Thinking Of Becoming An Inspector

skinnyj41004

I have been lurking on these forums for over a year. I think I am ready to make the move to self employment. I live in Northern Kentucky and am looking at getting my home inspector liscense. I am an real estate management maintenace supervisor at my regular job and have a hand in all the trades but I am not one specific tradesman. Any thoughts, comments, and input is appreciated. I am not too worried about the actual job, I do not know anything about finances.

kevjob

check out http://www.iccsafe.org they have certs for inspectors.

Cole

What kind of inspector?

Building or Real Estate?

Building as in, working for a city etc...

Real estate as in, home inspection for buying/selling?

Tom R

Sounds like he means a private home inspector.

It's a good business, - - just gotta make sure you have plenty of insurance and lawyers, - - especially these days.

Around my way (central Jersey) the average they charge is about $350-$400.

Jordan65

Hi Skinny...I'm new here as well.
I am a licensed home inspector in Indiana, in business with a partner. You are probably better off knowing a little about everything than one specific trade. You can always call in an expert if you need to.
The class I took was at a local college. Cost about $1,000. State licensing test was about $250. 2 year license $450, Gen Liability Insurance specifically for Home Inspectors $600 (I think). We do not have E&O ins. It's very expensive. We had a lawyer set up our business and get registered with the state. (cost about $500). Let me know if you need any other info.

Driller1

I get 3-5 calls a year that sound like this.......

"We just bought this house and we have no water". One place the home inspector told the owner he had a great well. It was the septic tank! What they had was an illegal sand point. $8000 later, they had a well. Please, always have a driller check the well! I check the well logs and let the water run 24 hours before I go to the site myself.

InspectorD

Having done this for the last 6 years I can say that it can pay good money BUT.....you are at the mercy of the Real Estate market and are law suit bait because you are insured. There are lots of unethical people out there that would just love to use your insurance money to remodel their house.

There are two schools of thought on this E&O idea. (I have it)
If you have it, you are bait since you have the "deep pockets".
If you don't have it you could loose everything you own.
Nice choice huh?

There is an option, Incorporate your business. That puts a stopper on getting to your personal assets. Don't have anything much in the corp name and it doesn't become a target. Lawyers are expensive and hungry. They will only go after something if there is something to go after. If you got nothing, they usually won't bother. No profit in it.

Always inspect to whatever standard is followed in your area. Do not exceed that standard if you can help it. Doing so opens the door.

Have a good contract that clearly spells out what you do and do not do.
Provide a copy of the Standard to every client and explain it before doing an inspection. Make them sign and initial it where needed before doing the inspection. CYA is the best policy.

The Home Inspector is a "Generalist" regardless of any license he holds. He is not wearing that hat during a HI. Do not, repeat, DO NOT exceed the SOPs you are following. (Go to the ASHI site and look over their SoPs and Code of Ethics. It's a good place to start.)
the HI's job is to observe and report. not to diagnose and tell them how to fix something. Doing that will get your tit in a wringer most times.
Defer to the "specialist" that is licensed in that trade to get "in-depth on that system". That is NOT your job as an HI.

The best analogy I can give you (which I give to my clients) is that you are like their primary care physician. You do a "general check out" and then refer to the specialist for further diagnosis and correction.

I have survived over 2500 inspections in the last 6 years without getting sued. Must be doing something right. I have paid out some money to make a few assholes go away. Cheaper than paying the lawyers.

Good Luck

arjen20

Hi everyone.
I am new in the Torrance city and need a good home. Could anyone suggest me some website that provide me reliable and affordable equity inspection.

cole1434

I live in Alabama and I want to be a home inspector is it worth the trouble? It seemes like there is a lot to go thew to be a home inspector.

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