Opportunities In Kentucky

[clouddancerss]

I'm seriously considering getting into the home inspection field, and will be moving to Kentucky early next year, specifically western Kentucky.Can anyone tell me what kind of money I can expect top make there? Can an inspector keep busy there? Thanks!

[JEuriech]

Susan,

If you go to the Home Inspector Qualification & Professionalism Forum there are a couple of recent topics on "considering the profession" They should answer some of your questions.

What part of western Kentucky are you headed for? Close to any major cities?

Jeff Euriech

Peoria, Arizona

[clouddancerss]

I'm moving to Benton KY, and it's near Paducah and Murray.

[Erby]

Susan,

Be aware that Kentucky will begin requiring a home inspector license next July. No training is yet approved as the Kentucky Board of Home Inspectors is currently meeting to decide the adminstrative regulations of the program. Be careful of spending money on schools until they decide which ones are approved.

More details at www.kreia.org and http://hbc.ppr.ky.gov/HomeInspectorsBoard.htm

Realize that you will be in a rural area and may need to travel to population centers like Paducah (25 miles) and Hopkinsville/Madisonville (60 or so miles) to make a living.

Read the recent topics on getting into the profession:

https://inspectorsjournal.com/forum/top ... IC_ID=2162

https://inspectorsjournal.com/forum/top ... IC_ID=2123

https://inspectorsjournal.com/forum/top ... IC_ID=2222

https://inspectorsjournal.com/forum/top ... IC_ID=1555

Good luck!

[clouddancerss]

Thanks for all the info! Wouldn't the board most likely follow ASHI guidelines and approved training courses?

[homnspector]

"Opportunities in Kentucky" may be an oxymoron[]

When certification was started here in AZ, you were grandfathered in if you had x number of paid inspections. Still had to take the test but none of the other stuff.

One guy I knew was doing inspections for $1 for a few months to get the required # of inspections prior to when the law went into effect. Needless to say, he got LOTS of inspections and got his foot in the door quickly. Kind of pissed off the rest of us but it was creative and worked for him.

[clouddancerss]

Ok, what if I get my training BEFORE the licensing goes into effect? They certainly aren't going to make everyone that's been trained, and is working as an inspector, pay to go through all the training again right? I can understand a test perhaps, but if a person has passed the National exam, I don't really see the point!

[homnspector]

I think here in AZ, no training was needed if you had done the required # of inspections prior to the law. You will probably have to take and pass "their" test. In our case it was a standard national exam. We also had to submit reports to see that they met the standards which are nearly identical to ASHI.

I would call / research and find out how they are going about "grandfathering". It may be the ideal time to get started.

[clouddancerss]

Thanks a lot everyone!

[Erby]

Grandfathering in Kentucky:

Be in business by July of 2003 and complete 25 (yes 25) inspections before July of 2004. The senator sponsoring the bill was very concerned about inspectors in rural areas, some of whom only do 25 - 50 inspections in one year becasue there's just not any more sales than that in the area.

The full law is available on the Kentucky Real Estate Inspection Association website at www.kreia.org or directly at http://www.webmedleysb.com/media/media-79521.pdf .

No, I don't think it likely the Kentucky Board of Home Inspectors will follow ASHI guidelines. There are a couple of decidely anti-ASHI people on the board. My understanding is that their intent is to re-invent the wheel and develop separate standards. Who knows how it will all shake out, but I wouldn't spend any money on training until I knew that the course was approved. Especially on the cheaper courses and corrspondence courses.

Good luck!