Understanding the liability of my own actions, as i have been in the building and service industry most of my working carer. i truly wanted to make with cretin that i was fully capable of doing inspections on my own. I HAD NO experience in computers. I was a hammer swinger and a wrench turner.
In general How long does it take to train a person to become a Home inspector, i know the answer has many variables. It has taken me 9 months to feel confident to do an inspection on my own. I am the new guy in the inspection business… Actuality I had no idea just how much lack of education in the building trade or home trade i truly had when i started. With that being said,by the way im not a moron either. I have been in the building trade and repair service most of my life.
The education from InterNACHI has been an eye opener. I currently have been trained by a CMI.(and still working)…That in it self was not easy.
A comment made to me from my CMI just did not settle right, again it was just a comment. I have paid my dues in the field 10 fold over as a trainee. I AM NOT COMPLAINING…just feeling bummed.
Has any one trained some one to become an inspector, this is my 10 month, I have received all the credits as well as my field time, I always get the most positive feed back at the end of my inspections from the client…(to date…I dont want to jinks my self)/ The reporting system has been the most difficult. I did not even own a computer.
I am presently training a new guy now (my son) it takes a lot of patience to train anyone in any field not everyone is a teacher. On the other side of the coin not ever person is trainable some think they know it all from the get go.
First off with that being said we were all created equal two ears and one mouth which to me is interrupted to mean we should listen twice as much as we speak.
I was a HVAC mechanic worked with my hands most of my life until I was over run by computers. At age 50 I did not know how to turn on a computer. I am still presently not the sharpest pencil in the box when it comes to computers but I have come a long way. I attended a local Vo tech and took computer classes to get me started. This home inspection business is just one long continued education class, you will see something different on every home you inspect
it may help if we knew
location
sop you follow
report software you use
do you have a systematic routine for inspecting established?
imo, the main liability of inspecting is lack of or improper documentation, the occasional A-hole, irrational seller or agent…i was recently told i was incompetent because i didn’t include a specific count & put stickers on every deficient window seal or receptacle i found “like all the other inspectors do”
read legal & learn from those that have encountered issues
successfully operating your own biz ain’t for sissies & your biz model/plan may have a few speed bumps the sba can assist
I agree with Charley that not everyone is cut out to be a trainer or educator that being said sounds like you know how to take sinonism from someone and sweep it under the rug and learn, that’s a great attribute. You might do better seeking out help from someone else thou.
You also said you get positive feed back from your clients, sounds like your on the right track. You’ll never stop learning in this field there are a lot of inspectors on the MB that specialized in something before and so its a great place to get your mind going but always research everything don’t just take it off the MB as gold.
Keep your head up it takes awhile to get going and get a website or if you have one get it on here. And that’s something else to learn SEO and the other sh*^$# that goes with it.:shock: Let someone who knows the home inspection industry help with your website if you don’t know anything about it.
Hello David - Just offering another POV. Regarding inspection reports - not all reports are computer generated. Various companies offer standardized SOP compliant paper based home inspection reports.
I used them for years, prior to switching over to a computer based system. In fact the one I use is available in both forms. The part I like about the paper based form is it can serve as good checklist and also offer areas to insert your comments.
Aside from the significance of the conditions found on any given inspection, reporting is the most important part of a home inspection.
Of course legibility and readable hand writing is a must.
jdeoliveira2
(John Paul de Oliveira, GB-2 #86934 / AB #44580)
7
David, Ken’s link can give you an idea where you might be on the “journey”. It is well written and covers most everything I am going through. Just a few more hoops…
This is the most important statement you made. It reveals the main problem I have to deal with every day. Most of our new applicants come from the trades, like you did. Probably 99% are contractors. The problem is that they don’t know what they don’t know. They get surprised when they start taking our inspection courses and failing them. At that point they either quit, or plug away on all our Free Home Inspector Training Courses & Online Classes - InterNACHI®. I’m happy with either of those choices. Keep plugging away.
Wanted to be a Home Inspector for a long time and finally jumped in. Took my classes and was one of the top in class. Passed state exam with breeze and was pumped up.
Joined Nachi and quickly realized I had much to learn.
Had 3 choices, learn on the fly, find something else or step back and learn.
My morals wouldn’t let me learn on the fly at the cost of my clients.
From advice and help from another Nachi member, got into the foreclosure biz.
Been doing that for 4 years now and 10X the inspector I was. Still learning every day.
I’m the type that learns more visually than in books.
This was the path that worked for me. Everyone is different and to each their own.
My goal is to be doing RE inspections in 2015.
You’ll find great advice here and only you can figure out whats the best path.
Happens all the time. People who have taken AHIT classes are where we see the most problems. I’m not picking on AHIT, but they are (intentionally, I believe) designed for someone with zero construction background. They make it all look too easy.
And going out with a veteran inspector is helpful, but only if you take our courses Free Home Inspector Training Courses & Online Classes - InterNACHI® Watching a veteran inspector look at a water heater isn’t going to help you learn anything if you also don’t know what he/she is looking for. It would be like you watching me write html code on my computer.
I probably sound like a broken record at this point, but I’ll say it one more time: You have to plug through our courses: Free Home Inspector Training Courses & Online Classes - InterNACHI® I even go as far as stating (under oath in depositions) that non-members who don’t have free an unlimited access to InterNACHI’s courses should not be performing inspections for the public.
Hey maybe start out by doing insurance inspections once you feel confident walking through someone’s home with them looking over your shoulder then move onto relocation inspections there u just take notes and send the notes and pictures in not a full report . When you feel confident move on to full home inspections that’s what I did and worked for me helped me learn a lot along the way just my two cents
Scott
I’m a new guy but had almost 5 years of 203K inspections behind me, these inspections were a lot like Truth in Housing inspections.
I also have 40 years construction experience as in being a carpenter and then a GC. Home Inspections are different than my background but I did have a lot of experience in the field.
I have taken advantage of the INterNachi free courses and think they are very good, better than what a couple of friends of mine had taken at Pro Source, a company that offers HI classes. To date I have 152 Internachi CE credits including the Gerry Beaumont award for extra credits. In my case some of this education fine tuned what I knew and showed me things I didn’t know and yesterday I tagged along with another inspector and was happy to find out I was doing pretty much the same kind of inspection as he did. That was a relief.
I think you can count on the fact that time on the job doesn’t guarantee a quality service, caring about how you deliver that service if you know your stuff will provide a good service.
My reports need work so that’s what I’m working on now.
Check out www.reporthost.com it is easy and simple to use. The owners will help you night and day. Guess what? Its free to learn.
Your in your 10th month and you are getting positive feed back. Time to step it up and make some money. Stop tip toeing around.
If I was going to train you, this is where I would start.
1.) You have to become a salesman first. You are a salesman long before you are a home inspector.
2.) You need some bread and butter accounts. www.sofi.us
3.) Despite what anyone has to say, Realtors put food on your table above all. Treat them with respect. They are hard working people who spend countless hours showing homes and building up trust with their clients. When someone calls you and says my Realtor gave me your number you better work your tail off.
4.) Facebook, Facebook, and more Facebook is a great way to spread your name.
5.) You have to become a salesman first. You are a salesman long before you are a home inspector.
Just remember 1 thing, You have to become a salesman first. You are a salesman long before you are a home inspector.
Go to work and stop worrying about being the new guy. You are a INACHI Certified Home Inspector and nothing less. If anyone ask, you tell them just that.
As the great Will Decker would say, Hope this helps;
P.S I remember when Will was the new guy, he had more confidence in himself than anyone to date. Maybe you can change that.
Thanks To all you… this was my first time even using the message board all of your advise and encouragement just makes it knowing there is a light at the end. the education and the safety of ones well being is always been in my best interest I wish i could spend more time in education credits every time i finish one more credit i look at an inspection just a little more differently…Basically all the same but different…Some times you can almost see the perfect storm just waiting to happen and almost wondering how it hasten. Thank you all.
Dave Del Santo
Some people will never give up their Walmart mentality.
And …If I may confess… I was one of those.
I remember stating on this MB that it would be a cold day in hell when I dish out $400 for reporting software…Yep!
I use to get to the office and strictly DREAD doing the reports. Heck ! The friggin’ inspections are fun for me , but doing the reports when you’re dead tired is a b i t c h!
Do I have a witness?
I was stuck in the old matrix style of reports. And it did me good for many years.
However, When my business got bigger than myself I had to figure how to do just as good without losing the essence that made my reporting style what it is.
So! I tried all the reporting software out there and finally after many wasted days…with hours on end… trying to make the best choice I came to the conclusion that Home Inspection Pro HIP was best suited for me.
Since this past January I have better than cut my report writing time in “better” than half and each and every month it gets better.
No! I have never met Don and I don’t have a stake in HIP. I paid for it like all the rest … For me it has proven to be invaluable beyond what I imagined it would.
Now ! Listen. I’m not giving you a line of crap on this one.Other things maybe at times , but not HIP.
It has honestly made me money…Really ! Paid for itself in the first few reports.
I wish I had read it before I started anything…
