Newbie here

Hi my name is Lou I live in southern California,I just retired from construction.
I am intrested in becoming a Home Inspector could any of you folks point me in the right direction? What I would like to know if anynone can diect me to a good school in california? I would like hands on training not via internet. Has it slowed down a lot with the problems facing the housing industy? would this be a good time to get in?

Thanks Lou

Hi Lou
Welcome to NACHI!
I am sure some members here can direct you to a school in Ca.
and as far as starting a business during the slow time, go for it!

you will become successful if you give it your all regardless of the RE
market.
good luck!
CJ

Hi. Lou; and welcome.

The first and best thing you could do is join this Board and learn all the ways on how to write reports, Market and knowledge required to be an HI.

Additional recourses of education are offered here and can supplement what ever Home Inspection Courses you may choose to persue.

What type of Construction were you in, that might help you considerably.

I believe the Membership openings are closing down and will be limited shortly, and would encourage you to look into it now.

We are a fine family of Professionals here and always ready to help.

Consider it.

Marcel Cyr:) :smiley:
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Thanks guys for the welcome,I was in heavy construction building shopping Malls,schools,we built most of the Nordstoms stores and other comerical buildings. I spent almost 30 years doing it I also have experance in new home construction. I am 49 now so I still want to keep busy for the next 10 to 15 years. I will look at joining up here. Thanks again:)
Lou

Welcome to the NACHI board Lou.

Read as much as you can stomach on this board each day. Once you join you will be able to view the pictures that get posted. Especially good for electrical.

No disrespect meant but do a spell check when you start writing reports. Commercial has two M’s and Experience is spelled this way. That will keep you looking professional to your clients.

Best to you. Hope you join NACHI. :smiley:

Welcome Lou,

Check which schools are approved for your state (always ask the state for
their requirements and approved coarse’s first).

Pass your test and keep your day job until you really feel ready. This is
not a get rich quick deal.

Home Inspecting is about marketing, sales, communication, report
writing and technical knowledge of the house itself. You will need
to be well versed in the legal and ethical issues of the trade in order
to act accordingly. Learn to market on the internet, this is where
real estate is moving rapidly.

Join NACHI and learn all you can. No other association has the
reputation for helping it’s members like NACHI.

Good luck and call me if you need anything.

I’d suggest that you look into the ITA school in Oceanside.

The home inspection business is a hard one to break into. From your background description, doing the inspection part after you get through the training shouldn’t be much of a problem. The biggest part of this business is being able to market yourself effectively. Are you the salesman type of person? If you’re the wall flower type, go work for someone and collect your pay check.

The old rule of thumb is that 20% of the realtors make 80% of the money. You can bet that they already have a good HI that they use and probably will not switch just because you show up.

In California, expect to be in the business at least 2 to 3 years before you start to make any decent money. That’s just how long it takes. With the current downturn in the RE market, it may even be longer.

BTW, 8 of 10 new home inspectors here don’t last more than 3 years. It’s a rough business to get into.

That sure was a positive, motivational post....were you told that when you first started?

Maybe not, but maybe should have.

It’s an honest post. That’s for sure. I’d rather hear something like that rather than something that led me to believe in fluff and unicorns.

Please read these post’s ,this is the truth, Many will not believe it .

http://www.nachi.org/forum/showthread.php?t=11208
Roy Cooke

What inspection schools and the various companies’ selling Home Inspection courses won’t tell you is how difficult it is to be successful in this business.
Some National schools make it sound so easy to get started. They explained how easy it would be to start doing one or two home inspections a day with little or no effort.

This business is like any other. It takes dedication, strong finances and time to become successful.

Do you think you’ll get started with no money up front?

Many schools do not tell you about the liability side of the home inspection industry. The home inspection industry is a very high liability profession. Every home you inspect is a potential lawsuit. It doesn’t matter that you may be the most thorough inspector in your area. Inspectors are sued over things that the homeowners thought they should have found whether or not you could see the defect or not. There’s an old saying in this business. It’s not IF you get sued, but WHEN you get sued.

If you can’t live under this pressure, you’d be best off looking elsewhere.
All it takes is a ladder and pickup truck…right?
Well, here’s more bad news. Like most legitimate businesses, it takes a little more than that.

A new inspector is going to need about $5000 worth of tools just to start. Then there is the issue of insurance. Errors & Omissions Insurance will cost a new inspector (if you can even get it) anywhere from $2500 to $4000 per year. Then there’s General Liability Insurance that will run you from $500 to $1500 per year.

In some states, you can’t even get started without this insurance.

Do you have a rainy day fund? I hope so Brother ’cause it will rain on your parade! Just like any new business, the 1st year will be a rough one. It may take you from anywhere from 6 months to 2 years to get to the point where you’re bringing in a steady income.

Many inspectors came into this business by doing home inspections on the side or part time. That is the approach I would advise any new inspector to take. Don’t quit your day job just yet!

What about the Real Estate Agents?

The schools make it sound like there’s an agent behind every tree just waiting for you. Odds are they have their favorite inspector already and they’re not likely to use a new inspector because they do not know what to expect from you. It will take you many months up to a year or more before you’ll be getting regular referrals from real estate agents. Don’t count on them to feed your family when you first start.

This industry can be very rewarding in many ways. However it’s likely to leave a sour taste in your mouth if you enter thinking that it’s a pushover to get started. I’ve seen way to many good people go broke trying to get started in this business because the home inspection schools left them unprepared for what they were about to face in the real world.

I want to thank you all for your replies to my posting.I will think over the positive and negative side to getting into this Home Inspections. I thank you all for the positive and negatives about the Biz. What I am looking for is something to keep me busy it is hard to work all your life and just stop and do nothing, Not to toot my own horn but financial wise I don’t need to work I invested wisely and it has paid off I receive a good pension my home is paid off. Maybe I am looking at it wrong and should just get a good hobby…

Best Regards Lou

Lou manu HI’s post a sample report on their respective web sites. Check some of them out to get an idea of what is, and what is not being inspected/reported. Now if you are going to be a part time HI, just try and keep your prices up. :smiley:

Actually Lou, if you are in that position financially, you probably are one of the people who could get into Home Inspections. I would suggest an LLC however to protect your assets in case of being sued or going through bankruptcy.

Good luck! This can be a good hobby as long as you are financially secure.

I don’t know where people get the idea that an LLC will protect them or their assets from negligence.

Larry, help. What the hell is LLC?

Thanks,

Marcel :smiley: :slight_smile:

Limited Liability Company

Find a Kaplan / ITA school. Mike Casey runs it out there I think. Big outfit, great guy.

Russell in BubbaLand

The idea came straight from my attorney. At least, for an S corp. I’m not too privy on the LLC. The S corp, as long as I keep that corporate shield, will protect my personal assets.

Not around here, not for negligence, is how it is explained to me over and over.

Good luck to you.