Tell Me About Home Inspections After Disaster

[Beej Knapp]

I am interested in becoming an inspector through PaRR. I have a few questions:

How many women are out there doing this on their own?

What's it like? I have read that it's pretty much non-stop from dawn til dusk. Which is fine. But is it possible to get 30 inspections in? Assuming you're putting in an 8 hour day, and each inspection takes 30 min, that's only 16 inspections in an 8 hour day, if they are all right next door to each other.

Is anyone out there doing this? How's it working out for you? Are you able to live off of what you make doing these inspections?

[dbush]

I spent about 4 months after Katrina in New Orleans. A couple of things; No it is not possible to get 30 inspections done per day on most dayhs. 15 to 16 is realistic. It is very possible to live off what you make doing these as long as you understand it is PART time work. Hotels are a problem in a lot of disaster areas so it is very advisable, if you can do it, to pick up a small camper instead. Contact me if you have any more questions.

Dave

[Beej Knapp]

Thanks for your response, Dave. So, if it is part time work, what do you do for the rest of the time if you are not deployed? It's probably very difficult to maintain any employment in your home town b/c you never know when you'll get deployed, right?

How many inspectors are working for PaRR? Do you know?

[Beej Knapp]

Another question, is the competition between inspectors something to contend with while deployed? Or are individuals assigned their own spot to work in?

[dbush]

The inspections are assigned by the PARR office and downloaded to you for a specific area. I am a full time home inspector when not on Disaster Inspections; however, there are slow times, so you do what you gotta do.

[David P. Valley]

http://www.nachi.org/bbsystem/viewtopic.php?t=15884

[rsummers]

Here are the links you need these sites will explain every question that you may have.



http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=19207

http://www.mbakercorp.com/contractors/index.asp

http://www.parrinspections.com/default.asp

http://www.pbinspections.com/article...?category=fema

[Beej Knapp]

Thank you all for the info. I appreciate it.

[Beej Knapp]

One more question, approx how long would it take to be deployed after taking the class?

[dbush]

It all depends on the size of a disaster. You may go out a week later, you may go out almost a year later. When I first got trained in 2003, I waited about 3-4 months and then a hurricane hit VA; in Puerto Rico when I was down there for the flood, they were training locals and sending them out in about a week; during Katrina, they were training people and sending them out the next day. There really is no reasoning to when you will go out. If it is a small disaster, they will usually keep fairly experienced people only; it all depends on the number of trainers and field supervisors that are deployed also.

Dave

[Beej Knapp]

One more question. (Yeah yeah, I've said that before. LOL)

How long is it between getting the call and actually going? I am trying to figure out when to take the class and when to quit my job. I don't want to quit if I am going to wait a year to be sent out. Would there be enough time to give 2 weeks notice so I can still earn while I am waiting?

[dbush]

Normally they ask for you to be there within 72 hours, they prefer 24. HOWEVER, you usually will have a pretty good heads up by watching the weather channel &/or CNN. If a heavy hurricane is forecast, then start thinking about getting stuff together. DO NOT QUIT YOUR JOB.

[Beej Knapp]

I think I'd have to quit my job b/c I work a corporate job. I don't know how friendly they'd be with me taking off a month at a time to do this every time something happens, seeing as how I only get 3 weeks of vacation.

More details I'd need to sort out I guess.