Structural Issues for Home Inspectors Course

Welcome to InterNACHI's free online "Structural Issues for Home Inspectors Course." This course is provided by our tuition-free college, InterNACHI® School.

Goal:

The goal of this course is to teach inspectors how to inspect the structural systems and components of a home.

Objectives:

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will: 
  • understand the major systems and components of a home; 
  • be able to inspect the foundation and framing components; 
  • find major structural defects; and
  •  describe observed indications of structural defects and their implications. 

Course includes:

  • 10,438 words;
  • 18 minutes of instructional video;
  • inspection and writing assignment;
  • research and writing assignment;
  • 40 quiz questions in 3 quizzes;
  • 40-question final exam (drawn from a larger pool);
  • instant grading; and
  • downloadable, printable Certificate of Completion.

 You will learn the following:

  • Introduction
  • Observe and Report
  • What You Need to Know
  • Common Structural Terms
  • Common Foundation
  • Common Framing
  • Inspector Safety
  • What to Look For Outside
  • Lot
  • Exterior
  • Decks and Porches
  • Roof
  • What to Look For Inside
  • Roofing Structure and Attic
  • Basement and Crawlspace
  • Floors
  • Walls and Ceilings
  • Windows, Doors, and Mouldings
  • The Report
  • Report Writing
  • Conclusion
  • Acknowledgments

Structural Issues for Home Inspectors Course

Course # 3400

nachi.org/structuralcoursereleased2007

Activity

Assignments

Estimated hours for the average student

Academic Engagement

Reading online course instructional material at 140 words per minute

1.2

Watching and listening to instructional video

0.3

Taking quizzes

0.5

Taking the exam

2.4

Conducting a directed and independent inspection study performed according to the Standards of Practice, including the development of an inspection report

4.0

Submitting an inspection and writing assignment

0.5

Submitting a research and writing assignment0.5

Total

9.4

Preparation

Studying & reviewing instructional material in preparation for taking quizzes and exam

8.0

Reading the downloaded student course book including taking the quizzes with the book

1.0

Reading, research, and studying related to completing the research and writing assignment4.0
Studying and preparing for inspection processes according to a Standards of Practice, including capturing and storing digital images with a camera or device, making observations, evaluating conditions, deducing, formulating opinions, communicating observations in written form, attaining competency in performing inspections and using an inspection checklist or software and other inspection tools in producing a report.
10.0

Total

23.0

Sub Total

32.4

Overall Total

  • 32.0 clock hours
  • 32.0 InterNACHI CE credit hours 
  • 3.2 CEU
And, in keeping with InterNACHI's commitment to Continuing Education, this course is free to members and can be taken again and again, without limit.
This course was developed orginally by InterNACHI's Joe Farsetta and Nick Gromicko.  
Reminder to members: InterNACHI's Code of Ethics 1.10 requires that you comply with all government rules and licensing requirements of the jurisdiction where you conduct business. InterNACHI's courses and Standards generally exceed the Standards of Practice that you are required to abide by locally.  
Upon completion of this course and passing of the 65-question final exam (drawn from a larger pool), the student can download and print their own Certificate of Completion, which is auto-generated in their own name.
The student's (InterNACHI member's) information is recorded on InterNACHI's servers for membership compliance verification, and automatically logs completion into InterNACHI's online Continuing Education log. 
Members will need their username and password. If you have forgotten your password, CLICK HERE (instant response) or email fastreply@internachi.org and request it (don't forget your name). 
InterNACHI... #1 in inspection education.
Some features that make InterNACHI's courses superior to existing continuing education options:
  • The course is free for all InterNACHI members.
  • The course is written in pure XHTML code for quick loading. The course loads fine on old computers and loads fast, even with dial-up.
  • The course is designed using a hierarchal menu coupled with a sequential page navigation. This provides the student with the option to easily repeat areas of weakness.
  • The course permits the student to start, stop and restart any part of the course as often as desired.
  • There are a variety of images within the course, including diagrams, illustrations and photos. The illustrations can be enlarged for clearer viewing by clicking on them.
  • The text is integrated into InterNACHI's Inspector Glossary. Rolling over blue-colored terms provides their definition.
  • The final exam uses multiple-choice questions that reference the images.
  • The course's quizzes and final exam have numerous advantages over traditional exam systems:
    1. The course, quizzes and final exam incorporate built-in intelligence which identifies and strengthens each student's unique subject weaknesses.
    2. Not only is each question weighted with regard to score, but each answer is weighted, as well as the correctness of each answer being weighted.
      1. Answers to easy questions are weighted such that the student is penalized, in terms of score, for answering incorrectly, but rewarded modestly for answering correctly.
      2. Answers to difficult questions are weighted such that the student is rewarded, in terms of score, for answering correctly, but not penalized for answering incorrectly.
      3. Answers to questions regarding basic safety, or questions every inspector should know the answer to, are weighted such that the student is severely penalized, in terms of score, for answering incorrectly.
  • Upon passing the final exam, the student can print out a Certificate of Completion which is auto-generated in their own name.
The student's (InterNACHI member's) information is recorded on InterNACHI's servers for membership compliance verification, and automatically logs completion into InterNACHI's online Continuing Education log.


InterNACHI® Members:

Take the free, online Structural Issues for Home Inspectors course now (free to InterNACHI members).

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