James, one could call it an apprentership, and after a few years of internship, you might hit a homerun, where you can comfortably leave first base and walk to second. :mrgreen:
I suppose one could call it “Bruce” or anything else they wanted to call it, and…as you say…can dream of “being discovered” at a sandwich bar in a drug store like Lana Turner. If nothing else, it helps to pass the time…
It doesn’t change the bottom line and the high turnover statistics which do not begin to calculate until the first day of full time home inspecting.
I won’t speak for Nick…but I will express my opinion as to how much restraint he is using, since such a large number of NACHI members are newbies with very few (if any) home inspections under their belts. While he is risking alienating a large number of the members, he is living up to his duty to provide them with meaningful and sound advice. He would be remiss if he were to encourage anyone to seriously consider any kind of a future as a part time inspector. Without the skills and awareness that comes with total immersion into the field, each inspection (with weeks in between) is an invitation to a lawsuit that most newbies can ill afford. Nick owes them the truth and he is providing it.
Membership in NACHI is essential to begin to learn to be a good inspector…but membership in NACHI is not, itself, a “credential” that entitles inexperienced part time inspectors to represent themselves as anything else but inexperienced part time inspectors. Nick is fulfilling his duty to them to point that out.
Ive been licensed since mid July and have done just 12 inspections… its going to take time and a whole lotta money to get where you need to be to be a viable competitor in the market place.
Robert, try to look at time and money as just two sides of the same coin… units of energy if you will. If you have more money than time, spend that on your biz. If you have more time than money, spend that on your biz. But be careful not to get forever stuck behind the bell curve. You have to push hard enough to get over the hump. I define the hump as the point in your business where the money you put in (including your time in units of money) is less than the money the business puts out… or… true profitability. Spend enough time and money fast enough to have enough momentum to get over that hump.
I wasn’t following Nicks advice but I did quit a fulltime job, went in debt to buy an existing HI buisness in June and have spent a lot of time and effert on education, marketing and meeting realitors etc. I averaged about 10 inspections per month up here in Northern Ontario, and it just paid the bills. Now I have not done an inspection in 11 days and if this is an indication of the season to come than I wish I still had full time job because a part time one won’t pay the buisness bills but yet if I had a full time job than I am not available to run my buisness properly. I am all for taking chances but I think I might have screwed myself . I am doing all I can to promote my business full time but the market doesn’t support it. I am good at what I do but maybe went about it the wrong way.
Chris…Like you said, if you had a full time job then you are not available to run your HI business properly.
At the risk of offending you, I want to point out that you consistently misspelled “business” in the same manner. You also spelled “realtor” in the manner that many mispronounce it…and “effort” should replace “effert”.
I am pointing this out to you because you are serious about being a home inspector and it is something of this nature that will usually cost an inspector repeat business from referrals.
Remembering that your value is to find and report defects…a home inspection report with those type of errors reflects a lack of attention to detail and the inability to identify defects in your own report.
Run everything you type through your spell checker for a while. See if you start getting more referrals from agents and other professionals.
Good luck.
No offence taken James, I’m always up for constructive criticism but I do use spell check in my reports. Thanks.
Just remember, spell check is not 100%. Also, doesn’t check grammar. 
recepticle, reciptacle, receptical
inspecta, inspector, inspecter
part time, part tyme, no money no $$$$ 
Masonary or masonry
Look, this advice (which is very good might I add) is given to help not hurt. No one wants to see a new or veteran inspectors business go bad. So don’t be insulted by what you hear, take it for whatever you can gain from it.
Don’t worry, I have read this forum for a couple of months now and see how some things get out of hand. If you can’t look past a little constructive criticism than don’t participate. This was my first time on this forum and I got slammed (in a good way), but I have taken so much good info from this site that it won’t stop me from participating when I want to, it will only help me. How can knowledge from many good minds be a bad thing!! Thanks Guys -( by the way I used spell check )
I think that inspection requires a full time involvement. You need time to spend marketing, honing up on skills and knowledge. You should work just enough to pay the bills.
The only work I do on the side is build custom fireplace mantels, or entertainment cabinets. The rest of the time i’m thinking about inspecting.
there are many Part Timers here…
who
proclaim to be Full Time…
…
take your understanding
within perspective…
Hi Joe,
Tell them how many inspections they must perform (daily or weekly) in order to be considered a Full Timer!
This is a good thread. I took a full time job 2 years ago this December out of fear. The first JOB I have had since 1991. I just told my wife this job is cramping my style. LOL We are now making an exit plan. Trying run a bizness ( misspell for fun) part time is just that. Trying to run a business. It is scary as ever but if you are going to make it you will do what it takes. Maybe get a part time job. LOL. NACHI and you guys are a great motivator for me. Nick is correct get momentum.In 1991 I woke up everyday with that brick wall in front of me and ran into it full speed everyday and it hurt. There is no way around that wall you need to hit it one more time lick your wounds remember the scars and do it again. I have ***** footed around for a year and am in the same spot I was a year ago. Now I need to go breakdown that wall.