Originally Posted By: rstith
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Hi, My name is Dick Stith in Louisville, Ky I am new.
Could someone help point me towards a site that might have check lists posted?
Thanks
Hi, My name is Dick Stith in Louisville, Ky I am new.
Could someone help point me towards a site that might have check lists posted?
Thanks
Originally Posted By: tshields
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Checklists? Please clarify
Ted
Originally Posted By: dbowers
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You can buy checklists from the very simple to the more complex. There are many suppliers - ITA in Oceanside, CA - HomeTech in Maryland - Benchmark in California - Etc.
Wherever you went to home inspection school should have given you a list of companies that sell these - ask them.
Many of the tool companies like Professional Tools sell checklists.
Your cost will depend on how many you buy at a time. Most run from $7.50 to $10.50 per set in small volumes (under 50 at a time).
Good Luck
Originally Posted By: kmcmahon
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| dbowers wrote: |
|
Wherever you went to home inspection school should have given you a list of companies that sell these - ask them. |
Why does everyone assume that everyone went to a HI school?
Some people didn't spend $2500 on a 7 day crash course in construction. Some, like me spent $35,000 on 4 years of college studying construction, and others went to the school of hard knocks.
Sorry for the thread drift, but I just had an argument with a Realtor that couldn't believe I didn't go to a HI school and that my competitors all went to a HI school. She finally got it that a major in construction trumps a HI school. She never knew it was a 7 day course only. Not saying that it isn't useful, but it's not the holy grail. Just the branding symbol looks impressive. Mine is hanging on the wall...they didn't give me a digital diploma!  Again sorry for the rant. Not personal
--
Wisconsin Home Inspection, ABC Home Inspection LLC
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Originally Posted By: ekartal
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I guess I’m somewhere in the middle. I studied HI at a college for 6 months. Then the ever popular licensing exam.
Erol Kartal
Originally Posted By: dbowers
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Dan Bowers
Originally Posted By: ekartal
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Kind of like trying to become a cop with a law degree but no police academy training.
Erol Kartal
Originally Posted By: dbowers
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Good comparison.
Originally Posted By: kmcmahon
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Had a pretty good writeup here, but not to incite a riot, I’ll let it go. No one likes to spend $2500 on anything and be told they didn’t need it, just like no one likes to be told that the $35,000 education you have, you could have gotten for 7 days and $2,500
–
Wisconsin Home Inspection, ABC Home Inspection LLC
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Originally Posted By: dbowers
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Kevin -
Our construction degrees gave us a great start in knowing how things went together, what the correct way to build them was, etc, - BUT it didn't teach us how to inspect a house.
Even with our degrees in construction, most of us had no class in appliances, slate or tile roofs, or instructions on how to test a 35 year old tiled shower for pan leaks. Most of us with our construction degrees did not learn how large a crack in a foundation wall or how much wall movement was acceptable before repairs were needed.
Many people (even home builders, engineers, etc) don't know that the felt under slate or tile roofs often wears out WAY BEFORE the tiles and slate. Last month I inspected a 85 year old house that had a tile roof. The roof had some recent maintenance and looked very good. There were older leak stains in the attic that were tested with a moisture meter and were dry at that time. It had rained within the past 7 days.
I told the people the roof looked in above average condition for its age, but suggested they have a roofer remove a few tile and examine the felt. The realtor and seller went ballistic. Their detached garage had some missing and broken tiles, so my buyer took my advice. They had the roofer do what I suggested and the felt was perforated most everywhere. They got 3 bids to remove the existing tile - repaper the decking - and reinstall the same tile. All bids were between $7,800 and $9,500.
Thats the kinda thing we never learned in College - that was the type of thing I learned 20 years ago in HI school. This is no insult on our college training - its just a different type of learning.
Most homebuilders never get to see the results of a trivial thing like leaving out a $0.75 joist hanger at the floor joists around a stairwell when the house is 45 years old - we do - that we didn't learn in college.
Thats what I'm saying here.
Dan Bowers
Originally Posted By: kmcmahon
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An electrician didn’t go to a HI school, but he can look at a system and tell you what’s wrong with it or should be able to anyhow. His training and education in electrical systems made him that way. That goes for any tradesman, which most of us were at one time or another. A college education in construction gave us education in all the systems. Does it make us an expert? No, but we should be able to recognize a defect when we see it or at least make us question an area that just doesn’t look right. This is because we know how and why components work the way they do. Will 7 days at a HI school make you an expert in HI? Not on your life. It’s just a tool in your bag, and teaches how to do an inspection. He can look at a wall and say "yep…there’s a crack and that’s not a good thing, and mark a check next to “crack in the wall and contact a structural engineer” on his report form. But without knowing about soils and how they act under differing conditions, he’ll never know the why’s and wherefore’s of that crack and won’t be able to explain to his client why he needs a structural or geotechnical engineer. That he will learn in time by reading more and continuing his education.
Now, a person with an electrical background will know waaayyy more than I do about electrical systems, and the same goes for any similiar background. A HI school will help them in inspecting other systems that they are not familiar with, but it won’t be as much info on the systems as anyone got in college that studied construction. That’s all I’m saying and like I said before, a HI school is a good thing…it’s just not the holy grail.
–
Wisconsin Home Inspection, ABC Home Inspection LLC
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Originally Posted By: rmagee
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One of the most important things taught at a good HI School is how to report on things. It is very important to be able to get your point across without getting everyone involved in the transaction peeved.
The most important skill required by an inspector is one you can't quantify. DEALING WITH PEOPLE.
The better schools not only teach students the basic skills required to detect deficiencies but will spend a great deal of time teaching what to say and what not to say in a report.
The next home you inspect may be the worse structure you have ever seen but if you use phrases like "dozer bait" "waiting for demo" etc. your days in this business will be numbered.
Schools teach you how to deal with that question that always comes up "Would you buy this house?"
Schools teach you what the limitations of an inspection are and how to apply those limits.
Regardless of what education and experience you might have I recommend finding and attending a good HI school.
Your high level of education should have taught you that there is always more to learn. My favorite professor used to beat into our heads that our engineering degrees would be obsolete the day of our graduation and all he could hope to teach us was that learning is a life long process with every thing you do making you more qualified to take your next step in life.
Spend the $2500.00, YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT.
--
Rick Magee
Building Check Ltd.
Fredericton, N.B. Canada
1-506-454-3332
bcheck@nbnet.nb.ca
"check with a professional"
Originally Posted By: dbowers
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where I’ve been hired to uphold the engineers report. To date we’re batting 100% - WHY - because I knew more about engineering than the PE or more about installing EIFS than the EIFS installer or builder - NO - because, I knew what to look at or where to look or how to report it that they didn’t.
That knowledge was taught to me in various HI classes or schools.
A home inspection school is not the holy grail but it rounds you out and helps you in your weak points - because we're inspecting - not building, repairing, installing, etc
Originally Posted By: lfranklin
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I think what ever your first training was is to be only considered to be a down payment for your training. In todays world you better be keeping up on everything from common building practices to modern technology.
So really it doesn’t matter if you you went to school of hard knocks or a home inspection school. What really matters is are you willing to keep learning ?
Originally Posted By: Nick Gromicko
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There are some in http://www.nachi.org/deals.htm but you have to dig a bit.
Nick
Originally Posted By: kmcmahon
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Report writing…check…had a 12 week long class on that.
Dealing with people…check…that’s what the #1 thing you come away with at college.
Continuing education is always a good thing and I agree you can never stop wanting to learn. Learning in snippits is the best way to learn. Not cramming everything you need to know in a 7 day class.
–
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Originally Posted By: tallen
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Kevin,
Geez you are really offended by those 7 day folks . I will say this You can’t learn everything in 7 days nor can you learn it in 10 years of college just ask Joe Tedesco he has been in the Sparky biz. for 1.5 million years and I bet he will tell you he learns something new every day. Ok sorry Joe 50 years.
The 7 day classes are meant to teach you how to identify standard problems and basic terminology. That will get you started.I belive most folks spend many many hours (if they are serious) reading books watching vids and yes reading message boards, before they go out into the real world.
To answer your ? No I did not take a 7 day class. But I sure do not have a problem with the people that did. I know many inspectors in my town that did the 80 hour course and are very good inspectors.
I am a licensed electrician 19 years, 577 credit hrs home inspection , 24 hrs. HVAC, 24 hrs Plumbing,200 hrs building construction, and scary as it may seem I was a code inspector for Lockheed Martin.
--
I have put the past behind me,
where , however, it now sits, making rude remarks.
www.whiteglovehomeinspections.net
30 Oct 2003-- 29 Nov2005
Originally Posted By: dbowers
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If you mean the Technical Writing class most os were required to take you’re right - it was a real good class on writing technical such as for a manual - had nothing to do with HI, but was a real good class (taught us articulation, presentation, grammar, etc - kinda like a Techie English class). The general psychology class that many of us took has turned out to be good in helping deduce people motivations & hot buttons.
Most of are at least semi computer literate, but if we wanted to take a $100,000 job as a Computer Programmer WE WOULDN"T THINK TWICE ABOUT TAKING A WEEK LONG COURSE IN COMPUTER PROGRAMMING.
Many of us would think that wouldn't even come close to being adequate.
Originally Posted By: kmcmahon
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| tallen wrote: |
| Geez you are really offended by those 7 day folks . . |
Yeahhh...I need to get off this....knew I would incite a riot.
Don't want it to sound like I'm anti HI school.
IT'S JUST NOT THE HOLY GRAIL!   
--
Wisconsin Home Inspection, ABC Home Inspection LLC
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Originally Posted By: tallen
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No riot just info
Nothing is the holy grail. You will learn more by doing inspections then you can imagine . I do not do onsite reports cuz I usually need to look something up. I am sure some of the vets like Jerry, Blain and Earl etc. do not have this problem. I can only wish for the day that I have there confidence and knowledge. Until then I will keep on keeping on . Knowledge is power and this board is the best place to find it.
Take a HI class just for fun I am sure you will be surprised 
best of luck,
--
I have put the past behind me,
where , however, it now sits, making rude remarks.
www.whiteglovehomeinspections.net
30 Oct 2003-- 29 Nov2005