I am beginning my training with InterNACHI. However, I do have one question before I get very deep into training and accompanying inspectors for my 100 required ride-alongs. I was diagnosed with some eyesight problems at a young age. They include peripheral vision issues that prevent me from driving.(I use a lot of Uber/Lyft, etc) My corrected eyesight is 20/60. My concern is do I need to disclose this information and could it come back to bite me in a legal sense if I were to miss something? Obviously I know once I am in the field, I may have to work a bit harder than the average normal person, and am willing to do so, but wanted to get some opinions.
In my opinion, your impairment waivers will not shield you from the work that needs to be done. I do not know what 20/60 relates to in the field, but I know as I get older, I have to compensate. More lighting, binoculars etc. I don’t think anyone is going to let me off the hook. My job is literally to see.
When I can’t do my job, it will be time to hang it up.
I think word will get around your service area if you’ve got some sort of vision impairment, or if your show up to your gigs in a ride share, so consider the way it will all be perceived (right or wrong) by clients in a “wide angle-view” sort of way.
Lots of folks need readers , contacts or regular glasses, so if you can see what you need to see, so be it.
Im sorry but I fail to see how home inspection would be a workable career choice for You. …clear vision is one of the key requirements of this job. I see no way You could climb ladders, access roofs, attics and crawl spaces with the sight restrictions You describe. I respectfully suggest You persue other options Sir…
Are you able to drive with the corrected vision? If not, that will likely be your limiting factor. That is if you want to operate as a solo inspector business. I can’t possibly see how using rideshare would work out. You need to haul tools, ladders, etc. and if clients and agents come to the inspection, they are going to wonder why there is not a vehicle there. As an example, most of my clients and their agent’s attend at the end of the inspection for a walkthrough review. If they pull up and there are no vehicles present, it would cause confusion and my phone would be ringing to see if I’m there or if I forgot about the inspection. That may seem like a minor deal, but you will quickly tire of having to explain this for every inspection.
All that said, if you can see good enough to perform an inspection, you might find a multi-inspector firm that could put you on a team. That might be your best path.
For some context, i currently work as an IT professional for a hospital. Hobbies include running a sports website where I cover all sorts of football, basketball, softball, etc with video, articles, etc. I guess all that to say that my vision is not immediately a noticeable issue. But yes, I do not drive even with my glasses strictly due to peripheral eyesight. I am fascinated by homes and their systems and am the owner of a 1950s home with many old quirks, which fuels my interest in this field.
I suspect that after a few ride-alongs, i’ll know if this is for me or not. but contacting an insurance company is a good first step to see if anything with my eyesight would preclude me. Thanks for everyone’s input!
It is good that you have developed an interest in inspecting and appear to be using your own home as a training tool. That is one of the best ways to not only learn but also understand homes and construction. Being in a tech field I would expect you’re the type that finds something interesting you do not know, research and learn about it, and in the process drift to other loosely related aspects discovered during your research and wind up learning more than you intended to. You may also be a methodical person. That is a typical “Tech Mind” that has done well in their field.
However in my opinion you have identified two major issues with having a successful inspection career. Successful is not just about your end of the business of making money. There is the client end which is as important. If you have significant limitations (these are) where you can not fully service a client then the business can not be successful.
The first issue is the one of transportation. As an Inspector I have no idea what tools/equipment/supplies I will need on site to perform a full and proper job which may include redundant items of a critical nature in the event the primary fails or an item is needed for one task but another does not require or can not use the same item. One example are ladders where I use an extending ladder for accessing roofs and a simple, much smaller, folding ladder to reach heights just above my reach. Obviously an Uber/Lyft/Taxi is just not going to work and you need your own vehicle.
The second issue is your peripheral vision issue. The way you are describing it as an issue leads me to believe you essentially have tunnel vision (the prevention from driving aspect). You will need some peripheral vision if not for safety reasons alone! So many examples we won’t get into it here. In addition to safety a lack of acceptable peripheral vision can not only significantly slow down your inspections but also contribute to missing issues. In the first (slow down) there are issues that can be caught by looking at a large area (i.e. large wall) at an angle rather than dead on. With a lack of peripheral vision you would now have to physically position yourself at those various angles to possibly catch an issue. With peripheral vision it just happens naturally and you become accustomed to it.
Another issue with the lack of peripheral vision are tighter spaces and obstacles that block a direct view but even a slight peripheral vision may well catch the issue. For example an exterior HVAC unit that is close to an exterior wall and has an issue on its rear side. You can’t get your head in there but may catch the issue with the peripheral vision. There are of course many other examples of this.
You are getting ready to spend a great deal of time, effort, and most likely money to get into this business. It is hard enough just to establish referrals and business when you do not have your impairments. With the impairments you may well pick up jobs here and there but honestly it won’t be long before the referrals dry up and the word does get out to finish off any possibilities of future work.
As for the “insurance” aspect of it that would not be a concern even with your impairments as far as obtaining the insurance. The underwriters just don’t give a crap and will take your money. If a claim arises and the fault was your impairments they will also be happy to deny the claim and find a reason for it. If it’s small they may pay it out and then cancel you and the word would get around there as well resulting in no future insurance coverage. They will make their money and you will be hung out to dry!
What I recommend you do is think through this long and hard before expending any real money. If the training is inexpensive then continue on. Try to make acquaintances with local Inspectors who might be willing to either take you on a job or two or even perform a couple of mock inspections with you (more likely mock inspections). With a mock inspection you can both inspect the home and compare what you might have missed, was it connected to your physical limitations, what other issues you encountered, etc. A good Inspector can provide a lot of insight in how you may do in this profession.
I carry 3 ladders on my Van. A 22 foot, an 18 foot and a 3 step, step ladder. Mostly I use one, sometimes I use two, sometimes all three.
The tool bag has a bunch of different tools and the backups. I also carry blades, caulks, paints, brushes, you name it. It’s very rare when I need it, but when you need it, you need it.
I carry a curb key in case I need to shut off the water. Failing that a big wrench can do it, but it’s a lot harder.
My point is, my Van is full of stuff that I may need. You could never get this job done properly using Uber. “Hey driver, pop the trunk and lay down the seats, I want to stick my 40lb ladder in the trunk.”
not to mention oftentimes if the the valve is not buried under a foot or so of water it has all sorts of nasties slithering around or building webs and crap. yeah, the key is the way to go.
on topic, i’d have to agree that the limiting factor here is the lack of driving yourself. now there may be a local inspector who would take on an apprentice. that actually sounds like a good idea for me when i hit retirement age if i still feel like working like i think i will. something to consider anyway.
or possibly doing an “internship” with a gc that involved going on jobsites and looking around. that would fill the need for learning things and could be done safely with the limitations, and even get a ride to work solved. if you really want to do this you’ll figure it out. just be safe and ethical about it.
I do believe the driving thing can be overcome. I like the idea of apprenticing or going around with a gc too.
I will say, when you stack up costs of this training and huying tools rhat i have bought so far etc. Its a heck of a lot cheaper than 2 bachelors and a masters degree. Always wish i wouldve started as a plumber or electrician or something and home inspection is the idea i had that would get me close to those things and help people out.
Definitely not in it to make a ton of money either. So i think ill figure it out over the next months or year or two continuing with the trainings and doing some ride alongs.
Your mode of transportation will be an issue more so than your eyesight. I do not carry a bunch of stuff but this is what the rear of my vhecile looks like. I have a second ladder (Little Giant 17’) that I also carry when I need it.
Ya gotta know yourself. Can you do a good enough inspection to protect your client, say your daughter or brother buying a house? If you say yes, then maybe you can do a good enough inspection.
As others have said, I don’t know how you can do this job from an Uber. That is a major restriction in transporting the pile of tools and equipment that most of us use.
And a high quality inspection not only protects your client; it is CYA for you.
Frankly, I think you need to have that hard talk with yourself and maybe some brutal friends. That is advice from having “been there, done that” on a failed career choice I tried some years ago.
Snellen notation, 20/60 vision means that a person can see at 20’ feet what a person with normal vision can see at 60 feet.
I suspect he has a form of tunnel vision. His peripheral vision is degrade which means he has to move his head to see clear vision.
I do not know to what extent his vision has suffered but I feel through the use of good camera equipment and spending time recognising where defects are related he might be able to perform home inspections to some degree of accuracy.
As he moves along with his educational studies will likely affect his grades.
About 14 yrs ago a friend in another state who had been a VERY good inspector (past architect) since around 1982 told me he was developing memory issues. One day fine, next day had trouble remembering his own phone number. He compensated by taking a trainee with him as a helper. That worked for almost a year, then some FRIENDLY competitors found out and started spreading the word. He shortly got sued twice and was put out of business. Think about this carefully, ESPECIALLY the part about will your insurance carrier fly with this issue of yours.
The advice regarding the transportation difficulties is spot on. I can imagine putting my small folding ladder and tool bag in a ride share in a pinch, but there is a lit more stuff that I “sometimes need” and as said already when you need it you really need it.
Some inspection companies run teams in the same vehicle, but not many. And they likely still want all their people to be able to drive the van. Additionally those jobs tend to be lousy inspection jobs from what I’ve seen and heard. They are usually mediocre hourly pay and lots of pressure to rush on to the next inspection so as to squeeze many into the day, otherwise the business numbers just don’t work. Most employees in those places are looking to gain enough experience to do inspections solo (on their own or for a company) where they can make better money. Think about being a laborer who can come to work on the bus with his toolbelt and lunch bag, vs a tradesmen who has a truck loaded with tools and materials. Home inspection is really a solo, lone-wolf gig, even if you’re working for someone else.
All the advice here is great. I think I’m going to continue the education side and try some ridealongs and see if i’m even good at it. I would never want to do this if I can’t provide high quality service. I’m not in it for a full career change or the money, but simply to help out clients and for the love of the interest. Is it recommended to participate in the 100 ride-alongs simultaneously with the education or complete all education/exam first?
I do some ride-alongs. The training completion demonstrates a level of commitment. I prefer the student to complete their CPI training and not waste anyone’s time.
I have had students and graduates attend ride-alongs. I think having a couple ride-alongs under your belt will help you in your studies because it gives some context to what you are reading for your class. I agree with Brian that most of your ride-along experience should happen after you have finished your required coursework but in your case I think you will learn a lot about houses AND also yourself so you can figure out pretty quick if the tasks involved with a complete inspection are within your comfort zone and abilities.
Where are you located? You are welcome to travel to Tennessee for a few ride-alongs with me. I inspect a wide variety of property types from mobile homes to lakeside mansions and apartment complexes.
