Texas Real Estate Commission Standard Inspection Form and Report Writing Online Course

Welcome to InterNACHI's free, online Texas Standard Inspection Form and Report Writing course.

Goal:

The goal of this course is to teach the Texas home inspector how to write a standard home inspection report according to Texas TREC standards.

Objectives:

Upon successful completion of this course, the student shall be to generate effective home inspection reports and clearly and concisely fill out the TREC Property Inspection Report Forms REI 7-5.

The course includes:

22,740 words
46 quiz questions in 4 quizzes
inspection and writing assignment
research and writing assignment
a 100-question final exam
instant grading
a downloadable, printable Certificate of Completion
accreditations and state approvals.

You will learn the following topics:

Student Verification and Interactivity
TREC Rules
TREC Requires a Report
- Written Report Required
- Name and License Number
- A Checklist Form
InterNACHI Requires a Report
- Written Report Required
TREC Inspection Report Forms
- Requirements
- Changes to Standard Form
- Renumbering Pages
- Inspected or Not
- Exceptions
Introduction to Reports
- Changes to Reports
- Development of Standards
- Checklist and Narrative Reports
- Development of Reporting Software
- Narrative Content
- Report Content
- Sample Reports
Reports Help Educate, Protect, and Market
- Reports Can Educate
- Reports Can Protect
- Reports Can Market
What a TREC Report Should Contain
- Certain Basic Information
- Contract, Addendum, and Other Info
- Components and Conditions Present
- May Refer to Code
- I, NI, NP, and/or D
- Deemed Deficient
- Recognized Hazards
- Not All Deficiencies
- No Obligation to Repair
- Further Evaluations and/or Cost Estimates
- For the Client's Benefit
TREC Standards for Inspecting and Reporting
- Scope of the Inspection
- General Inspection Requirements
- Limitations
- Conflict
- Departure
To Exceed or Not to Exceed the Standards
- That is the Question
TREC Report: Structural
- Identify All Structural Systems
- Foundations
- Grading and Drainage
- Roof Covering Materials
- Roof Structure and Attic
- Walls, Ceilings, Floors, and Doors
- Interior and Exterior Stairways
- Fireplace and Chimney
- Porches, Balconies, Decks, and Carports
TREC Report: Electrical
- Electrical Systems and Components
- Service Entrance and Panels
- Circuits, Devices, and Fixtures
TREC Report: HVAC
- HVAC Equipment
- Heating
- Cooling
- Evaporative Coolers
- Ducts, Chases, and Vents
- Limitations
TREC Report: Plumbing
- Plumbing Systems
- Plumbing
TREC Report: Appliances
- Installed Appliances
- Dishwasher
- Food Waste Disposer
- Range Exhaust Hood
- Ranges, Cooktops, and Ovens
- Microwave Oven
- Trash Compactor
- Exhaust Vents and Bathroom Heaters
- Garage Door Operators
- Door Bells and Chimes
- Dryer Vents
- Limitations
TREC Report: Optional Systems
- Optional Systems
- Lawn and Garden Sprinkler Systems
- Pools, Spas, Hot Tubs, and Equipment
- Outbuildings
- Outdoor Cooking Equipment
- Gas Lines
- Private Wells
- Private Sewage Disposal (Septic) Systems
- Whole-House Vacuum System
3 Functions of a Report Narrative
- Accurate Condition Identification
- Assessment of a Condition's Severity
- Transfer of Liability
"No Visible Evidence" Language
- May Be Evidence Against You
Hazards or Deficiencies
- Examples of Hazards
- Report as "Deficient"
- Grandfathered
- Buyer is Informed
Engage Your Senses
- Introduction
- Engage Your Senses
Simple vs. Comprehensive Report Narratives
- Introduction
- Level of Assumption
- Quoting Code
- Should Inspectors Write Their Own Narratives?
Writing Effectively
- Introduction
- Tips
- Words and Your Image
- Right Amount of Information
- Keep in Mind
Inspector-Speak
- Jargon
Training Develops Report Writing Skills
- Training
May, Must, and Should
- Taking Action
- To Express
7 Ways a Report May Be Used
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
Reports for Sellers (Move-In Certified)
- Advantages
TREC Definitions
- Definitions
Glossary
- Avoid Ambiguity
- Technical Language is for Experts
If a Home Inspector Misses Something
- Introduction
- Was it Really a Miss?
- Judgment
Tips To Help Home Inspectors Avoid Lawsuits
- Introduction
- Tip: InterNACHI's Pre-Inspection Agreement
- Tip: InterNACHI's Library of Narratives
- Tip: InterNACHI's Home Maintenance Book

Texas TREC Standard Inspection Form and Report Writing Course Course #4402 nachi.org/trec-texas-standard-form-report-writing
Activity	Assignments	Estimated hours for the average student
Academic Engagement	Reading online course instructional material at 140 words per minute	2.7
	Watching and listening to instructional video	0.0
	Taking quizzes	1.3
	Taking the exam	3.0
	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 assignment	0.5
	Total	12.0

Preparation	Studying and reviewing instructional material in preparation for taking quizzes and exam	2.0
	Reading the downloaded student course book including taking the quizzes with the book	2.0
	Reading, research, and studying related to completing the research and writing assignment	4.0
	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	18.0
	Sub Total	30.0
Overall Total		30.0 hours 3.0 CEU

And, in keeping with InterNACHI's commitment to Continuing Education, this course is open and free to all members, and can be taken again and again, without limit.

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.

This course has been approved by:

Upon completion of this course and passing of the 100-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. It counts as twelve InterNACHI Continuing Education hours.

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.

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Some features which 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 pictures of actual roofs.
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.