What do you really think the reason is why so many, many, many HI’s offer IR with their home inspections for NO additional fee? Could it be they see NO value in the service? Why do you suppose that is? Their (lack of) professional training? You decide.
Incorrect.
Mr Evans canceled his membership with InterNACHI and sometimes likes to attack me. I don’t mind. He has never taken our class and is given to exaggerate things on occasions. But, he is a good guy.
I was certified by FLIR-ITC as a building thermographer 8 years ago, which I did not give myself. (ITC = Infrared Training Center)
I had a Level III instructor/expert who has certified all levels of thermographers (in fortune 500 companies, military, Dept of Defense and the White House) attend our entire class and take our tests. He gave our class a glowing report and found no problems with it. I have had electrical engineers and construction contractors, in various fields, also reveiw our class content. Contact me if you would like to learn more.
The content in our class covers the same basics of a level I class, but is different in that we concentrate only on the application process of buildings, buildings, buildings (unlike a level I class, which covers multiple industries and not just buildings).
Like Nick said, I too have never had one home inspection consumer or client ask me about a level certification. Not once. If you sell that point, as Mr Evans does, then in that case, they will hear about your level certification. If you market outside the home inspection services, such as advanced commercial electrical systems, then having a level II is required by some companies you may work for.
Again, as Nick said, our class is for home inspectors and hundreds are now running their business from taking our IR class only. Many have told me that they got more out of our class, than the level I class they had already taken, because our class is geared for home inspectors. I take the content of a level I class and explain in more simple terms, to help people understand how to apply those principles for home inspections.
If you plan on climbing the level route, then that is good. Jim’s class is excellent and will help you reach your goals. I just talked to Jim on the phone the other day and I consider him a fine man who I endorse whole heartedly.
Chuck Evans writes:
That’s because you don’t understand the difference between a lead generator and a converter.
Consumers rarely buy homes, they only buy a few in their lifetime, so they have no idea what CMI is or Level II is or what E&O stands for or even if their state licenses inspectors. They just don’t. So when you point to the fact that a consumer never asks if you are CMI, you reveal your total misunderstanding (and likely misuse) of the tool. For people in marketing (like me)… your sentence reads as silly to us as if you would have written: “My hammer doesn’t cut wood.” To people like me, it is that absurd of a complaint. I’m not making fun of you, I’m just trying to help.
Certified Master Inspector is a conversion tool, not a lead generator.
Consumers who land on your inspection website or pickup your inspection brochure only look at it for 5 seconds. That’s all the research your average consumer does unfortunately. 5…4…3…2…1. Imagine being in a boxing ring where there is only one round and it is 5 seconds long. You’d better throw your best punch quickly. That’s what those three little words “Certified Master Inspector” do. They throw a knock out punch that converts consumers into clients in about 3 seconds… with 2 seconds to spare.
Certified Master Inspector also has the added benefit of allowing the inspector to command higher fees. “I charge about $100 more than all my competitors because I am a Certified Master Inspector.”
Consumers don’t know what E&O is or InterNACHI or where to check to see if you are licensed, or what inspection school you went to, or Level I or IAC2 or ICC or any of that crap. They just don’t and don’t care to know. But the thickest-headed consumer on the planet earth nearly instantly makes an assumption about what these three little words mean: CERTIFIED MASTER INSPECTOR.
Those words are self explanatory. No research needed. That’s why they work so well in only 3 seconds. Nothing tops them.
It is not in my best interest to reveal this, especially since InterNACHI has a huge marketing department www.marketing.nachi.org that makes very detailed, custom brochures… but if I were a home inspector my brochure would be my name, my phone number and a fat Certified Master Inspector logo. That’s it. Sssshhhh… don’t tell Jesse. 
There are a lot of home inspectors, sad to say, who buy very low resolution cameras (cost less) and take no training, other than a couple videos they have watched on the internet. They talk to me all the time.
They want to offer the infrared service so they can compete with the other companies who offer IR, but do not want to pay the price of buying a better camera or getting some training (our students can get a solid IR camera for $1660 that meets the RESNET standards).
The lowballers (as we call them) are in every industry. They turn on their camera and go through the motions of an IR scan, and have no idea they are not seeing many defects. The sad thing is, they don’t know and they don’t care. It cost them little to get in and they lose little if they get out.
Thermal Imaging can open many new income streams outside of the normal home inspection clients and we discuss this in our class and how to do it. We also discuss marketing ideas because if you can’t market and sell your new services, then you will fail (just like any other new business).
I have seen some take IR classes and go out become a huge success in the market place. I have seen others who failed, regardless of the class they took. It is more about marketing and communication than just the certification paper on your wall.
Some raise their price and then offer IR service for free (it appears that way). Some are doing this to gain market share and name recognition as the market place is still being formed as to who is the local expert in any given area. It’s like a ‘lost leader’ at the grocery store. It is a marketing idea, for the time being, and they plan on raising their prices as they become established as the local expert in the area.
I obtained the InterNACHI IR certification for marketing my home inspection. I obtained Level I certification as a step to II and III for the good paying commercial projects.
Nick, Jeff, Dave, Chuck, Charley, and John:
Thank you for the kind words and references. They are very much appreciated.
Jeremy:
Infraspection Institute’s course, IR Inspections for Home & Building Inspectors is a 16 hour theory and application course for the use of thermal imaging for residential and commercial properties. Designed specifically for home and building inspectors, students are taught how to locate common deficiencies in building envelopes, insulated roofs and building subsystems.
Normally priced at $995, IR Inspections for Home & Building Inspectors is available to InterNACHI members for just $195 through our Distance Learning program. Please note that this pricing is available only to InterNACHI members. In addition to qualifying for 16 InterNACHI CEUs, students completing the course may apply their course hours toward future Level I certification through Infraspection Institute.
Although IR Inspections for Home & Building Inspectors focuses on single family residences, it also covers IR inspections of commercial properties. As I have discussed previously, thermographers who pursue commercial opportunities in thermography can enjoy a gross annual revenue of up to $250,000.
I hope this is helpful and wish you the best of luck in your future thermographic endeavors.
I’m not the one confusing lead generation vs. conversion.
You stated that consumers never ask about Level-I-II-III as if it was worthless if it wasn’t a lead generation tool. Well those same consumers never ask about CMI either.
Can I apply both to convert prospects to clients? Absolutely, which makes your earlier comment about consumers not asking about Thermography certification levels spurious.
WAS is past tense. My statement was current tense.
Do you hold an active certification from ITC NOW?
I was certified as a building thermographer by ITC and can see no sense in taking the same class again, since I have been teaching the same principles for years now. You made it sound like I have had no training and simply certified myself, which was your intent. We all know that. Your intent was to damage me. Have you taken our class? No… so why seek to damage me? What harm have I done to you?
I was certified and licensed by the Texas Real Estate Commission as a professional home inspector and did it for 15 years, and was a contractor for 25 years. I now do not perform inspections. But I have not all of sudden lost all that education, knowledge and skill.
I am a teacher.
So you hold no current thermography certification other than the one that you gave to yourself - correct?
I don’t do home inspections or IR scans at this time.
I have no license/certifications to do them anymore.
I retired from that. I only teach now.
Is that OK? Have I done something wrong?
I have never, never given myself an infrared certification. It is not in power to do so, now or in the past. I have no idea what your are talking about???
Your starting to sound foolish, but keep going if you want.
I’m sorry if I misspoke. I was under the impression that you awarded the Infrared-Certified designation.
Help me correct myself: You hold no active thermography related certification other than the one that Nick gave you - is that correct? http://www.infrared-certified.com/
I was unaware that Nick had the background to award thermography certifications.
John McKenna writes:
Yes. You publicly declared that a statement that I made was false.
I accept your correction of the error you made and your previous false comments about this have now been made right, except for the fact that Nick does not hand out certifications like candy, as you make it sound.
I am retired from home inspections and all I do is teach now. Why should I go take the same IR class again, that I took 8 years ago? I have been teaching those same principles for years now and it makes no since to take the same certification class again, when I am retired from do that. What is your point?
InterNACHI issues the INFRARED CERTIFIED designation, not me (which requires well over 100 hours and not 32 hours like a level I certification).
You can address your issues with Nick Gromicko to him. Please check your facts before you speak. Thank you.
Have I done something wrong?
LOL! You’re funny.
After you tried to dupe people into thinking you have an ITC certification.
Your corrections were funny, but I tried not to laugh. It is a good strategy now to laugh as you go out the door. People who have been humiliated do that all the time. Bye.
John, were you “certified” as an instructor?
I have never attempted to teach at ITC or a level I class, so why would I ask them to certify me as an instructor?
I teach an IR class for InterNACHI. It is a common practice that companies tailor an IR training class for their particular needs in the industry they are in. InterNACHI wanted a thermal imaging course tailored for home inspectors.
Is there a problem with our class?
Please read my previous statement in post #22
Ruh Rah :mrgreen:
Hey Jim while these guys are all fussing who has the biggest why don’t you and I get on that big boat again and go catch some Flounder or Sea Bass off the Jersey Coast. Life is to short for all this fussing!!!
BTW don’t invite Nick he will puke on your boat he has no sea legs;-)