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Issaquah, Washington
Posts: 3
Joined: Apr, 2012
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Lakewood, WA
Posts: 1480
Joined: Sep, 2005
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Advice on Getting Started
[#2] Posted: 04/19/2012 - 5:08:33 PM |  |  |
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Ken,
First thing you should do is research the requirements for licensing in Washington state to see if that is something you want/can afford to put yourself through. Financial expectations? don't have any;) It is one thing to have a critical eye, it's another thing to know what you're looking at. The majority of the OLD timers like Mike, Jim and Kurt, do have a background in some if not all of the trades.
It's a tough business to break in to Ken.
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Rob Jones
South Sound Inspections
Seattle Home Inspection
"If you work just for money, you'll never make it, but if you love what you're doing and you always put the customer first, success will be yours."
Ray Kroc |
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Dallas, TX
Posts: 1080
Joined: Oct, 2006
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Lafayette, Louisiana
Posts: 3914
Joined: Nov, 2009
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 Advice on Getting Started
[#4] Posted: 04/19/2012 - 8:44:35 PM | | |
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Choose this profession because you love it not because you want to get rich.
Marc
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"If Guam gets too overpopulated, it might tip over."
Congressman Hank Johnson (D) GA |
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Rochester, MN
Posts: 127
Joined: Apr, 2002
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Advice on Getting Started
[#5] Posted: 04/20/2012 - 06:22:09 AM | | |
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My advice to folks who are interested in becoming a home inspector is
that's it's an easy business to get into, but not an easy business to stay in, and don't quit your day job.
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Sykesville, Maryland
Posts: 315
Joined: Nov, 2009
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Advice on Getting Started
[#6] Posted: 04/20/2012 - 10:54:32 AM | | |
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First - find out all the requirements in your state for licensing, etc. Second - call all the home inspectors you can find in your area. Look for someone who has been in the business for years and has been at least supporting themselves and their family but who is looking to retire in a year or two. Offer to go with them to learn, work for them to learn, with an eye to take over the business when they retire, at an agreed upon price such as a payout of 10-25% of the gross for x amount of years. Understand that you can be a good and successful inspector only as long as you enjoy helping people and don't expect to get rich. Never stop trying to learn, no one knows everything. This is not something you learn in two weeks, it is a profession, not a hobby. Be willing to admit your mistakes. Talk with a good CPA before setting up the business side as well as an attorney to set up things like your agreement. Other inspectors in your area may be able to recommend both if you ask nicely. Joining either ASHI or NAHI can help. And marry a rich woman in case you do fail.
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Kenmore, WA
Posts: 15412
Joined: Dec, 2003
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Advice on Getting Started
[#7] Posted: 04/20/2012 - 1:22:36 PM | | |
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Hi,
Well, it's not that easy a gig to jump into and once you are in it making ends meet when you are an ethical person is a constant challenge. If you want to be a crook, making ends meet will be easy; but if you go that route don't bother coming back here. We don't have any patience for those who feed at the realtorzoid troughs.
Before you do another thing, go to the Washington State Department of Licensing Home Inspector Website and review the requirements for becoming licensed as well as our Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics under Laws and Rules.
Bottom line, you'll need to get 120 hours of in-classroom training by a state-approved provider, you'll then need to do at least forty hours of inspections and complete at least five fully-SOP-compliant inspection reports under the supervision of a licensed inspector, take and pass the National Home Inspector Exam and finally submit an application with the fee to the state for your license. Once you've done all that, you'll be at the mercy of buyers, sellers and real estate folks and will suddently feel very very alone. I know one guy that did it all and quit two weeks later because he couldn't take the stress of it all.
Charlie is right, if you can find a veteran home inspector to hang with for a while it will go a long way toward rounding out the "education" you get, because even after you've jumped through all the hoops you'll still only know a tiny fraction of what an experienced inspector knows and you're going to be a green inspector competing with experienced/established inspectors in their own markets trying to get work.
You'd better have lots of pennies saved before you jump off or you might find yourself living under an overpass a couple of years from now.
ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!
Mike
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Posts: 667
Joined: Feb, 2004
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Advice on Getting Started
[#8] Posted: 04/20/2012 - 2:37:11 PM | | |
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P.S. Don't quit the day job and don't burn any bridges.
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Louisville, KY
Posts: 1242
Joined: Jan, 2010
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Advice on Getting Started
[#9] Posted: 04/21/2012 - 09:30:43 AM | | |
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Guys, it's not that bad. Just get women to support your broke a$$ for 4-5 years.
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ABI Home Services
Louisville KY Home Inspector
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Windsor, ON
Posts: 474
Joined: Oct, 2006
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