New CMI Requirement

[John McKenna]

Inspectors are called upon to evaluate the work of master tradesmen
and specialist. But they are not above those professionals in their field
of expertise. At first glance, the casual observer would think the
Home Inspector is greater than these Professionals because they
are called upon to inspect their work and call out corrections. But this is
not the case.

But, a Home Inspector is unique in that they are required to evaluate many
fields of special trades and skills. The education process if very wide
and covers a lot of information. The skill that is developed by the inspector
in the field cannot be learned entirely from reading books.

A huge market shift has taken place in the real estate market. The vast
majority of buying and selling is being searched out and helped along by the
internet now. The consumer is becoming more educated in the process and
many are now seeing the need for a home inspection more than ever.
This trend is still increasing.

As the consumer looks at the great sea of choices now available for
choosing a home inspector, it can be difficult to know which one to
choose. Some rely on their Realtor to help them make that choice,
but many now understand the need to make that choice themselves.
Many Realtors are also realizing the need to find experienced inspectors,
which protects everyone involved in the process, more than just
the cheapest guy in the phone book.

The "Certified Master Inspector" designation can help the consumer
in their search for a home inspector, that is distinguished above all
the other choices. Those three words in CMI carry a lot of power
and help the inspector appear to have third party endorsement,
superior experience and better qualifications. It also enables
the CMI to charge more in the market place, that rewards experience,
achievement and superior service.

In an effort to ensure that each person who holds the CMI designation
does indeed have superior qualifications and experience, a new condition
will be added to the list CMI requirements .

Effective August 1, 2007:

All applicants for the CMI designation will be required to have a
minimum of 3 years actual home inspection experience.

This will help insure that the CMI has a solid real world knowledge
that can only be learned through field experience, to go along with the
other requirements that are already in place.

The verification process for this requirement is being worked out as we
speak. All previous CMI's will not be affected by this change. Educational
and Trade designation have always grandfather previous members
and do not break agreements that are already set in place. The definition
of trust is a "promise kept".

CMI's are not provided any benefits from NACHI that are not available
to any and all NACHI members. NACHI will not make CMI part of
any membership requirements. CMI is a designation based on education
and experience and is not a second tier of NACHI in any form. Anyone,
from any other association outside of NACHI, is always welcome to apply
for the CMI designation.

As CMI grows in respect and numbers... more and more consumers, and
the industry, will recognize the need for a CMI home inspector. I believe
the CMI designation is a worthy accomplishment.

Thanks for everyone's support. I appreciate it very much.
More good things to come.

[rcooke]

Thanks John.
Now I expect the Largest amount of the existing CMIs already have met these requirements.
The few who might be a little short will also soon have them too.
I agree lets move on and improve what we have .
I do hope the nay sayers will now try and help us all improve the industry of Home inspectors every where.
Hers to a great future looks Bright to me.... Cookie

[John McKenna]

BTW...

Here is an idea I got from Henry.
It's a CMI gold seal for your vehicle.

http://texas-inspection.com/CMIdecal.jpg

I think Henry can help anyone that wants some
for their vehicle.

[rcooke]

Originally Posted by jmckenna1

BTW...

Here is an idea I got from Henry.
It's a CMI gold seal for your vehicle.

http://texas-inspection.com/CMIdecal.jpg

I think Henry can help anyone that wants some
for their vehicle.

What A great idea I wonder what they would cost in Bulk.
We could get a group together and order .
More needed they could wait till another group needed them .
Look forward to hear what henry Says ........ Thanks Cookie

[John McKenna]

The one in the picture is magnetic.

or...

You can get different kinds of stick on's... from the
kind that stick on the outside, to the kind that
stick inside a window.

What say ye Henry?

[cbottger]

[quote=jmckenna1]

In an effort to ensure that each person who holds the CMI designation
does indeed have superior qualifications and experience, a new condition
will be added to the list CMI requirements .

Effective August 1, 2007:

All applicants for the CMI designation will be required to have a
minimum of 3 years actual home inspection experience.

quote]

To be honest John do you think 3 years is sufficient to become a CMI. Three years is the mildstone to find out if you have the business and professional savvy to even be a HI. Are you looking for numbers or professionals. Just a question

[jbowman]

It is difficult to equate a minimum of 3 years in the profession as being a "superior qualification and experience".

Is this designation available to engineers and other professions who are exempt from having a home inspection license, but are still eligible to perform them?

Some states do indeed reflect that the engineer must remain within his particular expertise but others do not...

[John McKenna]

[quote=cbottger]

Originally Posted by jmckenna1

In an effort to ensure that each person who holds the CMI designation
does indeed have superior qualifications and experience, a new condition
will be added to the list CMI requirements .

Effective August 1, 2007:

All applicants for the CMI designation will be required to have a
minimum of 3 years actual home inspection experience.

quote]

To be honest John do you think 3 years is sufficient to become a CMI. Three years is the mildstone to find out if you have the business and professional savvy to even be a HI. Are you looking for numbers or professionals. Just a question

CMI is a designation based on education and experience, that only approx. 5%
of our industry can attain to. Within the term "home inspector" this is a
designation that few will be able to reach, based on the entire industry.

If you set a qualification that is higher, someone else can come behind you and
set another standard that is even higher than yours. That debate will never end.

CMI is intended to mark a significant achievement within our industry and to
help the qualified inspector market that distinguishing designation. CMI
is set at it's current mark and is a designation worthy of respect... IMHO.

If others want to set it at a point that only .01% can achieve, that's fine.
There will always be someone who still thinks that is still too low...

ASHI "certifies" it's members at the 250 inspection mark.
It appears that CMI well beyond that, no?

[rcooke]

[quote=cbottger]

Originally Posted by jmckenna1

In an effort to ensure that each person who holds the CMI designation
does indeed have superior qualifications and experience, a new condition
will be added to the list CMI requirements .

Effective August 1, 2007:

All applicants for the CMI designation will be required to have a
minimum of 3 years actual home inspection experience.

quote]

To be honest John do you think 3 years is sufficient to become a CMI. Three years is the mildstone to find out if you have the business and professional savvy to even be a HI. Are you looking for numbers or professionals. Just a question

Sorry to say a person does not have the experience in three years is in my case is wrong.
Every person is different .
I did 100 inspections and all the courses I needed and some extras.
50+ years in constructions as Electrician and working for companies that did very many other things added much to my knowledge.
From the get go I charged more then any other Home Inspector in my area . I also feel I had more knowledge and experience then many who had been in business for years.
Using your thoughts how many years do you think are enough.
Some areas of our country it is impossible for a inspector to do 100 inspections in a year .
In other areas some do 400 or more .

[cbottger]

[quote=jmckenna1]

Originally Posted by cbottger

CMI is a designation based on education and experience, that only approx. 5%
of our industry can attain to. Within the term "home inspector" this is a
designation that few will be able to reach, based on the entire industry.

If you set a qualification that is higher, someone else can come behind you and
set another standard that is even higher than yours. That debate will never end.

CMI is intended to mark a significant achievement within our industry and to
help the qualified inspector market that distinguishing designation. CMI
is set at it's current mark and is a designation worthy of respect... IMHO.

If others want to set it at a point that only .01% can achieve, that's fine.
There will always be someone who still thinks that is still too low...

ASHI "certifies" it's members at the 250 inspection mark.
It appears that CMI well beyond that, no?

I struggle with 3 years guess that is just the old military coming out in me. Time in grade was the primary before one was allowed even to take a test.

Yes this is not the military but they sure had fine quality's Just look they produced me
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[lcapaul]

The "Certified Master Inspector" designation can help the consumer
in their search for a home inspector, that is distinguished above all
the other choices. Those three words in CMI carry a lot of power
and help the inspector appear to have third party endorsement,
superior experience and better qualifications. It also enables
the CMI to charge more in the market place, that rewards experience,
achievement and superior service.

That's the problem, the CMI designation only gives the Appearance of superior experience and qualifications. As long as the only qualifications are the number of Inspections performed, and now the length of time in business, the Desigation is still, as you described, only a marketing tool. A gimmick is still the best description.

[Henry Valenzano, CMI]

The Logos that i have avalable are the stick on vinyl. You can see a picture of them at my MB http://www.certifiedmaster.com/forum...hp?showtopic=5
If you want a large volume i can find out what type of discount i can get from my supplier

CMI Gold 7 inch. 14.00 each
CMI blue 7 inch. 14.00 each
CMI Gold 4 inch. 10.00 each
CMI blue 4 inch. 10.00 each

[Joseph T. Burkeson, CMI]

We are in general a young profession, that fact aside it still might be best to at least take a cursory glance at what qualifications other professions and institutions use to measure when one of their peers passes from the ranks of the merely professionally accomplished to the status of master.

We know that within the world wide accepted university system a student must first spend four years in college before being eligible to enter any Masters program and then it takes approximately another two years to fulfill that commitment and be recognized.

Within most skilled professions one must apprentice for five years before entering the journeyman ranks and the master designation comes through peer review at a much later date.

All in all I know of no other program where someone would be considered a master with only three years experience no matter what their combined education & experience level was.

In conclusion I find the old measure of 1,000 inspections/hours to be less revealing in regards to the inadequacies of the CMI program then the hard mark of three years which will surely be held up to ridicule by the rest of the profession and anyone who has truly fulfilled the requirements of any currently accepted Masters program.

[James H. Bushart]

Set the standard at any level you choose, John, and someone will claim that is should be higher.

CMI designates exactly what it is...a home inspector with the equivalance of 1000 home inspections. He is still a generalist. He is still a home inspector. He still follows the same SOP and uses the same tools he did on his 20th inspection, more than likely.

But he has reached a level that, hopefully, will entitle him to a higher fee for his experience level. He must market it and it must be accepted by the public, which it apparently has for many.

Do not try to put out every spark of contention...you just can't do it. Push the program. It will live or it will die on its own merit...not the opinion of a handful of people.

Good luck.

[Joe Farsetta]

Lewis,

I, for one, am more than a little tired of your Monday Morning Quarterback observartions and words of wisdom.

Of late, and for quite a while, you have absolutely nothing good to say about this organization or the efforts of its membership.

If I may make a suggestion:

if you dont like it here, join another association.

The ink isnt even dry on the congratulatory comments John has received. I can argue the point against the 3 year rule from the other side. One can perform as a MAster Inspector in a much shorter timeframe, I believe.

But, I do not besmirch John's attempt at making the designation better or getting it to move along. You, on the other hand, jump right in and state that the CMI is worthless. What a shame.

I hope a home inspector operating real close to you seeks, and obtains the CMI designation. I hope he (or she) markets the hell out of it.