NJ NACHI

Important NJ Update! At yesterday's HIAC meeting we were told that all Associates would be licensed as per the bill! We had an attorney present who greased the wheels as they say and all has worked out for the Associates who once faced the possiblity of having to go back to school after some crazy scenarios. There are still a few more details to work out for the present students but we have 2 of the 3 original problems resolved. After 2 1/2 years I will finally have a license! Others have been waiting longer. Any state considering the original law better re-think it! Phillip R. Hinman NJ NACHI

Darren, My email is phinman845@comcast.net The course is a pass/fail. I gave test throughout the course when I was teaching it to see if there was some progress being made. Not everyone did that. I went to BICI and they tested every module several times also. I do not believe the DOE has a strcit standard. Passing the national test should be of some value in assessing a students progress. At this time it is the only way to determine if someone understands the materials. If you did not think your students were competent you could have refused to sign their reports and sent a letter to the state. It was done by another mentor with bad results! A letter from the students lawyer! There are really a million reasons why this law did not work. I agree with Scott that the law should have been scrapped, but that was not an option. I always thought regestering everyone in the business, testing them and giving them time to go to school made more sense. Make them have insurance alos. This law put many guys out of the business who were doing part time or as an part of their primary business. Just my thoughts! Phillip R. Hinman NJ NACHI

Hey Neal! How are you? Good to hear from you. No it was neither of us. I am however not sure of the long term effects on NJ HI's. What do you think? I know some PE's and get mixed thoughts from them. Once this grandfathering/Associates License stuff is done there may be a lot less time required to adminsiter the process. Once some one finishes the school and takes the test and has a background check licensing should proceed much smoother. Anyone who has had to go before the Board knows it can be a very tough deal. I have been to many meetings and have seen some outrageous things proposed and done. Have you been lurking in the background and watching this thing play out! Maybe I will see you at an ALPHI meeting! Phillip R. Hinman NJ NACHI

Furthermore, does anyone know who is behind S2898? Phillip R. Hinman NJ NACHI

When I said the best training ever, that means on a mass basis. I know others like yourself who went well beyond the NJ law when they got into the business. I have been in residential construction 35 plus years had 300 hours of specific HI training and did 58 mentored inspections. Sure Darren I would take any test you wanted to give me if you take mine! What does that prove. The Carson-Dunlop course material was very thorough and those who GOT IT will be well trained comapred to most other programs available. The course hours are 21 per module not 30 as per the NJ law and this includes test taking talking about extraneous issues etc. So the reduction in hours of a Home Study Course which this program is will not effect those individuals who will make it in the business. I hope they keep the course and text books as the new curriculum. I applaud you for doing you part to mentor. I would do the same. That being said most of the students coming out of the porgram had a tough time getting a mentor. That is really the fact! I was approached just before the committee meetings started by a SJ ASHI guy who said he represented ALL of the groups in NJ to make a deal. I knew him and gave him the courtesy of listening to what they had to say. The first draft of A3983 said a course of not less than 300 hours which left the door open to keep the existing course. I told him I would ask our leadership to keep the mentored inspections but hat the 250 employed by had to go. I would only agree to the above if he could guarantee a mentor for each and every student finishing the school. He said he could not go back to his group and get that guarantee and that ended the meeting. The same roadblock as always, lack of enough mentors! Our main goal was really just to take the control of the licensed inspectors out of the equation for us to become licensed. Each and every individual can do as many mentored inspections as they like until they feel comfortable. They can also work for someone if they like. I believe the 140 hour program will encourage construction professional, not necessarily tradesmen to now enter the business. I know a solid construction background is a very valuable asset. I believe this to good for the industry. My first encounter with a home inspector was with an ex local ASHI President who told me the industry needed more construction professionals in the business. This NJ law was too much too soon! At the Senate Committee Meeting Senator Cardinale told the ASHI contingent that he would encourage upping the standards at the appropriate time. I agree. May be we should start with a better Standards of Practice, Your thoughts! Phillip R. Hinman NJ NACHI

The staff at the HIAC has mailed out an activation form for the Associates here in NJ so they can get their full license. Hopefully no more road blocks weill be encountered. Tuesday Dec 13 will tell! The Associates getting their licenses represents the best training program ever in the HI business. Had there been co-operation on the part of licensed inspectors to mentor and hire this the Associates, the law may never had to change! NJ NACHI is being blamed/congratulated for this when in reality the existing work force whose leadership started this program may really be at fault for their failure provide the licensed people to help the newbies in the pipeline. I guess really asking peoplem to train their competition was the law's real downfall. It was doomed from the beginning! NJ NACHI