Questions about getting into Inspection

Hey guys, I will try to keep this short, (Or as short as I can). I have for some time now been dabbling in a few different professions. As you can see, I am part of the “peter-pan” generation or better known as the early Gen Y (Born 1984). I graduated with a degree in Public Administration and Urban planning, with the hopes of work in Planning/Zoning/Regulations for a municipality.

Granted I graduated in 2008, which was the worst year by far to have graduated, I could not have acquired a job in my field for a long time. Me being as stubborn to stay the course for 3 years and to look for a job with my qualifications I came up empty handed due to an infinite amount of organizations facing sever budget cuts.

Never the less I ended up in IT, which I had a knack for since I was a child, but I still feel as if I am missing something. I have always had an interest in Architecture, landscape architecture, planning and urban development. I have always loved building designs, even though I am not a designer by nature, I still have a unique understanding in how things are built and sustained.

To wrap up my description and jump to my questions, I have had an interest in the field of inspection and surveying for sometime. I also looked into becoming a property appraiser, but appraisers got hit big time with a butt load of regulatory mandates and forcing them to comply with AMC’s, which have thrown a large people out of the profession. Because of this, I gotta know a few things before I try to dabble into this profession, Inspections. And here are the questions as they follow:

1.) Big question, if I were to pursue a career in inspection, ‘why oh why’ does it look like there are more inspectors in the state of Florida than there is in total of the rest of the country? I mean, I look at your forums, and the majority of threads created are from Florida… this in its self is insane!?!

2.) Is there a need for inspectors in Florida?

3.) I am still trying to figure out how one becomes licensed in the state of Florida. Is there a required amount of apprentice hours that are required to become licensed? And if no, why not?

4.) Working under someone (Not being a partner for a business) what is the average split/ wage? After perusing your forums, I could not get a clear understanding as to how much an employee gets paid for a house being inspected. I know as a business owner the potential in earnings could be “endless”, but once again I am asking for per employee

5.) When working as an employee, would I be contracted (1099) or will be put on a payroll. And if this is the case, would a typical employee setup be provided with a work vehicle? Tools?

6.) Is there a need for apprentices? I have not seen many advertisements on this forums looking for talent. Is it hard to find help? Are you looking for anyone now?

7.) Knowing what you know now, and if you can go back in time, would you still pick this profession?

I have many more questions, but they are very minuet in nature. I really appreciate all your help guys!

-Michael

You’re wrong on both counts. There aren’t “more inspectors in Florida than there is in total of the rest of the country.” And the “majority of the threads created” are not from Florida. Florida does have a lot of inspectors because it has a lot of real estate transactions. Good things about the industry in Florida are: Real estate transactions all year round, insurance inspections needed, ancillary inspections needed, roofs go bad quickly, lots of housing turnover, few basements, few fossil fuels, many 1-story homes.

Of course. If there weren’t inspectors, who would inspect?

Go here: www.nachi.org/florida.htm Doesn’t take much “figuring.” No, there is not a “required amount of apprentice hours that are required to become licensed.”

Not all employees are on a split. Those paid on a split are roughly in the 40/60, 50/50, 60/40 range.

No. A person paid on a 1099 is not an employee. Generally yes, but every company is different.

Inspection companies are always looking for good help as is most every business.

With almost no startup capital (less than cost of a used pizza oven) I started a successful inspection business which, after 5.5 years, feeding a family of 4, I saved in the bank nearly a million dollars. Then I sold the company putting my savings over one million dollars. Not bad for a broke dropout IMHO.

Now that you’ve got the reply from this Associations Founder, here’s my reply to your comment…

As long as you are simply looking to “dabble”, STAY THE HELL AWAY!
This business is for PROFESSIONALS, not people who are bored with their lives and can’t figure out where they belong.

Mikko,
When I entered this profession,
I jumped in…
Invested in Franchise…(XxxxxXxxxxx)
Competed against Nick G…
and found the path to success… :slight_smile:

I am still working…
putting daughters thru college…
the business model works.

BUT

it does not work for everyone…

Do you like being hot as hell and dripping with sweat most of the time?

Do you like working weird hours because of part time realtors, homeowners and clients schedules?

Do you like having to pay the State every 2 years for the right to work?

Do you like having people up your rear asking how much longer every 15 minutes?

Do you like competing with a zillion other guys and it usually boils down to price?

Just a few things to ponder :slight_smile:

Good luck in whatever you choose but if I had to choose a new career I would try to find one that is air conditioned most of the time and I did not have to crawl into hot as hell attics.

Contrary to what Mr. Gloom and Doom posted above, if you dedicate yourself, you can make a very good living, they key is that you enjoy what you are doing.

Feel free to call me at 772 214 9929 some time after the 15th of July. I will be more than happy to answer any of your questions as well as give you some suggestions about how to get started.

I am on yet another vacation…I try to take one every three weeks. That is what being successful in this inspection profession has allowed me to do. Your mileage may vary…:cool:

Does the full time working Wife’s salary help any? :wink:

Nope.

As usual, you have no clue what you are talking about.

Don’t you have a tpr valve to ponder?:mrgreen: Or maybe a vent stack that might be covered by snow…in South Florida…:wink: Or maybe performing a home inspection, then calling it something else so you don’t have to write a report…or 40 dollar wind mits…or…

Hey it really is not a good idea posting when you are going to be gone… SERIOUSLY.

We got robbed once when folks knew we were going to be gone. POST AFTER

What are you babbling about now?

it is NEVER a good idea to post when you are going or on vacation online because folks will rob you.

Or do you think you moved away from that also?

I thought your Wife had a full time career in the Medical field?

Also I do not have any inspection stuff to do today because I never work weekends.

I have one hell of an exciting Caribbean cruise coming up eventually but won’t post till after :slight_smile: about it.

If you live in a crime ridden dump, and are paranoid, yea, I guess you are right.

Yes, she does…and who do you think afforded her the opportunity to do that?

To help others out, when I first started, as with every other job I have had, I paid myself 25% first. That money was put into investment vehicles.
That is your first lesson in business, pay yourself first.

The numbers now grow exponentially. I am at the point where I really don’t have to work, but I do enjoy the inspection profession. I try to limit my inspections to 10 a month, at 600-700 dollars of income per home. That is roughly 60 hours a month. Any more than that, I really don’t want to do.
I long discarded the cheap price/large volume business model.

When I started my company I had a plan, one that I have stuck to. I am now reaping the rewards of that plan.

My wife has nothing to do with my career. I would be in the same situation now if I didn’t get married and have a child. I have always done what I wanted and when I wanted to do it. I also understood at an early age that money is a tool, just like a wrench.

The purpose on my post is to encourage newer inspectors to think about what they expect out of this profession. It isn’t for everyone.

Off to the pool…

And my posts are to show them the other sucky parts no one tells them about.

The only problem with that is that the only part about your previous post that can’t be changed is the sweating. Yes, it is hot Yes, you will actually have to sweat at this job…

Then again, when I was a mechanic, when I worked at Publix, when I worked in construction, and when I worked in a kitchen, in fact, every job I have ever had, I have had to sweat at some point. I also sweat when I golf, work out, run, scuba dive, fish and just about everything else. I don’t think I will be quitting any of those activities any time soon.

As for the rest of the “sucky” parts, that is your own doing. You just can’t see it.
For instance, how much was your home inspection license renewal last year?
Mine was five bucks. Two years ago it was $325.00. That is half of one inspection fee. Wow…that really hurt!

It is the point of the matter I have the state telling me what to do that I don’t like. And every job I ever had to involve sweating except when I was in executive Full time in the construction world.

I had been hoping that I was & Done sweating my as s off in the heat for a living.

But on the other hand under my umbrella today at the beach it’s cool.

If I get lucky I’ve got a real good gig hopefully coming up soon.

Funny thing is that it involves both inspecting and new construction.