Tennessee, Increased operating expense

[David A. Andersen]

I just did some calculations, some of which were effected by the TN licencing requirements, some from gas prices ect...

I am not talking about price fixing, but...
I found that my operating expenses just went up $84 per inspection (if I do the same as last year)!

Has anyone else looked at this?

Looking at the loss of inspectors in most states after the licencing requirement set by the state, things are only going to get worse (or better)!

If we look at the Realtors that we work with, and the commissions they collect. The bank fees charged. The lawyer fees. The liability we deal with every day. Now, the increasing operating costs. I would like to come out of this year AHEAD of the TAX MAN! Now is the time for consideration.

I have no desire to compete with TN Inspectors in a price war. If a client calls me on the carpet for my inflated pricing, I tell them where to go... (shop).

I have been at this for too long and I will not leave my driveway unless it is worth it. "I'd rather be fishin"! I know some of us are hungry, but I have read stories of HI's that wanted to retire (as I do) and raised prices to decrease activity and it only increased.

If we all look at these issues at the same time, a price increase across the board will be easier to swallow by the client and Realtor community.

Give me your thoughts.

I'm raising my prices no matter who likes or dislikes it. $84.00 is a chunk, especially for condos and small homes.

[bkelly1]

I concur, and have increased prices. More rural areas that I serve require more gas. I still am competing with a bunch of low ballers. Maybe they are trying to get their 150 inspections in before July. Nevertheless... I would prefer to do yard work than work for nothing. Maybe the license will help, maybe others will come into the field, that has yet to be determined.

The 150 inspection rule only requires you to submit names and addresses. Anyone could falsify that requirement. The way I read it they don't even want to see any reports...... What do you think about that?

And yes, prices should go up across the board. License and testing alone along with other items should drive it up.

[David A. Andersen]

The 150 inspection rule only requires you to submit names and addresses. Anyone could falsify that requirement. The way I read it they don't even want to see any reports...... What do you think about that?

Well the State may call in a audit at any time (as other states have done. NY started auditing within days of issuing licences.

False information to obtain a licence may land someone in jail! $1,000 a day fine ...

I don't think $190 / insp for those lowballers is worth it!

I took a 90 hour "on line" "basic inspection" course approved by TN which was offered Free with advanced courses (which I am going to use for continuing education requirements). I blasted out the Basic course (as anyone in business can do in short order) and got my certificate to submit to TN. I'm not going to play that submission game with the State. If we submit 150 and a couple get thrown out or they question your submission, you may be out of work for a few weeks! The timing is too close for this licensing thing.

My biggest problem is figuring where I put my HS Diploma! I have three collage diplomas hanging around but no HS!

I'm taking my State Test in the morning!

[bkelly1]

Good luck on the test David, read all the question, and all anwers before checking one.

[David A. Andersen]

Thanks Ben!
Thanks for posting everything as well.

[berby]

David where can i go on line to get my 90hrs. ?

[Bruce M. Graham]

David, with florida pending I would be interested in this online school also.

[bkelly1]

David proably used one of these below, since they are all Tn approved. Price would be the big question.


TENNESSEE APPROVED PRELICENSE
EDUCATION COURSES

(Contact the educational provider to verify cost, Inclassroom
location and dates of instruction)

Allied Business Schools, Inc.

100 hour Home Inspection (Correspondence and
22952 Alcalde Dr. Online
course)
Laguna Hills, CA 92653
9495980875
Fax: 9494571887

American Academy of Home Inspection, AAOHI

60+30 Home Inspection 90 Hour
Division of T.R.E.E.S. Inc. Prelicense
Course (60 hours inclass
5705 Marlin Road instruction & 30 hours home Study)
5900 Bldg., Suite 1300 http://aaohi.com/6030Details.asp

Osborne Office Park
Chattanooga TN 37411 90 hour Online Home Inspection
Mail: P.O. Box 8428 Prelicense
Course
Chattanooga, TN 37414

http://aaohi.com/90hronline.asp

8005728733
Toll Free
4238944447
Local 40 hour Program (supplemental to the
4238941399
Fax 50 hour course below)

Info@aaohi.com

l http://aaohi.com/40hrsupplemental.asp

Website:

www.aaohi.com

50 hour Program (taught prior to Email:
licensure requirement)
AAOHI Classes Offered In: Chattanooga, Knoxville, Nashville, Memphis and Jackson

American Home Inspectors Training Institute, Ltd.

90 hour Program (InClassroom
Instruction,
14100 W. Cleveland Avenue Correspondence, and Online)
New Berlin, WI 53151
8004419411
Fax: 2627543745
Email:

mark@ahit.com

American Inspectors Society (AIS)

90 hour Home Inspector Certification Training
366 Crabapple Ridge (Inclassroom
and in the field)
Clarkesville, GA 30523

Mail:

P.O. Box 506
Sautee, GA 30571
8005908664
Fax: 7063487087
Email:
ais@wapd.com

A Better School of Building

90 hours – 9 Day Intensive Home Inspector Training
P.O. Box 1986 (InClassroom
Instruction)
Salt Lake City, UT 84110
8014664447
Correspondence – Home Inspector Training “live”
Fax: 8014743289
course on DVD (90 hours)
Email:

donna@hometraining.com

Home Study, 90 hours, consisting of DVD’s, manuals,
and practice inspections

2
The Home Inspection Institute, Inc.

90 hour Program (InClassroom
and Field)
4007 La Crosse Avenue Offered in Tennessee

Cincinnati, OH 45227 Chattanooga State Technical Community College
8007830092
4236973363/
email:

Richard.Burke@chattanoogastate.edu

Fax: 5132718999
4236973373/
email:

BCDC@chattanoogastate.edu

Pellissippi State Technical Community College
8656946665/
email:

mlawson@pstcc.edu

Volunteer State Community College
6152303358/
email:
lisa.miller@volstate.edu

Kaplan Professional Schools/Inspection Training

40 hour Field Inspection Training (In the Field)

Associates (ITA)

90 hour Residential Inspection (InClassroom
Instruction)
2404 West End Ave., Suite 201 55 hour Home Inspection Fast Track (In Classroom Instruction)
Nashville, TN 37203 125 hour Inspection Training (Correspondence Course)

Mail:

1016 S. Tremont St.
Oceanside, CA 92054
8006947369
Fax: 7609671019
Email:

dana@homeinspection.com

National Institute of Building Inspectors (NIBI)

54 hour RT601 Residential Property Training (Inclassroom)
424 Vosseller Ave. ** 32 hour – (Optional 3day
Practicum)
Bound Brook, NJ 08805
8882816424
(Online,
includes report writing)

Fax: 7324692138
150minimum hours/up to 200 for average student
Email:
info@nibi.com CSN52 Home Inspection Certificate Course

National Property Inspections, Inc.

134 hours General Home Inspection Training Course
9375 Burt St. (Inclassroom
instruction)

Suite 201
Omaha, NE 68114
8003339807
Ext. 33
Fax: 8009332508
Email:
randy.yates@npiweb.com

Penn Foster Career School

90 hour minimum Home
Inspector Course (Course
925 Oak St. contains 7 courses of 20 hours each for a total of
Scranton, PA 18515 140 clock hours of study)
5703427701
(Correspondence Course)
Fax: 5703430560
Email:
connie.dempsey@thomson.com

Professional Home Inspection Institute (PHII)

90 hour Professional Home Inspections Institute Residential
112 Egan Ave., N. Inspection Basics (Online
course)
Madison, SD 57042

Mail:

P.O. Box 303
Madison, SD 578042
8009836322
Fax: 6054272647
Email:

robb@professionaltrainingservice.com

3

Southwest Tennessee Community College

45 hour Program (InClassroom
Instruction)
5983 Macon Cove 45 hour Professional Home Inspection I
Memphis, TN 38134 45 hour Professional Home Inspection II
9013334207
Fax: 9013334519
Email:

dpenna@southwest.tn.edu

[David A. Andersen]

Professional Home Inspection Institute (PHII)

http://www.learnhomeinspection.com/

This BASIC Course is very "basic". But, it got me the hours the State required (at the last minute). As I posted, I purchased the mold and pest courses for "continuing education" credits and got the basic course free. I did not intend to take any courses for licencing because I've been at this for some time. The final "on line" test is like 519 questions. It was a good warm up for the TN State Test (which is not a pushover by any means). I saw over a dozen questions on the test that were worded just like the course.

I think that Lesson 1 "Terms" (around 125 questions) will help you out the most for the TN Test (if I were new to the construction field). There are a lot of terms that you MUST understand to answer the questions. There are many "like terms" on the test as potential answers, and if you don't know exactly what you are talking about...

For those who "know" construction, there are terms not used in this area on the test. Some help from other parts of the country in terminology will help.

As Ben posted, read the question and all the answers.
Throw out the real wrong ones and pick the best from the rest.
It is easy to read into the question. I'm sure I went back and changed several answers to the wrong one on my review! I did catch two "what was I thinking?" answers that needed changing. They say, your first guess is generally the best.

[bkelly1]

I take it you passed, congratulations. I was worried over it, until I started taking it, but like you said it is still no pushover. There are several items worded differently, or different terminology. It is good to get it beind you is it not ?

When I was done in a little over an hour I though about going back and checking answers, but I decided I would probably change the wrong ones! So I left them all.