I agree Jeff, and I was the youngest member in the Orlando, Florida Carpenter’s Union at the turn of 19 in 1970. Man time flies. :mrgreen:
You are correct Bob.
Being a construction worker helps you when you decide to be an HI.
But on the same token, being an HI, especially here at INACHI, helps you be that much better at the construction job.
It teaches you to look at things in a different perspective.
No one is to old to learn, if he is, normally the couch is synonymous with what he does.
Having a construction background in the HI business is a plus I would say and also works the other way around because of the learning requested in CE’s that are mandated.
The two definitely go together in unison. :)
Jeff, Marcel, I am with you guys. I have 28 years in a NJ Carpenters Union. Like you Marcel, I was a project Super for a commercial builder before the economy drove me out. I was going to inspect as a retirement gig. Inspections are my full time thing now.
My years of rehab,appliance install,and building maintenance defiantly helped me as well.
Sometimes I wonder if y experience helps me or hurts me. Home Inspection schooling came very easy to me with only moderate studying. The National Exam was easy too.
When I was in class, I saw the intensity that people who didn’t have the background studied with. I feel that I do a good inspection, but maybe the experience puts a chip on your shoulder that wouldn’t be there otherwise.
If things were busier I probably wouldn’t think like that.:mrgreen::mrgreen:
That might be Drew, but I am not the type to carry a chip on my shoulder, I have always been afraid of the one to come along and knock it off. :mrgreen:
I think a counstruction background plays a good percentage of knowhow in the Inspection Business, but the education mandated here and the learning material on this message board alone is priceless…
Hell, I got more friends on this message board that are willing to help me and others than I have friends on my street.
Collaboration amoung a goal that is mutual to all of us goes a long ways. 
Training, experience, etc. all play a primary role in doing the job right. I personally believe the most important element is the man or women themselves. If they were a lousy, lazy builder, contractor, carpenter, plumber, etc. chances are even or worse they will carry that over into inspecting. It is who they are. Attention to details, not cutting corners, doing the right thing is more about a person’s character than about smarts. Generalities about who or what makes a good inspector and comments like that are just not based on sound reasoning. Just like when someone says, all Realtors are crooks and aholes. Just not true. Are there those in the Realtor business. Absolutely, just there are some in the HI business. If a person is lazy, doesn’t give a RA about their performance, it makes no difference what they do for a living.
Bingo! New guys come and they go. They mostly go. 
Well said Doug. :)
Frankly (and some may disagree with me) but I think this is a reflection upon how Nick, through the priorities established and now universally recognized through InterNACHI, has changed our industry.
Six years ago, starting a home inspection business (according to Kaplan and the other few schools of record at the time) consisted of joining ASHI and marketing yourself to real estate salesmen.
Today, thanks to Nick, all that has changed…and legitimized.
80% of the market is still Real Estate referrals.
I smell an “Inspector Bubble” brewing.
LOL!
Nick’s taking his cue from ole Ben Bernacke, huh? 
AHIT has had two classes in my area in the past several months.
They make a lot of great sounding statements in their radio adds but I doubt many will survive long.
I got a call last week from someone calling to inquire if I was hiring, “hiring what?” I replied. “Home inspectors” he said. I laughed out loud and asked “you’re kidding right?” He said “you think that’s funny?” and hung up on me. The nerve of some people.:p:p
Good point!
I have seen the same thing happen with some young contractors; go out and buy the new four door truck with all the bells and whistles, all the best power tools he can charge, very expensive website, Momma’s got her new car as well cause they can “write it off” as a business expense, etc. etc.
Only thing is, he did not do his market research. All he had to do was open the phone book and see the 23 pages of General contractors in a small rural community that he lives in. I had an occasion to run by the cell phone store a few weeks ago to and the fella that waited on me was a contractor, working part time at the phone store. Asked me if I was hiring anyone…Nope. Soon you see that pretty new truck on the side of the road with For Sale signs in the windows, the new fancy power equipment is at the local pawn shops and on and on (I have really gotten some great power tools like that). Meanwhile, the older, experienced guy is driving his old beater truck to work (keeps his new truck at home) with power tools he has had since high school but knows like the back of his hand and depends on. Every check goes in the bank, not into paying for and putting up the facade of being a big shot. He has more work than he can do but people are willing to wait on him to get to them because he has a reputation of good solid work and product for a good price.
Damn Doug, did you ever come across my Father or what?
I got tools older than dirt and they work like a charm and could put some of these young guys to shame in the construction arena. all you have to do is ask them if they have a hand saw and if they know how to sharpen it.
They got fancy tools, but once faced with something they never seen, they don’t no which fancy tool to use to do the job. But they have their fancy truck. :mrgreen: