It is already done Joe. The head of Southern AZ ASHI was the first to pass. I do not think they are looking for numbers just qualifications. So, the other folks have something to strive for I guess.
They have also made a big marketing ploy here in my area with the Realtors and it seems to be working.
No worries for me though.:D:D
We both know that once a group of these better inspectors start marketing as ASHI+ it will diminish the the value of being a plain old member, when that happens people leave, retaliate or both. I really don’t think any program like this can be implemented from the top down, it is destined for failure.
Does this not reflect on the NACHI CMI in the exact same way except they have taken no test and are really the same as any other NACHI inspector?
The NACHI CMI is a joke Joe and you damn well know it.
I don’t think so.
CMI, though controlled by a board whose members are exclusively NACHI, it is not a NACHI designation.
It needs to be marketed to be meaningful and being outside of the association makes marketing particularly difficult. That was Rowan’s job, apparently, but he failed. His attempt to add “credibility” using means of deceitfulness and manipulation backfired, and left him lacking the personal “credibility” to go forward with anything.
CMI is, at present, an idea waiting to be made flesh. Once the right means of marketing it can be identified and implemented, I think it will really be something worthwhile.
Until the day comes that a NACHI CMI will have to actually prove themselves to be qualified to be a Master inspector we will abe at the short end of the stick.
The key word here is marketing.
I see no real value in this CMI until we can make it a worthy and respectable designation. Until then it is nothing more than a marketing gimick.
Without marketing, any designation will be nothing.
For it to be of value, it will have to be marketed to the public as a meaningful designation. From there, it will have to be marketed to home inspectors wishing to acquire a meaningful designation.
Everything we do is about marketing, either directly or indirectly.
Lets talk about testing
To get a driver’s license one must have a basic proctored written and road test. You want a HI testing program that is worth at least a dollar remember that any testing program that is imposed will be crap — look at how many bad drivers are out there.
The true test is — can you inspect? — The issue of testing, licensing , number of inspections, number of hrs of education, etc comes down to the bottom of the line
CAN YOU INSPECT??
I can teach someone until the cows come home and some of my students will not be able to apply the education.
The true test is “CAN YOU INSPECT”
Anyone want to start a TOP GUN inspection competition at convention??
rlb
There is no lack of truth on this thread, we all see a little bit of it from every angle. CMI is definitely about marketing or why bother. If you are just gaining knowledge simply for the joy of learning then don’t worry about designations, simply be your best, apply what you have learned and go about your business.
Certification (testing) on the other hand implies that you will have to match up to some arbitrary set of criteria to prove to someone that yes you have in fact acquired the knowledge or skill that you claim you have and are worthy to be certified.
The success or failure of any advanced designation will be a combination of both of these traits combined in such a way that there is creditability in the certification but that the entry criteria isn’t too severe that the organization is starving for members. Too many members begins to scream phony designation, too few and nobody outside of your select clan has a clue as to who you are.
I believe what is needed is a respected, credible unbiased outside agency to oversee the program like an ICC or FLASH they have a good track record with programs like this, otherwise I only see false starts & dead ends.
Of course these are only my opinions and they could be worthless and off base.
…and, can you effectively communicate what you find from an inspection in a way that is meaningful to the person who hired you? These two factors are what determines the quality of an inspection.
In defining a CMI, MI, or any other combination of letters used to denote a “higher level” - one must first determine exactly what it is beyond the ability to inspect and to report an inspection that makes one a “master”. That has not been determined, yet. Until it is, there is no way to market it.
A client should be able to expect to receive a fully comprehensive, accurate, and understandable report from their inspector…no matter what his designation. I think we all would agree on that. With that being the case, what would differ in a CMI report? What exactly would be the “extra” that the client would be paying for with the expected increased fee?
Until these questions can be answered, marketing cannot begin - for it is that factor that must be highlighted, and it has yet to be defined.
An excellent point, the problem is if we attempt to back-fit the answer, we most likely arrive at a realization many of us are uncomfortable with. it would appear that we have yet to achieve the level of professionalism where most inspectors are able to deliver a fully comprehensive, accurate, and understandable report on a day to day basis. And many of the so-called advanced courses that are being touted are are simply things we should have already mastered.
I met a man today in NH who has already used his CMI designation (which he can point to to show that he has experience and/or education above and beyond that of most inspectors) to raise his prices a whopping $100. Remember… one can’t simply raise prices without showing the consumer the value in paying extra (pointing to one’s CMI designation does that). In this slow time he says he’s actually kept busy (but not sure if it was due to his CMI or not). The price increase he does attribute to CMI. Anyway, he did 40 inspections this month. What is 40 times $100 times 12mo/year?
Partners in big law firms charge more than junior attorneys too.
Anyway… he gave me his pitch which I though was brilliant:
“Now remember… I’m a Certified Master Inspector and so I charge a little more, so don’t compare my pricing to some fresh out of school home inspector”
It is brilliant because it reinforces the relationship between experience/education… and… price. Something our industry seems to regularly fail at accomplishing.
Thinking out loud on this one…so don’t be too hard on me. What if the CMI designation acknowledged advanced technical knowledge in at least one system (electrical, plumbing, structural, exterior, etc) for which a CMI could be called upon to further evaluate and recommend.
For example: " There are major cracks(more than 3/4” wide) present in the basement wall. These are likely to be a structural concern; have evaluated by a contractor, a Certified master Inspector specializing in Structural Issues or structural engineer."
The CMI can be called upon to give these evaluations, for his fee, in these situations in the area(s) of his specialty.
Just a thought.
The consumer hires you and pays the bill… so any inspector who starts talking about what our industry’s view of CMI is… just doesn’t get it.
Jim:
Good idea… I’m not opposed to it. But standing alone as simply a professional designation that indicates greater experience and/or education is enough to demand higher pricing. Consumers want a reason to pay for the best… give it to them.
Nick,
There is a difference between home inspectors (experience, knowledge, and the abilities to apply them) and that is a given. These variances exist in every industry.
In spite of these variances, the one common “minimum” reasonably expected by any consumer of our services is a comprehensive, accurate and understandable inspection report. What can a CMI presently offer above and beyond that?
They should be marketing commercial inspections, a chimpanzee could inspect a house…
I just bought one. I hear they are hard to program, but once they get it, no more crawlspaces!