NACHI's Online Test Mocked by Canadian News Media

[hausdok]

In a news expose' deploring unregulated home inspectors in British Columbia, a Canadian newswoman, with no home inspection expertise or experience, in order to demonstrate how easily anyone could become a 'certified' home inspector in the profession, took and passed, with help from someone else, the un-proctored National Association of Certified Home Inspectors' (NACHI) online entrance exam, scoring a 91 percentile.

The reporter guffawed about how all she'd now need to do to become fully certified is to submit a fee of $289 to NACHI along with her test results.

To see the video clip click here.

[O Canada]

Hey now, Nick says he has the toughest entrance requirements in the industry. What Nick says is the truth, really.....[]

What a joke.

[ddmoore01]

Kinda makes you wonder how she would have done without the 'help from someone else'. Seems like the news story itself is a sham.

IMHO

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[Chad Fabry]

Kinda makes you wonder how she would have done without the 'help from someone else'. Seems like the news story itself is a sham.

One of the points is that it's unproctored. Anyone can cheat, cheaters have no ethics, people with no ethics make crappy home inspectors, crappy home inspectors give us all a bad name.

It's a logical conclusion, and it affects all of us.

Do you think NACHI's test (difficulty) is an acceptable standard for entry to the profession? Have you taken the NHIE, and if you have do you think it's an acceptable standard?

[Jesse]

I've taken both exams. Certainly anyone out performing inspections should be able to pass them both without a problem. I think the NHIE is a fair test, and an acceptable standard for entry into the profession AS AN APPRENTICE. Beyond that, at a minimum, there should be further jobsite testing/experience. I think you'll agree, Chad, that no written test is enough.

It touches on another topic that Mike started about building a curriculum for higher education for inspections. Folks were wondering how other professions(law, medicine, etc.) got their education process so structured. Considering the age of our profession, I think we're on the right track. Many states are licensing/certifying/regulating somehow. That's a start. As that theory gets widely accepted, states will further regulate, requiring more and more of new inspectors. It'll be slow, but it will come, and I'll do what I can to encourage that. I know some guys have been doing this for fifty years, but the INDUSTRY is much younger than that.

What makes me a bit anxious: Some orange big-box store figuring out a way to package the realtor, inspector, and lawyer for a buyer. And for that, at a nice low rate, they'll also "help" you find contractors to do the work on your new place, and sell you the materials. If that happens before standards are dramatically improved, those standards will never change.

Please, someone put my mind at ease with a "No, no, that'll never happen" argument.

Happy Sunday to all, and to all a good night.

[kurt]

I've taken both. The NACHI test is humorously like a strange "home trivia" test, a "Who's Smarter than a 5th Grader" for shils. The NHIE, while minimal in it's scope, at least is the result of a rigorous process and a scientific & academically recognized method of test creation. Anyone not familiar w/the process should google up "psychometrically validated testing", and read for a couple hours before forming opinions.

Resistance is not futile; in fact, it's not even necessary. Patience is virtue, and the non-test of NACHI is quickly (but not quickly enough) being recognized as a sad joke on this profession.

If the Nickster had the best interests of this profession in mind, he would undertake the expensive & time consuming task of developing a test using psychometrically validated procedures, and his test would be defensible.

As it stands, it's just another attempt by an individual (and, Nick isn't the only one) to personally profit from this thing that we do, putting the entire profession years away from getting the professional recognition it deserves. Saying it and doing it are two different things; one wishes someone @ NACHI would do the things that reflect actual professionalism, not just make sounds about it & call everyone that disagrees a scumbag.

Say what you want about the NHIE. At minimum, it is defensible as a fair & thoroughly researched mechanism for testing one's minimum knowledge base on the subject of home inspection. The NACHI test does not meet this minimum criteria.

[Les]

Jesse,

Good thoughts.

Have you noticed that "we" are not responding to Mike's invite to participate in writing a model educational program?

I have worked the educational side of inspection for several years and am still confused about what the working inspectors really want. If you make it simple, the middle people complain, if you make it a bit more thorough the newer and the more experienced folks complain. Most national orgs present education by "tracks"; it works because the person gets to chose. But the system, when examined, does not challenge the working inspector. ICC program is the exception and even that has it weak points.

It is driven by money mostly and a little by attempts to really educate inspectors, albeit usually to the standards of the particular national org.

I watched as three non-inspectors took NACHI on-line exam and all three passed.

I have also had experience with four working inspectors taking the NHIE and failing!

I really don't have the answer, but my reckoning is the NHIE may be more difficult. What ever that means.

There have been ventures into Home Inspection by various "Big Box" type companies. The reality is the liability vs profit does not justify the endeavor. Unless you know something I don't, we make a living and eat regularily but have no illusions about gitten rich!

This line of thinking might be analagous to the story about "The Emperor's New Clothes".

[kurt]

One of the more pathetically humorous ideas initially promoted in ASHI's "branding" program was having ASHI-ite's stand outside Le Depot de Maison wearing orange aprons, handing out pamphlets extolling the virtues of using an ASHI inspector. Yes, hard to believe, but our "leaders" had it in the pipeline when "branding" was still ascendant. I was the only one @ that particular Chapter Leadership Day to stand up and complain; the overwhelming majority of the ASHI members thought it was a good idea. Imagine, a bunch of HI's fluffing for the Big Box. Ouch.

We don't have to only worry about the Big Box; we have to worry about our own "professional" organizations and their bizarre ideas.

[Les]

Kurt,

I was in Chicago and also complained that day; there were four people that were vocal that particular day. In fact that was the meeting JD and me went outside to smoke and joke and I stuck my card under your windshield wiper - Kurt was parked in the Valet section approx 8' away from entrance so he could make an exit in a hurry! But, you are right the majority was in favor of it.

PREDICTION: one of the current inspection mills will align their service with a national real estate franchise and create in-house "inspectors". It is gonna happen! That is when the good inspectors will thrive, increase their prices, gain respect and become building consultants rather than inspectors. When that happens we will have something akin to HR Block and CPAs.

The problem with all national orgs is the folks that know what is happening in the field are the successful ones and mostly they are immune from the silliness.

[chicago]

since the topic has been opened again, I feel I've been biting my tongue long enough. In my opinion the purpose of these organizations such as A.S.H.I/ N.A.C.h.I/ N.A.H.I is not to control who gets to be and to does not get to be a home inspector. This role is something that the 50 states of the Union have an option to take care of. In Illinois we are licensed by the state ,it is their role. Let me also mention that I am a member of N.A.C.H.I and find support from my local chapter to be strong. The last time that I checked none of these organizations was passing out stock so I'm not sure why anyone would have a problem with one organization or another. I feel the biggest role of these organizations is to provide support and education much as this forum. It's all good. PS the main reason I decided to get into this occupation was the two idiots who seemed to know less than I did. One inspected the home we were selling the other inspected the home we were buying. Guess which association they were both affiliated with, it wasn't N.A.C.H.i

[kurt]

Originally posted by Les

Kurt,

I was in Chicago and also complained that day; there were four people that were vocal that particular day. In fact that was the meeting JD and me went outside to smoke and joke and I stuck my card under your windshield wiper - Kurt was parked in the Valet section approx 8' away from entrance so he could make an exit in a hurry! But, you are right the majority was in favor of it.

PREDICTION: one of the current inspection mills will align their service with a national real estate franchise and create in-house "inspectors". It is gonna happen! That is when the good inspectors will thrive, increase their prices, gain respect and become building consultants rather than inspectors. When that happens we will have something akin to HR Block and CPAs.

The problem with all national orgs is the folks that know what is happening in the field are the successful ones and mostly they are immune from the silliness.

I apologize. You know, now that you've reminded me, you're right. There were a couple guys that spoke against the idea. I'll restate....

I was the only one foaming at the mouth, yelling, and wanting to strangle our ED and the advertising moron he was in cahoots with.

And, I didn't park there because I wanted a quick exit; I parked there because I slipped the valet a fin to look the other way. I hate that damn hotel parking lot; I've lost my car in there on repeated occasions.

And, I agree completely w/your prediction; I'm surprised it hasn't happened already.

Chicago, this isn't about which org is "best". They all suck. And blow. This is about the tests. You're missing the point entirely.

Reread my comments about psychometrically validated testing, go online, read for a few hours, and then get back to us. The NHIE is academically and psychometrically valid, regardless of what anyone's personal opinions about it may be (including my own). The NACHI exam is not.

[Scottpat]

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[Les]

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