resources

[greyboy39]

Hey im new to the inspectors journal and first of all just want to say I appreciate all who contribute and am sure this will be an invaluable resource for me for some time to come. I've been licensed in South Dakota going on 3 yrs now and have just recently been able to really get my business up and running for various reasons. Fact is I havent been able to keep up on everything as good as I might have wished for this time, and to tell you the truth especially after viewing the various forums and discussions on TIJ am feeling a bit overwhelmed at the amount of reconnection Im goin to have to do with the profession. To get to the point is there an all in one comprehensive piece of literature that anyone might recommend for me to really put myself back in the loop with everything. I know there is abundance of information out there and i could spend thousands of dollars finding out the same information I could hopefully find in one or two places. thanks

[Jim Katen]

. . . To get to the point is there an all in one comprehensive piece of literature that anyone might recommend for me to really put myself back in the loop with everything. . . .

No.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[Brandon Whitmore]

Welcome.

The most valuable resource would be your local building code book if you want an all inclusive resource with correct and up to date info.

Go to the Engineered Wood Association and National Roofing Contractors Association to read all of their free documents available on- line. (AFPA.org/ NRCA.net).

Last but not least, look at TIJ's library-- there's tons of useful info.

[Mark P]

Welcome

Recommended reading / reference material and building your HI library have been discussed on this site numerous times with many great suggestions. Do some searching on this site and you'll find it. You really have to build a libary of reference material.

Here are a few that I can see from where I’m sitting now:

All the “Code Checkâ€

[greyboy39]

hey i appreciate it guys ....especially the extensive elaboration from jim [:-yawn]

[Chris Bernhardt]

. . . To get to the point is there an all in one comprehensive piece of literature that anyone might recommend for me to really put myself back in the loop with everything. . . .

No.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

Chris,

Jim Katen gave you the short answer; I'll expound. There is none.

Can you be more specific as to what areas you want to bone up on?

Chris, Oregon

[John Dirks Jr]

There is quite a bit of home inspection specific information at the following link. The search block at the top right can be handy.

http://www.inspectapedia.com/

[Marc]

If I had one book that had everything I needed to know about the Home Inspection profession, I'd be too rich to have to work as an inspector.

It does bring up a good question, though: What would the syllabus of a thorough and extensive course in Home Inspection look like?

Marc

[greyboy39]

I was being facetious in calling out jim i understand there is not one so to speak bible of home inspecting, the major areas i beleive i need to brush up on are electrical and probably structural code.

[Erby]

Now lighten up y'all. Jim was just "getting to the point"!

-

[John Dirks Jr]

Chris,

Since most inspection reports include writing, punctuation and grammar are important.

You should spend some time polishing up your skills in those.

[Tom Raymond]

It does bring up a good question, though: What would the syllabus of a thorough and extensive course in Home Inspection look like?

Marc

If there was a good answer to that the licensing courses and CE would be far better than they are. On occasion we joke about calling for the "Licensed Hairdresser" but to be honest most of them are required to do more initial training for their license than we are.

Tom

[hausdok]

Quote: Originally posted by Marc

It does bring up a good question, though: What would the syllabus of a thorough and extensive course in Home Inspection look like?

Marc

Hi,

Two people I know were working on something like that. Ezra Malernee was designing a two-year college curriculum for his end-of-course project at a college in........Kentucky, I think it was; and John Bouldin was doing something similar - albeit for a 4 year degree - in pursuit of his PHD down at Virginia Tech in Blackburg, VA.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Chris Bernhardt]

I was being facetious in calling out jim i understand there is not one so to speak bible of home inspecting, the major areas i beleive i need to brush up on are electrical and probably structural code.

Douglas Hansen's book, "Electrical Inspection of Existing Dwellings" is a must have, and then the current NEC or whatever version your area uses.

As far as structural for prescriptive stuff, I would have a copy of the building code and any manufacturer's installation instructions for engineered products commonly used in your area.

If they offer code classes at a community college near you, they can be very enlightening. If they offer an engineering class for building inspectors, I would definitely take that one.

Chris, Oregon

[Les]

Chris,

Most everything mentioned above is good. Pay attention to your communication skills. Learn to write in your own words. Be concise.

I think the most important thing to learn and study is your thought processes. Learn to think like an inspector. I worry that reading, and applying, all the code stuff makes the job science and does not let the art come through. This job is art and science; not one or the other.

[greyboy39]

Again, thank you all for your input. To Chris, it is no great revelation that my punctuation and grammar is in need of an overhaul. Hopefully having discussions with all of you going forward will assist me in this aspect. All of you seem to be the tip of the sword. cheers

[greyboy39]

If anyone is revisiting this post, I would be interested to know what initial education you were required to obtain, and what it took beyond that to aquire the comfort level necessary to embark on your first home inspections.

[John Dirks Jr]

Being uncomfortable is part of getting into it. It will take some time for that.

I'm approaching the 100 mark for inspections. I'm getting more confident a but still not always totally comfortable.

[Brandon Whitmore]

If anyone is revisiting this post, I would be interested to know what initial education you were required to obtain, and what it took beyond that to aquire the comfort level necessary to embark on your first home inspections.

Oregon has basically given a point value for education, construction experience, coursework, etc. Once a person meets the min. number of points required, they must take and pass a test to become a certified home inspector. In my opinion acquiring enough points and passing the test(s) does not make one a competent home inspector, just a barely legal one.

I'd say I wasn't fairly comfortable doing inspections for maybe the first three hundred or so. On second thought, it was probably many more than that.

[Darren]

If there was a good answer to that the licensing courses and CE would be far better than they are. On occasion we joke about calling for the "Licensed Hairdresser" but to be honest most of them are required to do more initial training for their license than we are.

Tom

They just had this discussion on the radio this week. Hairdressers (barbers) were bitching because they need to do 1500 hrs of schooling before they can become licensed. That's 10 times what a home inspector is required to do.

[resqman]

110 hours to become an EMT. 110 hours to save someones life. Paramedic is 2000.

North Carolina is trying to implement a pre-licensing training program requireing 120-150 hours for home inspectors to replace the existing 100 inspections under the watchful eye of a licensed inspector.

Turns out the state was approving apprentices living 2-3 hours away from the licensed inspector. Someone pointed out the mentoring and watchful eye may not be that detailed. To counter that system, the proposal is to remove the apprentice program and implement a ~150 hour training program which may include up to 40 hours of field inspections.