They Said It Couldn't Be Done

[sepefrio]

For me, I have already met the educational requirements, in fact I have almost double that already. All I need to be "Certified" now is the number of inspections. My beef is IF it becomes mandatory with these same rules. You must complete 50 inspections but you can't inspect until you have already completed 50 inspections? The only way thats possible is being hired by an established firm and being supervised by one of their inspectors. Or worse, having to pay someone for 5 weeks of ride alongs, and thats assuming you did 2 inspections a day 5 days a week. (It could be 10+ weeks of training if there was only 35 hours of classroom training). See the catch 22 here. Add in the no-compete laws and newbies could get royally screwed.

A thought that also sits in the back of my mind is that maybe some large franchise is working to a goal of "Training" inspectors with the real intent of doing home inspections but not having to pay the inspectors a real wage. They sign up a guy for 6 months at minimum wage and train them (or worse, the prospective HI pays a fee per inspection). The company collects 50-100 inspection fee's but only gives the inspector $25 per inspection? This could be very lucrative to the company. They could even advertise as a training school, put in in the contract, have the client waive liability and make even more money. Kind of like a barber school.

[hausdok]

Nah,

You're over-thinking this. There's no conspiracy by franchises or large employers. Why should anyone expect to become a "professional" at any trade without putting a substantial amount of time and money into doing so? What is it about home inspectors that they think this business should be as easy to get into as going down to MacDonald's and filling out an application to flip burgers?

You were in the military; do you know how many thousands of dollars are spent on training each soldier in his/her respective skill at AIT? It's unfortunate for those coming behind us that they're going to have to spend more to get into the business but that's just the way it is. Me? I spent $17,500 just for the franchise fee alone. On top of that I had to purchase the franchise mandated truck, spend more than two weeks in Seattle going through training, and then purchase $1200 worth of tools and equipment from the franchise before I could even open my doors. Even with that, I still don't think that my initial training was enough, so I have no sympathy for anyone who is pissed off because they can't easily and cheaply go from flipping burgers to inspecting homes.

If I were king, this business would require not less than two years of college in related disciplines, every inspector would need to go through at least a one year internship, and take a very difficult test - including an on-site peer review - before he or she could hang out a shingle, purchase a franchise, or be permanently hired by a large firm.

Guess it's a good thing for folks in the business that I'll never be king, huh?

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[sepefrio]

Again I agree on your suggested standards. My condition is that it's not impossible for someone to start their own HI business without first working for others.

As for the conspiracy, I'll prove that after I found the shooter on the knoll. (um thats just a joke) I probably am over thinking it to much, which is why I'm trying to learn more about it so I don't make up my own answers.

BTW - You certainly wouldn't be the worst choice to be king.

[hausdok]

Originally posted by sepefrio

BTW - You certainly wouldn't be the worst choice to be king.

As Tweety Bird would say, "He don't know me vewy well. Do he?"

OT - OF!!!

M.

[Bill Kibbel]

When I started (22 years ago), there was no licensing or any other requirement in any state. After a career of supervising all phases of major construction and high-end restorations, I VOLUNTARILY did ride alongs, then supervised inspections, in an amount that exceeded 100 before I would even consider doing one on my own. Even then I didn't have any qualification on paper until I had 250 inspections, passed a proctored exam, had reports reviewed, and did a pier review - all requirements for ASHI membership at that time.

I still felt less than qualified to do this gig competently for about another 2 years.

[Eagle Eye]

ASHI, Home Inspectors and reps from the State produced the Home Inspection exam back in 1994-1996 and came up with an exam that at the time when you passed the state exam to be licensed it also qualified you for membership in ASHI. That later changed due to complaints from other areas but I never saw ASHI as the ultimate authority just because their rules prohibited membership for reasons like being a real estate agent at the same time.

As far as a non-compete is concerned, I don't understand how that could be a state law for one thing, but when you agree to it in a contract that is a completely different issue. I have been told hundreds of time those clauses are unenforceable but my way of thinking is that doesn't matter if I agreed to it in the first place.

Franchise HI operations are OK, but I have noticed the owners are at times not Home Inspectors. I have no idea of how many independent HI there are for every franchise HI, but us ID sure out number the franchises.

So all this about a non compete issue is easy if you are willing. Either find an independent to work for that does not require this or do your internship outside the area you intend to eventually work.

You guys are tough, I'll admit that. You have raised many issues about licensing and report writing (ugh) we have that just about every year as required CE, and that story doesn't go away because it is still the number 1 complaint filed aginst HI. NC tired to agree to a std. report. Most did not like the idea but I saw some value to it. What finally came out of it was again just letting us know what a report is required to have in it, what you can not place in it, but the format, other than the summary page is basically up to the inspector, just so you follow the standards of practice.

I would be terrible writing a narrative reported but some HI here like them. I prefer a report that lists the systems individually with acceptable (tried & true) comments for describing defects and problems. (Not canned but ones I have used for years) Why, because my strengths are stronger at finding and identifying problems then writing a comprehensive book about them. I also think it is easier for my clients to go through the report and understand what it is explaining.

I should have waited to post until I got a better feel of what report styles the group here feels are the best, but all these issues are the same ones talked about and complained about here in NC before we were required to be licensed. I'll also mention our HI license is not cheap compared to other licenses in NC. Our 12 hrs of CE every year also costs more then other fields. Total cost just for this part is around $500yr. Real Estate total is only $130+-yr. You already know the difference in E&O ins. , for me it is over 5 times my E&O fro my real estate side, and I have not been sued, had a claim or had a complaint against me, yet, but I know that is just a matter of time.

Whomever, how ever, whatever began this forum, I thank them and all of you guys (non-gender version just in case). It is going to take quite awhile to read through all the material here and absorb it. I'll do a better job at holding back posting until I have a better feel for the place, but right now I feel like I really found something here.

[Brandon Chew]

Hi Don, welcome to TIJ. These guys bark and sometimes they bite, but it's usually done with the intent to help the person who made the post, and anyone who reads it, become better inspectors.

[hausdok]

Originally posted by Brandon Chew

Hi Don, welcome to TIJ. These guys bark and sometimes they bite

Well, at our age, most of the time we bark and try to gum them.

OT - OF!!!

M.