Anyone know of a good book on how to do a HI and a checklist, pictures information about the systems and components, with diagrams specific to what a HI needs to look at. Something for a guy without any experience. Thanks,
Mark
several years ago a book that was recommended to me:
The Complete Book of Home Inspection
Third Edition
Author: Norman Becker, P.E.
ISBN# 0-07-139125-8
www.books.mcgraw-hill.com
Have you read and do you understand the NACHI SOP? If you do, you have the basis for your checklist. Following someone else’s checklist without an understanding of what the big picture is will not work. If it did, a homebuyer need not hire an inspector…but simply seek the same checklist that you are.
Jim is correct. One of the biggest problems we have here is the fact that so many who enter the inspection profession come from the trades or were general contractors. They seem to OVER-inspect, especially in their areas of expertise. Ever hire an inspector assistant from the roofing industry? He spends and hour and a half on the roof. Such is human nature but we have to remember that once you become a home inspector, you have to learn a lot and forget a little too.
This free, online, quick tool will help alert you to where you are over or under inspecting… do it… http://www.nachi.org/sopquiz.htm
Jim,
I agree. Thank you. So do you know of a book that can help me get the big picture?
Thanks
I would recommend this book to give you a good overview. I use it as an Intro course text for Intro to Home Inspections.
This is the book recommended by FABI.
George is plugging himself and Nick is knocking me 
The general contractor thing.
It’s all good.
For the quiz, Nick’s got a point, I pretty much (well, I didn’t check the "describe the water supply, main fuel shut off valves…) got the stuff I was supposed to do, but over inspected the Attic, Exterior and Fireplace. Whadya gonna do?
I keep looking on the section of my home inspection report software to indicate footing size (I dig it up and measure it) and where the tool is to describe/plot bearing load path for the mansard above the first floor. I was hoping that I could include overturn calculations, or my presumed evaluation that the homes windows too close to the corner, indicates a lack of today’s standards for shear. Oh well, maybe in future updates JK