushart]

Originally Posted by gromicko

Correct. Passing one exam doesn't teach anyone anything unless it is combined with education. Regardless of his/her score, an exam taker doesn't know any more coming out of an exam than he/she did going in. And any association that uses the passing of but one beginners exam (NHIE) as the basis to award their highest membership status is no different than diploma mill ASHI.

Want to be the best inspector in your market area? Learn something new every evening after dinner: www.nachi.org/education.htm

This used to be little more than competitive advertising, but Nick is right.

I spent the last year with an ASHI membership and found it to be the most expensive magazine subscription (the only tangible membership benefit is "The ASHI Reporter") I ever paid for.

When I joined, I was angry at NACHI/Nick for what I perceived to had been unforgivable interference with those of us fighting a terrible licensing law in Kansas. I honestly wanted to get the flavor and the boost from my ASHI membership.

First, I went to their message board. If you think that TIJ is a desolate and unfrequented board with weeks between posts, you should check out ASHI. The only time anyone responds to a post is if there is (a) a spelling error, or (b) a request for support or money.

Then I studied my options for membership. I was a member....but if I wanted to be a member with the ASHI logo ... I had to pay money to the folks that run the NHIE to prove I had entry level skills, like the newbies getting licensed in Arizona do. Then...after proving I had entry level skills...I had to pick out 50 inspections and wait until someone told me which five (for a fee) would be reviewed. Then, after paying the additional fees....my dues would be increased annually so that....I could be a member with a logo.

Next...I could pick out two hundred more names and (for an additional fee) another 20 inspections would be reviewed and then I could pay another increased annual fee to be a "certified" ASHI member with a logo.

Still trying to figure out why on earth I would want to spend all this money and go through all this trouble JUST so that I could pay higher annual dues, I started looking around for training opportunities.

With the exception of a few on-line courses that NACHI would use as teasers to get people to buy the full course, there was nothing. Period. I had to drive over two hundred miles in one direction to find an active chapter to get my CEUs and, frankly, our St Louis NACHI chapter presented better stuff with Joe Farsetta and Joe Tedesco for a third of the fee.

Like I said....I wanted to be happy at ASHI and was looking to make it work for me. The first realtor that I met here in the Ozarks, when I told her I was a member of ASHI, asked "Is that a good thing to be? I never heard of that." Having just left St. Louis, where ASHI members and realtors share sales commissions (practically), this was quite a shock.

So I am qualified to tell you...with no hyperbole and with no malice toward either association.....ASHI is a sham. The NHIE that supposedly qualifies you for a "mark of distinction" is now nothing more than what states use for entry level inspectors who then qualify to pay a licensing fee and begin a business.

NACHI has accumulated the most comprehensive offering of inspector educational and preparation materials known to the industry....and you can challenge me by looking around and finding its equal and reporting it back to this thread. There is no one at an even close second place.

We have our share of bums, as do the rest of the societies and associations, but the arsenal and the plethora of knowledge and information that every member has access to makes it the greatest home inspection association in the world.

I am proud of Nick's decision to keep our tests and materials out of the hands of states who would use it for screening "entry level" candidates for licensure....and keeping it where it distinguishes the cream of the crop.

[Brian E. Kelly]

Cream of the crop??? Msny here seem Lactose intolerant James.

[James H. Bushart]

Originally Posted by bkelly2

Cream of the crop??? Msny here seem Lactose intolerant James.

LOL....I think I made room in my testimony for the exceptions.

[Bob Elliott]

Somebody explain what Cream of the Crop means.
I thought cream came from cows.

[dharris]

I spent the last year with an ASHI membership and found it to be the most expensive magazine subscription (the only tangible membership benefit is "The ASHI Reporter") I ever paid for.

When I joined, I was angry at NACHI/Nick for what I perceived to had been unforgivable interference with those of us fighting a terrible licensing law in Kansas. I honestly wanted to get the flavor and the boost from my ASHI membership.
Sorry to hear that you feel this way about ASHI.
I was one of many that were surprised that you joined.
Did you really believe being angry at nick would really be a good reaon to join ASHI.
Did you really believe the BS that on this board about how ASHI is controlling the profession is true?


First, I went to their message board. If you think that TIJ is a desolate and unfrequented board with weeks between posts, you should check out ASHI.

I have to agree with you on this.
One of many things that you won't find on the ASHI site is four posts on the same topic, daily bashing and lies about other inspectors, thing you can do with gerbals, inspectors bragging how they got $7000 swords for free by not disclosing it was there when the did the inspection.
I do have to ask, did you make an attempt to offer helpful information, or offer HI information on the site?


Then I studied my options for membership. I was a member....but if I wanted to be a member with the ASHI logo ... I had to pay money to the folks that run the NHIE to prove I had entry level skills, like the newbies getting licensed in Arizona do. Then...after proving I had entry level skills...I had to pick out 50 inspections and wait until someone told me which five (for a fee) would be reviewed. Then, after paying the additional fees....my dues would be increased annually so that....I could be a member with a logo.

Next...I could pick out two hundred more names and (for an additional fee) another 20 inspections would be reviewed and then I could pay another increased annual fee to be a "certified" ASHI member with a logo.

This one a bit-h. Gotta 1/2 agree with this one as well.
But then there are a lot of inspectors that are more than willing to provide proof that they did in fact meet ASHI enforced requirements for their cetificiations.
Then there are some inspectors that choose to go the way of not having to provide any verificiation for an instant cert. by just paying $289.00


Like I said....I wanted to be happy at ASHI and was looking to make it work for me. The first realtor that I met here in the Ozarks, when I told her I was a member of ASHI, asked "Is that a good thing to be? I never heard of that." Having just left St. Louis, where ASHI members and realtors share sales commissions (practically), this was quite a shock.
Did this realtor know of NACHI?

So I am qualified to tell you...with no hyperbole and with no malice toward either association.....ASHI is a sham. The NHIE that supposedly qualifies you for a "mark of distinction" is now nothing more than what states use for entry level inspectors who then qualify to pay a licensing fee and begin a business.

[Frank Magdefrau]

Originally Posted by jbushart

This used to be little more than competitive advertising, but Nick is right.

I spent the last year with an ASHI membership and found it to be the most expensive magazine subscription (the only tangible membership benefit is "The ASHI Reporter") I ever paid for.

When I joined, I was angry at NACHI/Nick for what I perceived to had been unforgivable interference with those of us fighting a terrible licensing law in Kansas. I honestly wanted to get the flavor and the boost from my ASHI membership.

First, I went to their message board. If you think that TIJ is a desolate and unfrequented board with weeks between posts, you should check out ASHI. The only time anyone responds to a post is if there is (a) a spelling error, or (b) a request for support or money.

Then I studied my options for membership. I was a member....but if I wanted to be a member with the ASHI logo ... I had to pay money to the folks that run the NHIE to prove I had entry level skills, like the newbies getting licensed in Arizona do. Then...after proving I had entry level skills...I had to pick out 50 inspections and wait until someone told me which five (for a fee) would be reviewed. Then, after paying the additional fees....my dues would be increased annually so that....I could be a member with a logo.

Next...I could pick out two hundred more names and (for an additional fee) another 20 inspections would be reviewed and then I could pay another increased annual fee to be a "certified" ASHI member with a logo.

Still trying to figure out why on earth I would want to spend all this money and go through all this trouble JUST so that I could pay higher annual dues, I started looking around for training opportunities.

With the exception of a few on-line courses that NACHI would use as teasers to get people to buy the full course, there was nothing. Period. I had to drive over two hundred miles in one direction to find an active chapter to get my CEUs and, frankly, our St Louis NACHI chapter presented better stuff with Joe Farsetta and Joe Tedesco for a third of the fee.

Like I said....I wanted to be happy at ASHI and was looking to make it work for me. The first realtor that I met here in the Ozarks, when I told her I was a member of ASHI, asked "Is that a good thing to be? I never heard of that." Having just left St. Louis, where ASHI members and realtors share sales commissions (practically), this was quite a shock.

So I am qualified to tell you...with no hyperbole and with no malice toward either association.....ASHI is a sham. The NHIE that supposedly qualifies you for a "mark of distinction" is now nothing more than what states use for entry level inspectors who then qualify to pay a licensing fee and begin a business.

NACHI has accumulated the most comprehensive offering of inspector educational and preparation materials known to the industry....and you can challenge me by looking around and finding its equal and reporting it back to this thread. There is no one at an even close second place.

We have our share of bums, as do the rest of the societies and associations, but the arsenal and the plethora of knowledge and information that every member has access to makes it the greatest home inspection association in the world.

I am proud of Nick's decision to keep our tests and materials out of the hands of states who would use it for screening "entry level" candidates for licensure....and keeping it where it distinguishes the cream of the crop.

You should be a politician. You have flip flopped with the best of them bud.

[Frank Magdefrau]

Originally Posted by dharris

I spent the last year with an ASHI membership and found it to be the most expensive magazine subscription (the only tangible membership benefit is "The ASHI Reporter") I ever paid for.

When I joined, I was angry at NACHI/Nick for what I perceived to had been unforgivable interference with those of us fighting a terrible licensing law in Kansas. I honestly wanted to get the flavor and the boost from my ASHI membership.
Sorry to hear that you feel this way about ASHI.
I was one of many that were surprised that you joined.
Did you really believe being angry at nick would really be a good reaon to join ASHI.
Did you really believe the BS that on this board about how ASHI is controlling the profession is true?


First, I went to their message board. If you think that TIJ is a desolate and unfrequented board with weeks between posts, you should check out ASHI.

I have to agree with you on this.
One of many things that you won't find on the ASHI site is four posts on the same topic, daily bashing and lies about other inspectors, thing you can do with gerbals, inspectors bragging how they got $7000 swords for free by not disclosing it was there when the did the inspection.
I do have to ask, did you make an attempt to offer helpful information, or offer HI information on the site?


Then I studied my options for membership. I was a member....but if I wanted to be a member with the ASHI logo ... I had to pay money to the folks that run the NHIE to prove I had entry level skills, like the newbies getting licensed in Arizona do. Then...after proving I had entry level skills...I had to pick out 50 inspections and wait until someone told me which five (for a fee) would be reviewed. Then, after paying the additional fees....my dues would be increased annually so that....I could be a member with a logo.

Next...I could pick out two hundred more names and (for an additional fee) another 20 inspections would be reviewed and then I could pay another increased annual fee to be a "certified" ASHI member with a logo.

This one a bit-h. Gotta 1/2 agree with this one as well.
But then there are a lot of inspectors that are more than willing to provide proof that they did in fact meet ASHI enforced requirements for their cetificiations.
Then there are some inspectors that choose to go the way of not having to provide any verificiation for an instant cert. by just paying $289.00


Like I said....I wanted to be happy at ASHI and was looking to make it work for me. The first realtor that I met here in the Ozarks, when I told her I was a member of ASHI, asked "Is that a good thing to be? I never heard of that." Having just left St. Louis, where ASHI members and realtors share sales commissions (practically), this was quite a shock.
Did this realtor know of NACHI?

So I am qualified to tell you...with no hyperbole and with no malice toward either association.....ASHI is a sham. The NHIE that supposedly qualifies you for a "mark of distinction" is now nothing more than what states use for entry level inspectors who then qualify to pay a licensing fee and begin a business.

He anit fooling anybody.

[James H. Bushart]

Sorry to hear that you feel this way about ASHI.
I was one of many that were surprised that you joined.
Did you really believe being angry at nick would really be a good reaon to join ASHI. No, but I had hoped that some of the hype about ASHI was true. I found that it wasn't.
Did you really believe the BS that on this board about how ASHI is controlling the profession is true? ASHI does NOT control the profession, though it makes an effort to appear that it does.


One of many things that you won't find on the ASHI site is four posts on the same topic, daily bashing and lies about other inspectors, thing you can do with gerbals, inspectors bragging how they got $7000 swords for free by not disclosing it was there when the did the inspection.
I cannot deny that the 80/20 rule applies here. 80% of our message board is worthless...but the 20% that is of value still exceeds anything else on the internet in quantity as well as quality.

I do have to ask, did you make an attempt to offer helpful information, or offer HI information on the site? No.


Did this realtor know of NACHI? She does, now. She didn't at that time, but was simply aware of the existence of national associations for home inspectors.

[dharris]

Originally Posted by jbushart

Sorry to hear that you feel this way about ASHI.
I was one of many that were surprised that you joined.
Did you really believe being angry at nick would really be a good reaon to join ASHI. No, but I had hoped that some of the hype about ASHI was true. I found that it wasn't.
.

Well I sure hope other AZ inspectors believe that you when you think ASHI is all hype.
That way I will still keep getting my 3-5 inspections per month from ASHI's site.

[ccurrins]

Originally Posted by Scott Patterson

As usual more misinformation about the NHIE.....

OK let me try to help y'all with this:

If you pass the IL exam it is not considered the same as passing the NHIE.

Then why did they (NHIE) give me one of these for passing the Illinois Exam? The same certificate Will Decker is referring to.

[Bob Elliott]

That 20% would be dry and most likely not exist without the other 80% to pull in us rubes.

[Dan Bowers, CMI]

For the Official record.

Twice a year I hold a 6-7 hour STUDY session for inspectors taking a STATE licensing exam somewhere; the NHIE; the NAHI - CRI exam; etc.

For study material I use the NACHI practice Test and CodeCheck.

In 5 years I've had 3 people call back and say the didn't pass the .......

WHY ???

Whether the Test Givers will admit it OR not, ALTHOUGH we say we DON'T do Code Inspections, about 50%-60% of the content of these Tests ARE Code related questions.

AND I see the same 50%-60% questions in EVERYBODYS tests.

[Nick Gromicko]

For study material I use the NACHI practice Test and CodeCheck.

In 5 years I've had 3 people call back and say the didn't pass

Thank you. Like I said, the NHIE is a minimum standard exam that nearly everyone passes and so any professional association that uses it as a basis for awarding "full" or "certified" membership status is a diploma mill, like ASHI is.

[Scott Patterson]

Originally Posted by ccurrins

Then why did they (NHIE) give me one of these for passing the Illinois Exam? The same certificate Will Decker is referring to.

It was a mistake on the part of a staff member at EBPHI, that certificate of achievement is no longer provided. What you have will not be honored as the document you need if you want to get a license in another state that requires the passage of the NHIE. Kind of like a diploma from a university, it is the transcript that is really the legal document that counts.

What you need is the computer printout from the testing center that states that you passed the NHIE, and in IL If I'm not mistaken it says you only passed the IL exam.