Jump to content

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 141
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Hi to all,

Stan must have taken our entry level exam, as the link that I poted here to the Beta version of the new exam was disabled months ago, w are still adding questions to the new one and tweaking the system based on responses from users. including suggestion made by users of this board.

Update, I just check again our webmaster ha pointed the beta test link that I used on here to our entry level exam. sorry for the confusion

Regards

Gerry

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally posted by Gerry Beaumont

Hi to all,

Stan must have taken our entry level exam, as the link that I poted here to the Beta version of the new exam was disabled months ago, w are still adding questions to the new one and tweaking the system based on responses from users. including suggestion made by users of this board.

Update, I just check again our webmaster ha pointed the beta test link that I used on here to our entry level exam. sorry for the confusion

Regards

Gerry

Now I feel better [:-dunce]

I couldn't beleive a novice like me could get a better score than experienced inspectors.

My faith in the "industry" is restored! [:-bouncy]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

I just took the exam. Scored an 84. IMO, the exam is too easy. It only took 25 mins. I'm still researching/learning/gathering info, and have yet to take an HI training course (starts in April) and I have only done 3 HI's (non-pay practice inspections). I am an ME, so maybe that's it, but I thought the test was very easy. The only questions I had troubles with were vocabulary in nature. There should be more calculations to prove mathematical competency. Try to make the exam have a pass rate around 60%-65%.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

True. While I feel I more than have more than the required technical knowledge to perform a competent home inspection, I don't think I have the experience (at least my personal opinion) of what it take to actually take someone's money for my work (It’d probably take me 6 hours to finish). I still need a lot more studying, and several more "practice" inspections before I'm ready to go.

The exam is still too easy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

ev'n all... Im new to this, new to quite a few things. After 24 years in residential, and commercial construction, illness and injuries forced me to find a new career. I recently completed a course on HI, but felt I needed to know more b4 starting a business, so am taking more courses. Anyway, i found the nachi site 3 days ago, and just for the hell of it, took the exam. I scored 81, and the exam told me where my weakness's were. I found it informative. I do not belong to any HI organisations as of yet. Thanks for your time

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 months later...
Originally posted by Brian G.

Yeech! I got a 68. Of course, 20 points behind Lord Jim after 2 years in the field isn't the end of the world, but still...

Like Jim I thought some weren't very relevent and some didn't have what I thought to be the correct answer in the possibilities. A lot of it seemed more like a code test than anything else, which is natural to some degree, but I usually look that up where and when I need it. I don't know enough of it though, which is why I joined the ICC. I'm sure I missed a lot of the questions about certain heating systems too. I studied all of the above before the NHIE and passed it, but in the time since I've forgotten the bulk of it because I never see anything but gas or electric forced warm air here. Criticize me if you will, but I'm not going to spend time reading-up on oranges when I work in an apple orchard and there's more to know about them.

So Gerry, how is this to be administered, online or in person? Is it an open book test, 'cause I assumed it wasn't and didn't lay a finger on a book or Code Check? If it's done online you would have to consider it open book, I think.

Alright my imported colleague, I've obliged you with public candor, so kindly oblige me likewise. I'd like to hear your thoughts on Mr. Gromico's (?) unvarnished efforts to undermine other state and national tests by compiling the test questions for NACHI members to peruse. As one who is responsible for compiling such a test, do you feel such actions are appropriate or ethical?

Brian G.

Well Brian...When I use exam questions to prep my HI students I don't believe I'm doing anything unethical. Is that so different from what Mr. Gromyko is doing? Perhaps the solution is in a longer and more difficult state exam that is harder to prepare for through memorization. Thoughts?
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally posted by nspctrdan

Scored 94 and actually left one answer blank accidentally. Doesn't seem any harder than the original test posted on NACHI's website. How could a working home inspector fail this thing?

I'm pretty sure what you're taking is the slightly updated on-line test they've always had. The link to the test this thread is about was closed long ago and has never been rolled out at NACHI to my knowledge. Look back up the page to the last post by Gerry Beaumont.

Brian G.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally posted by nspctrdan

Well Brian...When I use exam questions to prep my HI students I don't believe I'm doing anything unethical. Is that so different from what Mr. Gromyko is doing?

Possibly. I don't know what exam you're preping them for, or whether you're using the exact questions as they will appear on the exam. Nick claimed to have gathered the exact exam questions from the NHIE and the other state exams so his members could get familiar with and recognize them when going for a license. That is totally unethical in my view, a deliberate and shameless attempt to undermine the integrity of the process in the interest of one's own.

Perhaps the solution is in a longer and more difficult state exam that is harder to prepare for through memorization. Thoughts?

Ideally the test would include substantial portions where one would be required to think and put 2 and 2 together, but that gets into greyer areas where the *right* answer can be debateable. I also don't think memorization could be eliminated. In short, any subjective sections would be controversial and any sections based on recall would still be venerable if unethical students had access to the exact questions. We should always be trying to improve the process, but also defend it from those with no scruples.

Brian G.

Smart People Who Work Hard Don't Need to Cheat, or Want To [:-graduat

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally posted by nspctrdan

Well Brian...When I use exam questions to prep my HI students I don't believe I'm doing anything unethical. Is that so different from what Mr. Gromyko is doing? Perhaps the solution is in a longer and more difficult state exam that is harder to prepare for through memorization. Thoughts?

IMO, memorizing the questions to pass the test IS unethical. I teach at an HI school, and we don't do that.

I feel it is unethical because students are graduating without the proper knowledge/experience to do the job, but are representing themselves as qualified.

The training course should provide the knowledge the students need to get by the exam. If the students can't absorb the class curriculum, that should be an indication that they can't perform the most basic functions of an HI.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have it on extremely credible authority from those who take the time to create the exams that the CREIA exam is more difficult than the NHIE and our annual CEC requirement is 30 which any ASHI member joining CREIA needs to maintain in lieu of the 20 required by ASHI Jim. There was no lowering of the Standards on ASHI's part as far as CREIA goes.

Truth be known, the NHIE and the CREIA exam can not really be compared. The NHIE is not associated with an association and is used by 17 states and 2 home inspection associations as their qualifying exam. The CREIA exam is used by only one association for their qualifying exam.

The 30 hour education requirements that are required by CREIA are commendable.

One thing that I wish CREIA would do that ASHI requires is the report verification. ASHI requires its members to submit 5 selected reports to insure that they are being done to the ASHI standards.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

The test is an absolute joke. I took the one on their web site, not the one linked from this page.

The test is the exact reason I have NO RESPECT for NACHI or their members. Make them pass the NHIE and they will earn my respect.

My score btw, I got a 118 out of 120 while watching TV. The two I missed were poorly written and I couldn't understand them.

Nick Gromicko needs to loose the arrogance and improve the test IMHO.

www.ableinspector.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...

I just took the test scored a 90. Got me on a couple with tricky wording but I think the test is very good for a base line. I am a good tester though. With Ohio's new interest in certifying I figured I better get a jump on it. Anybody recommend an Organization? I need good reasons to fork out the dough when I'm a little skeptical of ASHI and their best friend the NAR. Maybe I'm wrong, so set me straight.

Thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi,

I think a little clarification is in order. This thread was initiated in August of 2004 and was an experiment by Jerry to gauge a test which was under development then. Paul, I could be wrong but I thought that Gerry had stopped giving people access to that exam quite some time ago, because it is going to be reserved for those in NACHI going for a higher designation that they've been working on - Certified Master Inspector I believe they are calling it. Garcha, in case you missed it, that exam and the free online NACHI entrance exam are two different things.

About organizations. I'm not certain what you are implying when you say "ASHI and their best friend the NAR". I spent about 4 years in that organization and never saw or heard anyone try to influence inspectors to do anything other than be professional and do the best damn inspection that he or she possibly could. Their private message board often has new inspectors asking how to deal with manipulative, dishonest or pissed-off realtors and members are always supportive of those folks, all have been there and kow-towing to realtors is never recommended. In fact, anyone who ever offers advice on that board advising others to be realtor toadies usually becomes the recipient of a whole lot of derision and finds himself figuratively run out of town on a rail and can never post after that without drawing a whole lot of fire. In other words, kiss-ups are pretty much ostracized by the others. I wouldn't exactly call that realtor friendly.

When I first got into this business I bought a franchise. They recommended that I join one particular organization and I did so. For the first four years in the business that I was affiliated with that organization, I heard lots of negative stuff about the one other (at that time) major competing organization. Then in 1999 I attended an ITA conference and met many of the "enemy" and discovered that they were just home inspectors exactly like me who had the same wants and desires and believe exactly the same silly stuff about the organization that I'd belonged to that I has about them. So, puzzled, I joined the other organization to see if what I'd been hearing for years actually was true and for about a year or so I was a member of both. Know what I found out? That they are very similar in almost every respect - including the attitude that only they were the most honest and professional group of folks on the planet when it came to inspecting homes.

I've been affiliated with two and though I made many great pals in each I really didn't see very much difference between them. One thing is for certain, there will always be members of any organization who will constantly make false and ill-informed remarks about competing organizations that they've never belonged to, and those who've left one and joined another over some usually trivial thing will usually dis their old organization to no end and become the greatest cheerleaders for their new organization. Even within them there always seems to be never-ending controversy with this sense of "us versus them" between general membership and whoever is steering the boat within the organization.

It's all very boring and infinitely tiresome to hear. If I'd gotten straight advice when I first got into this business I would have put all of the names in a hat and pulled one. I would have joined that one and then, the first time I had the extra change to join another, I'd have joined another, and another, and so on, until I knew the straight skinny about all of them. Then I would have settled down permanently with the one I felt the most comfortable with.

I guess what I'm saying in my own droning way is that, if you want to join an organization by all means pick one and do it, but don't expect to get objective advice about any of them on this or any other discussion forum.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just took the test scored a 90. Got me on a couple with tricky wording but I think the test is very good for a base line. I am a good tester though. With Ohio's new interest in certifying I figured I better get a jump on it. Anybody recommend an Organization? I need good reasons to fork out the dough when I'm a little skeptical of ASHI and their best friend the NAR. Maybe I'm wrong, so set me straight.

Thanks

Mike G.

Hi Mike,

You need to select an organization that best fits your needs. Visit a local chapter in your area. You should talk to other inspectors in your area and then make an educated move to a national organization.

A few questions you should ask yourself:

1. What am I looking for in an organization.

2. Do I want to be active in the organization or sit on the sidelines.

3. Do I want the organization to actively seek professional alliances with other stakeholder organizations (Home Builders, Insurance, Realtors, HUD, etc.)

4. Do I even care as long as say I belong to XYZ.

The above questions should get you to thinking.

As for your score of 90, my sixteen year old son scored an 83 in 34 minutes. The score on the NACHI exam does not mean much of anything.

If you want a fairly good measure of your inspection aptitude you should try the NHIE. With Kentucky just selecting this exam as their state exam it might help you in the area you live in. If and when Ohio finishes the battle of home inspector regulation they will most likely adopt the NHIE.

Keep in mind that all of the home inspector organizations will allow the NHIE for their exam.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've avoided this thread for all the reasons Mike O' just noted; all such "discussion" of HI org's. goes nowhere fast.

I'm only jumping in to reinforce what Mike said; look around, be objectice, do homework, and don't listen to those that seek conflict in a profession that needs, now more than ever, a cohesive effort in gaining recognition & respect for the job we do.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey, 90 in 28 minutes watching movies with my 5 year old. I hoped testing got a little tougher than that. I'm just looking to stay ahead of the game and find something to add knowledge and credibility. I have had little if any help from anyone but you guys and have had to figure most of it out for my self. I want to look at what I'm doing and be sure when I walk away That I have exceeded my own standards. Beyond that, I've watched this board for a while and I think that maybe the opinions differ but I trust most here to give me an honest opinion and from there I will have to make my own decisions. I respect you guys and appreciate any input. I am at a point where going it alone is going to get counter productive. Sorry for the ramble. Maybe I will join as many HI associations as I can like Mike said.

[:-scared]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally posted by hausdok

Hi,

About organizations. I'm not certain what you are implying when you say "ASHI and their best friend the NAR".

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

Mike, If I am not mistaken and I could be but I read an article a few months back in the Communicator magazine RE: ASHI and the NAR having meetings for what I forgot. Maybe someone else has a better memory that I.

Thanks Mike for you worth while efforts.

Paul Burrell

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...