Tag: inspection

If you’re looking to become a home inspector, you’ll need to enroll in some home inspector training classes.  A lot of trust is placed in a home inspector when they inspect a home and lives are potentially at risk if a major flaw is not discovered.  Many home inspectors first begin in the construction field so they start with a basic knowledge of building houses however it isn’t necessary.

While a classroom session in a home inspector training course may be helpful, the most knowledge can be gained in the field with hands on learning.  By getting the chance to inspect houses in training and view multiple kinds of construction flaws you’ll be well prepared for your home inspector career.  Training videos are also a great way to show you what all of the various flaws and problems you could face may look like.

When considering signing up for home inspector training classes you should look into your state’s laws regarding home inspectors.  Some states require licensing or certification which you should ensure your school provides.  State’s also have varying home inspection laws so you should make sure any courses you take are state that you’ll be working in. 

There are many different parts of a house you’ll be expected to inspect when you become a home inspector.  You’ll be inspecting heating and ventilation systems, plumbing, electrical work and roof evaluations.  During you’re inspections you’ll be crawling around in the basement and attic, and will need to be on the roof to check for any roof damage not visible from the ground.  The easiest way to make sure you cover all the areas is to always use an extensive checklist that can cover all the various aspects to a house.  That will help ensure that you don’t leave any areas unchecked.

Entering into a new field of study can cause so much anxiety in the life of a student, especially when embarking on a completely new and uncharted career path.  A career in home inspection is now more than ever a profitable and expansive choice in the ever-increasing real estate market.  But with so many schools now specializing in home inspection courses, how is anyone to know which home inspection courses are the most important?

Before diving right into brochures and pamphlets for home inspection courses, one suggestion is to find out what the requirements are for the state in which you plan on opening your business.  Some states may require minimal credit hours to accompany their examinations while others may be more specific in their expectations.  By finding out which home inspection courses will benefit you the most, you can reserve other less important courses for continuing education credits or to be taken at leisure after you are certified and licensed.  Another suggestion on taking the home inspection courses most lucrative to your business is to enlist the help of a mentor such as a member of a local chapter of a national home inspectors association to guide you through the process of finding quality home inspection courses.

Home inspection courses that are completely comprehensive are the courses that will most benefit an individual.  For example, if you want to increase your market to include clients with all different types of home inspection needs, then a course that includes instruction for roof systems, exterior elements, structural systems, insulation and ventilation, interior elements, electric, plumbing, heating, and cooling systems, hot water supply, and an overview of tools and equipment needed for inspections and filing reports.  Home inspection courses should not only teach the above components but the code of ethics and standards of practice associated with home inspection as well as some business theory.

Changing your life and starting a home inspector career can be a very fun and challenging change.   You are going to be able to help people live in the best home possible.  It will be up to you as a home inspector to decide if a home is up to code and if it is in good condition to be bought or sold.  When you are beginning a new home inspector career you want to make sure that you make all the important contacts necessary to get yourself going in the business and become successful.

The first step to starting a home inspector career after you have been certified is to get your name out there.  You are going to want to contact all of the Real Estate businesses in the area and let them know you are available for inspections.  You should have business cards and possibly even a web address.  If you are just beginning your home inspector career make sure you have a separate business phone number.  You do not want to make some very important Real Estate connections only to have your teenage son forget to tell you they called.

Once you have hit the Real Estate world you want to hit the common man.  Starting a home inspection career you will find that you are no one until people know to call you.  List your business in your local guides, including phone books and online.  Take out a picture on the side of the telephone listings, if you can afford to do so, advertising your services.  Visit open houses as well and drop your business cards with prospective buyers and sellers.  Folks may feel more at ease closing on a home if they can have you come in and do an impartial home inspection. 

All you need to do when starting a home inspector career is to make sure that all the right people know who you are, where you are and that you are ready to work.

Have you ever wondered about the people who do the home inspections before someone purchases a home?  How do these people get to be qualified to judge if a home is or is not up to code?  Some of the people who do home inspections are licensed engineers.  Some people who do home inspections though are regular every day folks who have taken an interest in home quality.

To get your home inspector license you will have to take a series of classes to become qualified.  Once you have your home inspector license you will be required to take continuing education courses to stay on top of all the new home technology.  You can be a home inspector as well as continue to do whatever job you are currently employed with.

Having your home inspector license when you go into a home you are going to be looking for the quality of certain things in the home.  You will be looking at the heating system, roof, water system, plumbing, electrical and air conditioning.  People will then trust you, as one who has a home inspector license, to determine what state the home is in. 

If you do enjoy your work as a home inspector then you may want to become a licensed engineer so that you are qualified to offer suggestions for what should be done to improve the house.  You could also take your home inspector license and take it to the next level as a home appraiser. Home appraisers do not determine the state of the home, but rather determine the value of the home.

A home inspector license will give you a new outlet to a new career.  Begin slowly by doing home inspections on weekends. If you have made some great contacts with Real Estate companies then you may decide to become a full time home inspector.

With a few states having no licensing requirements for home inspectors, many may believe they are raking a chance when they hire someone to do the job. However, since the majority of inspectors have appropriate training and education, you may want to look for one with home inspection certification credentials.

While many of the established home inspection companies may have had their folks work with a trained inspector or an engineering conducting inspections, they will be well trained but may not be able to present physical proof of their training. However, most companies issue home inspection certification to their qualified employees before they are allowed to work for others.

By verifying a person has a home inspection certification the person using their service can be more confident they will receive a qualified inspection. The certification should indicate the types of inspections the person is trained to perform and for most, it will be on every phase of construction. In addition to having a home inspection certification from a verifiable source, a certificate of liability should also be inspected.

If an inspector makes a mistake their misjudging the condition of a house can come back and haunt the new buyer. By knowing they have general liability insurance that will cover the homeowners, can make them more comfortable in their choice of inspectors. With insurance any problems that may be blamed on the inspector can be addressed in civil court in states not requiring licensing.

In states that do require a home inspection license, the licensing requires a state test, typically administered by construction engineers. By holding a state license, home inspection certification is taken for granted. It indicates the person is qualified and experienced in conducting home inspections in accordance with the rules of that state.

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.

Real estate continues to be a very popular career choice and with interest rates as low as they have ever been, may people are jumping on board the monetary wagon to take advantage of the profitability of this market.  One of the careers in this field that has increased in demand exponentially is home inspection and now it is fairly commonplace for major cities to house a home inspector school within its’ own limits.  A home inspector school is tailored toward those with entrepreneurial spirit who have a passion for a career in which there is immediate potential for profitability and building a substantial clientele. 

Those who are interested in attending home inspector school should make sure the school that they plan on attending is nationally accredited so that if they ever decide to move to a different state, their certification and credit hours will be recognized and accepted.  Attendance in a home inspector school can occur in a physical classroom setting or online in the virtual classroom.  Because the student will be paying tuition, he or she will want to get the most for their hard earned money.  Choosing courses that are designed and taught by successful and knowledgeable inspectors or other professionals in a related field will improve the student’s understanding of the course materials and make the course more conducive to the student’s educational standards.

A quality home inspector school should teach all aspects of home inspections including mold detection, electrical, structural, mechanical, plumbing, and other components necessary to perform a broad spectrum of inspections for clients and to prepare the student for the national examination for certification and licensing.  Career assistance, financial aid availability, and student support are also necessary components of a quality home inspector school ensuring the success of the students beyond the classroom.

If you’re a home inspector, how about joining the 21st century and use some home inspection software to help you do your inspection.  By using a small hand held computer or laptop you’ll be able to walk around using you’re your home inspection software while you perform your inspection. 

One of the nice things about using home inspection software is that it is usually printable from a portable printer you would have in your vehicle.  Instead of having a scratched up piece of notepaper like some other home inspectors might use, you’ll be able to give the client a beautiful printed sheet with easy to read findings from your inspection.  You’ll be able to stand out among the other home inspectors and really do a nice job.

Another nice thing about using home inspection software is that it would give you a great standardized template for your reports.  As you inspect the house you can check things off on your portable computer and you won’t miss anything.  Most home inspection software is also modifiable so you can add a line here or remove a line there from your final report to make it look really nice.

Some of the more advanced home inspection software can even show you examples of what a common problem with a house may look like so you can compare it with what you find.  A home inspection program might also suggest you to look in certain areas in particular for potential problems.  For example, you might enter in that the house you’re inspecting has wooden shingles and the software may suggest you check for insect or bat damage from animals that might be living in the side of the house.

A good home inspector will come to a property with a vast assortment of home inspection tools, ranging from common hand tools to high tech instruments that are very precise. It is a good idea to know what some of theses basic implements are, so that one can be assured the inspection was completed properly.

One of the most basic home inspection tools is the flashlight. This will be necessary everywhere in the house, for inspecting items such as the undersides of joists or the interior of a furnace. A mirror can come in handy as well, for small spaces or hard-to-reach areas. A tape measure will be needed to verify dimensions of various items, such as doors or the size of the lot. For the roof and other high structures, a ladder is necessary, and sometimes a set of binoculars, as well. A collection of screwdrivers, pliers, a level, and other basic hand tools will also come in handy for the inspector.

On the high-tech end of home inspection tools is a variety of electronic meters and testing equipment. A moisture meter can find wet surfaces that are hidden from view, such as under a floor or behind a wall. When inspecting the electrical system, a multi-meter, polarity checker, and other equipment will be necessary to verify safe operation. The basement, heating system, and hot water system should be checked with the appropriate equipment to find leaks of radon, carbon monoxide, and gas.

Proper clothing should also be included in the category of home inspection tools. When the inspector is properly dressed, he or she will be able to access all areas of the house easily. Proper gloves and shoes are necessary, as well as a set of coveralls. Safety equipment such as a hardhat and respirator should also be available for use. With the proper home inspection tools, the inspector will be able to find most of the problems hidden within a house, saving the potential homeowner a great deal of money in the future.

Building inspectors and contractors should consider the importance of taking home inspection training certification courses.  Home inspection training certification is a great advantage that can help contractors with their job.  When certified through a home inspection training program, you will easily be able to identify code violations, errors, or other issues that pose a threat to public safety.  When it comes to building homes, safety is the most important concern, and a home inspection training course is the best way to become certified and gain experience in this field.

Home inspectors help ensure that people are living in safe environments.  There are many hazards that threaten the lives and safety of homeowners daily.  Many of these threats are invisible to the naked eye, and it requires the expertise of trained and certified inspectors to detect them.  Whether it is mold or radon gas a home inspector is vital in the process of detecting these dangers and helping homeowners successfully remove them.

Certified inspectors have access to testing materials that the general public doesn’t have.  It is imperative that homes are built according to safety codes as well as tested regularly to ensure that they are still safe.  A contractor or inspector can further their career by making sure that they are certified in other areas of inspection training.  For instance becoming certified in mold detection can open up your field of employment and enable you to take on more work.  Becoming certified in other inspection fields will ensure that you are experienced and qualified to perform inspections that other workers in your field may not be equipped to handle.  You can check with your state’s board of certifications to ensure that you have all of the home inspection requirements that you need.  Once you are certified, you will be able to expand the range of your career and handle more inspections.