Become a Home Inspector

What all it takes to become a home inspector will largely depend on the state in which you plan to work and the level of education and training you already possess. Not every state requires home inspectors to be licensed and most of those that do, accept the qualifications of licensed engineers in lieu of an inspector’s license. However, not every licensed engineer is trained to work as an a home inspector and not every licensed home inspector is an engineer.

There may be some confusion as to the responsibilities, preventing some folks from trying to become a home inspector, Often used by real estate agencies, government agencies and home builders and sellers, a home inspection does not receive a pass or fail report. There are no good and bad reports filed by inspectors, just the honest results of their look at the property. While no license is required in some states, to become a home inspector does require some knowledge as to what they are looking for in a home.

The job of a home inspector essentially is to verify the condition of the home and its major components. The foundation, structure, roof as well as utilities inside the home are part of the educational needs to become a home inspector.

OJT Acceptable In Many Non-Licensing States

In states that do not require a license for home inspectors, many will work with an inspector, gaining the knowledge they need to qualify to inspect a home. Companies that use the inspection services want to make sure that whose who become a home inspector know what they are looking for in the home. It should also be noted that in many of the same states without licensing requirement, there is also very little that can be done for in improper home inspection, except for a civil action.

Licensed home inspectors will carry liability insurance to cover damages if they miss something on an inspection and it is found later to cost the homeowner thousands of dollars to correct. When a person trains to become a home inspector they also learn about the legal aspect of their profession and how their report can affect the sale of a home.