Verified and Vetted??

I was just wondering, since i paid for CMI if anyone has ever verified that I have completed all the requirements to actually be one?

All I know is I wrote a check, and that was it. I had to actually look myself up to find I had been added to the roster. Whats almost insulting is not two weeks later I get a letter in the mail telling me that I qualify for CMI. :shock: Not that I already made it, but that I now qualify. (I wonder how they knew that anyway :-k) That ship had already sailed.
Nice that someone informed me of this accomplishment.

If I am going to promote to the public that I am supposed to be held to some higher standard, and that I have done my part to make this milestone, shouldn’t I at least been confirmed?

Have I been background checked? (the state requires it here, but that not the point) No one ever requested my proof of reports done. If I took every single course NACHI has to offer, it would still fall short of 500 hours. Just because I have been in business for 3 years, does not mean I have done 1000 inspections. I know I have personally, but what about everyone else? I have no problem ponying up proof that I have met the goal, its just that no one asked.

To all of those who have reached this accomplishment, and truly deserve it, I congratulate you. I think the requirements for CMI are just a stepping stone, and you have only just begun to grasp the overall understanding of how to run a inspection business. There are few I know of who can truly be called a CMI, and those have many years on me.

Since I am supposed to be considered “the best of the best” maybe we should start from within and make sure we are not falsely cranking out CMI’s who really don’t qualify. I would find it insulting (but not surprising) to know that some really don’t qualify, and they are out there making this designation an embarrassment to all who do deserve it. There are others who also deserve this logo more than me, but refuse to pay for it. (we all know why don’t we)

Maybe I am wrong, and maybe all this stuff was done without my knowledge. If so I apologize. After all, trying to improve us as a whole is one of my duties. :wink:

“The Certified Master Inspector® will strive to improve the Inspection Industry by sharing his/her lessons and/or experiences for the benefit of all.”

Just so you know, this is not a direct attack on anyone personally. Its more to provide feedback to others as to how the process is working. Oh, and in case anyone needs to know my HG report software says I’m up to 1271 for inspections. Should hit 1300 by years end. It only took me about 5 years to get there.

By who and where did you get that idea?

Not knocking you Shawn but you are scratching at the belly of the beast.

I hope you find the designation useful in your business but I caution anyone to to think of it as more than it is.

Sean, its a marketing tool and that is it.

Who knows maybe something better will come along…:wink:

I could not agree more. I filed out the paperwork and wrote the check. I just hope that a few bad inspectors don’t ruin this for everyone. If word of bad CMI inspectors gets out then our money was thrown in the trash

It says so right on the site. “Not everyone can become a Certified Master Inspector®. Hiring a CMI means hiring the best.”

Larson, I realize what it is, I just wanted to provide feedback. You are one person who would deserve being called one. Your a pain in every other aspect, but you do know your stuff. :slight_smile:

What I’ve heard is that Every inspector that’s been a member of INachi for 3 or more years receives the “pre-CMI Qualified” letter. I know I’ve received several, each with a different way to finance or some type of discount.

Excellent post Sean!

Don’t short change yourself. I easily see you as being qualified for CMI. You have busted your arse from the beginning to be one of the best, and I feel you have achieved it. Congrats.

As for the CMI program in general, yes I am critical and vocal about it. It isn’t (normally) about a particular person, but about the scam of a program that it is, and the negative effect it has on the inspection industry as a whole. FIX the program, give it the teeth it deserves, eliminate the “laughing stock of the industry” stigma it has in the ‘real world’ by having qualifications that actually mean something, and maybe then you will see the true “cream of the crop” have a desire to take part in it.

Good post.
I sent in my inspections and experience of my past jobs.
How ever i do not depend to much on it , and less lately . Seen one advertise around here and bad mouth other inspectors . It is like everything else good people but a few bad apples. Of course a bad apple can spoil a bushel

The MICB relies on the applicant’s affidavit to a degree, the submitted documents demonstrating number of years in business to a degree, and the number of continuing education hours we can verify to a degree.

The MICB does not perform a “full” background check on every applicant but reserves the right to if we get a complaint or our public internet search turns up anything. This is why we acquire your permission in the application process. Also, the felony has to be a sex offense or violent in nature.

The MICB no longer physically verifies each inspection an applicant has performed ever since we added the requirement to provide documented, written proof of being in the inspection business for more than 3 years. If you are applying online, you have to scan and upload these documents. Our average applicant has been in business for more than 6 years and so we can assume with some degree of certainty that the number of hours of continuing education they’ve completed PLUS the number of inspections they’ve completed COMBINED satisfies our 1,000 total requirement.

Also, the requirement to provide documented proof of being in business for more than 3 years has been in effect for 5 years, so although there may have been CMIs in the past (prior to that requirement adoption) who were in business less than 3 years, those CMIs have all met the new requirement by now.

Also, we are discussing raising the “proof of being in-the-business” requirement from 3 years to 4 years sometime next year.

Here I go … But for a program to be worth it’s weight it must come with rigid requirements that have been verified to bring any legitimacy to the sticker… These guys who have done 1000 inspections and survived the past 4-6 years deserve the title but think about it… It is like anything else and the public has no idea what it means nor are they going to investigate. I can make myself a crest and call myself a “master craftsman” or “master inspector” or what ever and market it on all my materials.
Not knocking the people who pay for this as they will use it proudly and they should but it holds about as much weight as a paper airplane in the marketplace.
No one in my market including the two largest cities in kY as well as the capital have EVER asked me what org I belong to, what school I went to or what certifications I have. It is always the fact that either I come recommended or my background as a builder that attracts folks and gets me the feedback.
Good luck and you should wear it proudly, but it is what it is… A marker of experience.

Nick
Thank you for the response. While I understand you explanation, it still would be nice to have something more respected at a peer level.
It would also be nice to know that dishonest persons are not tarnishing this thing. 3 years or 4 years, some people may take 8 years to reach 1000 inspections.
Even if some have reached 1000 inspections, they may not be even following the basic standards. What good does that do to the general public?

No matter what a logo may present itself to the general public, having colleagues respect my accomplishments is just as much worth the price. The ability to have CMI be worth something still lingers with many, and true professionals who could really benefit this industry would pay to reach a real accomplishment. Something that would show respect with others.

Right now its just viewed as a marketing gimmick by many who won’t pay for it because of such.

Our countries are run on Honesty .
You can do an inspection charge cash and not pay taxes .
Our system is far from perfect but it does run reasonably well.
I understand some countries ( Turkey ? Italy ? ) and others are in big trouble from many people not paying their proper taxes .
I and most others let our conscience lead us to doing what is right .
If some one must cheat to get their CMI not a proper way to do it but that’s the way some people are .
All I can do is hope all try an do the correct thing all the time.
I do not think we can be their conscience but we can try to lead by example.
Discussions like this can help to get the word out to all .
personal attacks do not help.

George I must disagree with you that someone who has done 1000 inspections should qualify. If he or she did just do Inspections that is. You now have to keep up with your training and if you just did Inspections you would not be fit to be an Inspector. Things are changing everyday and to be a good Inspector you need lots of education. I think Nick was right to allow a variation of all criteria to get this right. I do however want to say in my experience seeing some that have years and years Inspecting but don’t come to the MB or train daily are missing a large chunk. I will also say why many have remained away from the MB but I think you can figure that out on your own. It is great to see InterNachi raising the bar to help the other Association veterans get status they deserve.
Someone else did the same but the way it was done is not and now many are paying the price to belong to that group.:frowning:
2 are friends I know personally and I hope they are thinking about becoming CMI’s soon.

Sort of strange those who are a CMI praise how it has helped their business.
Looks like those who complain a lot are not a CMI .
This shows CMIs are happy and satisfied .
I wonder where the nay Sayers get their information that makes them the expert on how well the CMI works .
Be great if they could give out some facts to confirm how bad the CMI is.

It is possible for someone to lie and submit forged documents with their application, but we just don’t see any evidence of that happening. I think I might actually know every CMI. Anyway, if it was a problem, we’d do something about it. It’s not.

Yeah, I can’t stress enough how absolutely uninterested I am in providing ways for you to have your “colleagues respect your accomplishments.” It’s not even on my horizon as anything I would ever waste even 2 minutes of my life on. Your colleagues don’t feed your kids. Your colleagues don’t decide to hire you because you are a Certified Master Inspector. Your colleagues aren’t willing to pay you a little extra because you are a Certified Master Inspector. CMI is targeted directly at your potential clients.

Well first, you don’t pay for CMI. If I thought it costed my members money, I’d dump the entire CMI project tomorrow morning. CMI makes CMIs money. Anyway, all professional designations in any profession are used for marketing purposes. There will always be many non-business people in the inspection industry who refer to marketing ideas that work as “gimmicks” in part, because they work. CMI will always be perplexing to them.

I should have kept quiet but it seems to me that verification should be expected to insure later there is not a need to filter the list as that would destroy its position as a milestone achievement.
No disrespect intended at any level, I agree that the added training as well as a continued progress thats measurable is the only way to keep it elevated and something that can become respected.
I just started this may in business and could only hope to gain this milestone in requirements within three years. While I will likely not pay $2500 for it, I can see why that is considered on both sides. You guys that have achieved this and are still standing deserve an applause!!! Hope to join the ranks of the likes of you soon.
Just by what I read, it seems that some tighter accountability is in order up front and as I said, should have kept that to myself but one can become a member here and feel real connected to everyone and the club, so everything gets personal and ultimately effects us all at some level.

Thanks!

Strange how the NON CMIs are the ones who complain and ask questions .
( Just by what I read, it seems that some tighter accountability is in order ) and tell all how the CMIs should be run and they have complaints about it.
Those like me and many others’ who have been a CMI for many years have few complaints and know how it has helped us all.
Please do not let those nay Sayers influence your thoughts just ask a CMI how they feel.
Those in the know are happy and those on the out side are the biggest complainers