I’ve been a ‘lurker’ here for a few weeks. Lots of good information. I have been working on a business plan for a home inspection business and wanted to ask those who know.
I do not have a construction background. I have been a software developer for 20 years and a small business owner (Kids Gym) for 7 years. I am very detail orientated and also accustom to solving big problems by breaking them down and following a plan etc.
Most of the people in home inspection appear to have construction experience. How important is this? is it important more for doing the job or in getting the job? And advice would be very helpful.
There is no substitute for experience…
It not what you see but what you may be missing that could be of concern. Book training may teach you the technical aspects of the business but experience will give you the advantage.
It’s all up to you. I have no construction experience. Zero. I double my business every year and we should do over 600 inspections this year. No one has every asked me about my construction experience, and I am not sure it would have helped me one iota.
There are a lot of inspectors with some trades experience, because it makes the transition a little easier, but it certainly isn’t a prerequisite.
Actually, over the past three years, I turned down maybe a half dozen pre drywall, because I wasn’t confident. I may have taken them if I had construction experience.
A lot of ‘knowledge’ can be learned about the things we inspect by someone who is not familiar with these topics. BUT what will make or break you is your People skills and a good marketing plan. Im sure there are many great Inspectors that failed because they lacked these skills. That goes for any personal business career you chose where its YOU that you are selling , not your ‘product’
Welcome Richard, yes, the majority of home inspectors have a construction background and certainly it helps.
It would be very difficult to learn everything through classes or books.
I would consider starting out by working for a multi inspector firm or finding a mentor.
Sounds like you have a good business background and hopefully marketing too.
And that is a huge plus.
You will probably miss some things at first, just make sure they aren’t major.
I would look at as many defect photos as you can and scanning back posts from this MB about defects and issues.
It is a great way to make a living once established and this is a really good time to start.
Hope you can dive in and keep posting, lots of help here!
QUOTE=Richard Bothne;1288692]Hi Folks,
I’ve been a ‘lurker’ here for a few weeks. Lots of good information. I have been working on a business plan for a home inspection business and wanted to ask those who know.
I do not have a construction background. I have been a software developer for 20 years and a small business owner (Kids Gym) for 7 years. I am very detail orientated and also accustom to solving big problems by breaking them down and following a plan etc.
Most of the people in home inspection appear to have construction experience. How important is this? is it important more for doing the job or in getting the job? And advice would be very helpful.
Construction biz is a huge asset but if I had none and wanted to get in the business I would try to get hired by the best inspector in a not so close area as an assistant so you could learn from him. Might be hard to get someone to teach if to close to you but without building knowledge you should learn from a real inspector for sure along with whatever courses you can afford.
Join Internachi and take all the courses that are available, and you should do alright. Don’t forget to read the Forum. Lots of help there when you need it.
We did a poll on the message boards a while back and about 50% of those who participated had backgrounds in building construction. I think a large percentage of failures are due to lack of business experience. Having business skills and a plan that includes effective marketing strategies is probably more important than inspection education. According to our founder, Nick Gromicko, far more important. In my experience, it’s unusual to be asked about a construction background by a client or agent.
The courses available through InterNACHI will help you learn about the home systems, their major components, how they age and fail, where to look for those failures, and how to report on them. There are also books, PDF downloads, and other inspection-related products for sale on Inspector outlet that offer good supplemental education. We all miss something sooner or later, but the measure of an inspector’s skill is the gravity of his misses. It’s the phone call about a major miss that we all dread.
Marketing can be tricky because what works in one area doesn’t always work in another.
Chapter meeting are a good way to learn, and sometimes a source of ride-alongs. Watching an experienced inspector at work is often a big help.
The message boards are a huge source of information, and sometimes of entertainment and even frustration, depending on how you interact with people. Putting your website address in your message board profile signature will improve your SEO.
InterNACHI has so much to offer that one of the challenges is keeping track of them all. Well, actually, I think only Nick and maybe Chris Morrell come close to keeping track of them all.
Anyway, don’t let lack of a construction background stop you from entering the industry. How homes age, fail and are reported on is different from how they are built. You sound like a guy with organized thinking, which goes a long way in this business.
I personally think construction experience is needed in this job. I couldn’t comprehend understanding some aspects unless i had done the job. Someone else may catch on or understand it, but for me personally I like hands on. Tear a few roofs off, and demo a few bathrooms and you will see a whole new world.
I personally think if you have no mechanical or construction understanding, then your doing a disservice to your clients, and using their home as your OJT is a bad idea. We all had to start somewhere, but starting with no knowledge is a poor idea IMO
Video courses and online classes don’t teach you how to inspect a home. Driving nails and working construction do.
Bulls hit and business savvy may get you along. Most of my mentors in the business know their stuff.
The best part is, there are plenty of programs out their to bail out or protect incompetence.
