All Certified Master Inspector certificates were mailed today.

[Brian E. Kelly]

Paul, I currently hold a CWI cert, and would not feel good about myself if I bought a CMI.

[Paul W. Abernathy]

lol.....well...when you start feelin BETTER about yourself fella.......and JOIN....I will have nick send it to me...and I will bring it to ya...theheheh

[Henry Valenzano, CMI]

Originally Posted by bkelly2

Don't you CMI's have your own secret area yet? That way all 11 of you could get together and chat.

If we told you i wouldn't be a secret.

[wforsyth]

Originally Posted by bkelly2

Don't you CMI's have your own secret area yet? That way all 11 of you could get together and chat.

LOL!

[John Bowman]

I'm looking forward to receiving the certificate.

[Nick Gromicko]

I know that there aren't many (159 to date) CMIs (despite so many on this board incorrectly predicting otherwise), but that is simply because the life expectancy of a home inspector (a little over 3 years) is generally not enough time for one to complete the requirements to earn the CMI professional designation.

http://www.certifiedmasterinspector.org/

[Roy D. Cooke, Sr]

Originally Posted by gromicko

I know that there aren't many (159 to date) CMIs (despite so many on this board incorrectly predicting otherwise), but that is simply because the life expectancy of a home inspector (a little over 3 years) is generally not enough time for one to complete the requirements to earn the CMI professional designation.

http://www.certifiedmasterinspector.org/

Gee I have almost lived three life expectancies and feel good enough for three more .
Try it ,its great.

Roy Cooke

[Nick Gromicko]

The life expectancy (a little over 3 years for non-NACHI members, 5 years for NACHI members) of the average home inspector is less than that of a real estate agent or an NFL running back. That is why it is really saying something to have completed 1,000 inspections or continuing education hours (combined sum). Not many of us last that long.

[George A. H. Luck]

Thanks Nick. Now I feel like an old man. Four years and counting . . .

[John McKenna]

A real estate agent got mad at me today because the
the client got mad at the agent. You see the agent
told the client that the gas was turned on for the inspection
today, and it was not. The client got mad at the agent.
The agent then said it was my fault that the client was mad,
but with her help she would enlighten me.

Then the agent got mad at me because I wanted to
charge a fee for coming back the second time for
an inspection, when the gas finally gets turned on.

You see... if all I had was agents telling me what I am
suppose to do and think... then I would have realized
that it really was my fault. I just did not understand.

I did not understand that it is my duty to blame myself
for the agent not getting the gas turned on like they
said it would be. I did not understand that I need to
punish myself and come back and do the second inspection
at no charge, since it was my fault from the start.

After enduring approx 1100 inspection in my career,
I think its OK to feel good about being a CMI. Also I
am so glad to come home to this forum and chat
with other inspectors who are still sane and love
inspecting.

BTW... the client told me he is going to force the
agent to pay for the next inspection and then
he smiled with a mischievious grin...

Thanks to all for being there. It's been a long day.

[Vern Mitchinson, CMI]

Thanks Nick! Looking forward to getting my certificate.
It will be included in my reports. You never know who reads it and I get work all the time from people after they read my reports.
Thanks again for establishing a high standard we can all be proud of.

[Mario A. Kyriacou, CHI]

Originally Posted by dmacy

I have completed 860 inspections in 3 years and look forward to reaching 1000. (Should be in late spring or early summer)

Once I achieve this goal you can be sure I will obtain a CMI.

Thanks Nick

David

You probably qualify now, remember it can be combined inspections and continuing education hours. = 1000

[George A. H. Luck]

John, I hope the punishment fit the crime!

[William J. Decker]

To Nick's point;

I do a fair number of ride alongs for newer inspectors. I also try to give advice and help (part of the burden of Chapter Presidency, I guess).

I also get calls from some who complain that I market myself too hard. "Why did you buy a thermal camera? Why does your web site have such high rankings? Why do you do such a lengthy report and spend 3 - 4 hours on each report? Why do you do free pre-closing walk throughs? That's not fair and you have to stop!"

All these complaints are because I am successful (relatively) and am doing inspections during this 'slow season'. Yet most of these guys are doing inspections part time or only on the week-ends. They don't have a web site (at least not one that they control, can easily update and post real content on) and don't spend every waking, non-inspection moment marketing themselves (and NACHI!).

They believed the old ads in the back of Popular Mechanics, as so well stated by Joe Farcetta (sarcastically), "Become a Home Inspector and make $100K or more a year."

Anyone here make that much? Especially as a one man company?

The key is to work at it. One does not spend that much time, effort and sweat and blood on something that they are not passionate about.

I am no different, "better" or smarter than 90% of the guys on this board. I have much less experience than most. But I do work at it. The last state license term (our state requires 12 hours of CE per two year license) I had 56 hours. NACHI requires 24 hours of CE per year. I have over 100 hours and am just starting my 3rd year. That does not make me a great, it just shows that I know and understand what I don't know.

Over 200 inspections in just under 2 years in the profession and only two complaints for my clients. 4 real estate lawyers use me exclusively because they like my thoroughness and the detail of my reports. 8 agents use me exclusively because the like my reports and the way I treat the clients. In fact, I have agents and brokers begging to be linked on my web page. Does this mean that I am great? No way! All it means is that I work at it.

I try to help everyone. When they complain that they are not being successful and it is somehow my fault, I ask them, "What have you done for yourself? This isn't about me, it's about you."

As to CMI. These guys have earned it. If you are jealous or angry or think that these guys have an unfair advantage, it isn't their fault.

It's yours.

You are perfectly capable of getting to the place that they are at. You just have to work at it.

Nothing worth having is cheap or easy.

Hops this helps;

[Carl Pennick]

Hello William,

Sorry to go off the subject, but how is the camera working out for you? I think I will get one in the new year. I did a CMA course put on by ESA yesterday and they had a presentation on them. I can see a big upside to having one but I am slightly worried about the added liability.