Before 1st Inspection....

[Nick Gromicko]

I agree Glen, it is a strong community and everyone helps everyone.

If anyone ever needs help quickly, I answer fastreply@nachi.org every waking hour.

If anyone ever needs help NOW and needs to call someone you can reach almost everyone at NACHI staff by phone from www.nachi.org/contact.htm

You can also call Bruce Kirby at our Inspector Helpline from http://www.nachi.org/helpline.htm

You can also use the InspectorNOW system to get me on my private cell phone http://www.nachi.org/pressroom.htm

[Jay Newell]

So I guess I'm looking at it from the right perspective...do my mock inspections, get out there with a pro, read, read, read to strengthen my knowledge, then get busy on the business plan (and the 138 steps!). Fortunately I have the luxury of time as I have a full time business already, but I'm well aware just having the skill and knowledge to be an inspector really is a small part of the business...I suspect anyone can learn to be an inspector, few can be a sucessful one!

Jay

[Douglas Plym]

As a "newbie" myself I appreciate all of the posts I have read tonight. I have been in the construction industry for thirty-three years and I am looking to move in a new direction. All of my experience is in commercial construction but I have long been thinking about the inspection business. I think I was lucky to find NACHI and join an organization with what seems to be a great source of knowledge and information sharing. This particular thread was exactly what I was looking for as a new member. I look forward to learning from all who post here and hopefully may offer some of my experiences in the future. Thanks to all.
Douglas Plym

[Nick Gromicko]

Hey Jay, wanna learn a bunch? We do this trick a lot at NACHI and it works:

Hold a mock inspection at your own home (with your wife's permission of course). Invite 6 - 12 NACHI members (veterans and newbies) to show up at 9 am. Everyone inspects your home (each using their own reporting system). Then everyone meet back in your kitchen or dining room to compare notes. I've been on several of these and you learn a bunch. I love it when a newbie finds something everyone else missed. Anyway, I'll buy lunch for the event.

PS. The "138" you mention is up to 140 as of today: www.nachi.org/success.htm

[Nick Gromicko]

141, We recently added:

Make sure you are listed in the 430 million page North American Inspector Directory. This is the world's largest directory of anything anywhere.
Site: http://www.al-home-inspector.org/other.php
Cost: FREE

Offer accessibility inspection services on existing commercial buildings. Download the free forms.
Site: http://www.nachi.org/accessibility.htm
Cost: FREE

Download a standard mold inspection agreement template.
Site: http://www.iac2.org/agreement.php
Cost: FREE

[Jay Newell]

Great idea Nick!

My place would be perfect..almost all original 1970 (in fact, just finished pealing off some nice flowery mactac like wallpaper down in the kitchen last night Still have the nice orange countertop in the bar downstairs, fake dark wood panelling, baseboard heaters, real efflourence (no, it's not mold honey), and don't forget that red brick vinyl floor tile in the basement (yech) and the lovely green shag carpet that I am sitting on right now. It's a work in progress, I'm here for life (and there's Bass in the Pond (see Avatar), so bring your fishing rod .

Plus I am fairly central, in North Pickering, around an hour from Barrie, Hamilton, Belleville.. What do you think Roy?

Jay

[gmortensen]

I would love to make the trip.

[Nick Gromicko]

Jay, pick a date and email me the address and your contact information and I'll get a site built for the event so you can advertise it and manage it.

[cboyd]

Jay, I took the AHIT course almost 2 years ago, it was worth the investment. I was able to download info when I was home on weekends and took all the books and my laptop with me to work for the week as I am a truckdriver I had alot of time to study and did my exams online. (97% pat.pat on my own back) being on the road this has taken longer than expected, I am in flying J truckstop as I write this in Calgary on wifi from my truck. I watched the different associations for a year or so to get a feel for them and joined NACHI,the only one I felt would be of help to me and it has. Just remember what the others say "don't quit your day job".