I have a quick question.
Would you say becoming NACHI certified gives someone with no prior experiance enough knowledge to become a successful home inspector? My friend is considering spending over $4000 on a home inspectors course and then planning to go through NACHI certification. Do you think he needs the course prior?
If it matters, I’m refering to Canadian home inpections and the course I’m talking about is offered by Carson Dunlop.
$4,000.00 !! You must be mistaken. No home inspection courses cost that much. The Canadian government would shut them down for ripping people off if that were true. You must mean $400. Anyway… How do their courses compare with www.nachi.org/education.htm ?
Most of the NACHI certified inspectors have absolutely no home inspection experience when they become NACHI certified inspectors. Why spend the $4000. Get certified for $289 and go out there and make the big bucks fumbling your way through home inspections until you learn the trade.
Nope.
Becoming a member of this association provides one with access to information and on-line training. Your “certification” is not a credential, but a vehicle, if you will, to take you from where you are to hopefully a level higher than where you are.
Will you be successful as a home inspector?
Statistically, the odds are against you…but, from an engineering standpoint, the odds are against a bumble bee (with his heavy body and small, light wing structure) from ever taking flight. Still, he flies.
Success as a home inspector, as many areas who try to predict the success of home inspections themselves with various licensing laws have learned, cannot be quantified.
Good luck.
So will you be pasting this on the ASHI board later tonight ?
And I should add that technical education is only half of what you need. No sense in taking all those courses if you are going to go out of business after a year. You need the other half also: www.nachi.org/success.htm
Here is something to consider that I copied from a home inspection advertising site. Their advice to consumers should be something that all people thinking about becoming inspectors should consider, as well.
Agreed, I like this quote:
"Becoming a home inspector can be relatively painless and inexpensive. In 25 states, there is no state licensing board. In these states, it doesn’t take much more than a business card and a screw driver to carry the title of "home inspector.
In contrast, full-time, dedicated home inspectors spend thousands of dollars on gear, instruments,tools, ladders, cameras, computers, and licenses to perform home inspections. They undergo extensive training and continuing education, while meeting state expectations for licensure."
Nope, its $4000. Well, $3500.
http://carsondunlop.com/Inspectors/hssorder.htm
The text books in this program are also used in community colleges in Ontario.
You should report them as a rip-off scam. Perhaps the Canadian government can close them down so that others aren’t cheated.
Wow! no kidding…
Single course and technical support ----- $395
I thought it seemed very expensive aswell. I’m really confused because its also the text books that all the colleges in my area use (for example, my closest school is Algonquin (http://xweb.algonquincollege.com/woodroffe/program.aspx?query=6402X2PWO)
And its also $3500 only its not online.
The only reason this expensive course caught my eye is because its reconized by CAHPI but $3500 is just ridiculous.
But it is NOT recognized by the largest inspection association in Canada.
Why pay $4,000.00 for a course that isn’t recognized?
I cannot express how happy I am I made this post tonight. My friend already purchased his first course and I was actually about to.
I guess by the fact that colleges were offering this course I assumed it had to of been the best bet. Thank you so much for your replies.
But the largest inpection association in Canada WAS NOT recognized by the only regulated jurisdiction in Canada, British Columbia!!!
The class you are thinking of was probably written a couple of years ago. Just think the class’s here are updated DAILY. REAL life situations are talked about DAILY. You will find no better educational website for Home Inspectors than this. So now with that said. Keegan, tomorrow I better not see you as a NON MEMBER…Sign up, learn and end up being like Good Will Hunting of the Home Inspection Industry!
Hey James,
I mentioned this before. Nick may consider to up this education for full membership.
I for one will state right now, my “Mentor” and CMI made all the differance. All new people to the inspection field should be required to shadow a working inspector and if you want the Best of the Best a CMI from NACHI.
All new possible inspectors; you will do a grave injustice to any clients starting out without the wisdom of a experienced inspector.
I agree. This is where on-line training, IMO, is weak. Back when our St. Louis NACHI Chapter was fairly active, we would have about two seminars per year and it amazed me how much relevant and important education took place…during the breaks…when six or seven home inspectors sat at a table and discussed a particular topic.
With Joe Farsetta, Bob Brown, and other skilled inspectors filling our heads with facts…and roundtable discussions on how these facts are actually applied…it was tremendous. You just don’t get that sitting in front of a computer alone in your office. I miss those sessions. ASHI and ICC are the only folks still having those types of programs, locally, and I never miss them. I’ll be at the ICC meeting on 12/7 in Springfield where the fire department and a local code official are instructing on the inspection of residential fire suppression systems. I’m looking forward to that one.
Add to that the ability to observe these facts being applied while you watch and accompany an experienced inspector…and you will retain, understand, and acquire more in a week than you would on-line for a year.
You nailed it, Steve.
Bring me $4,000, spend a month with me doing inspections in Kansas City, and I guarantee you will learn more than in any class room or educational books or tests you can ever take.
Then, you will go back home, and look for work elsewhere.