Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Get news alerts on home inspection services

Set up a separate email account to get email alerts, RSS feeds and industry newsletters that will send you news as it happens, the latest trend pieces and information about what the major industry players are up to. Check this email daily so you don't miss out on important news.

I recommend: Keep up with the news found through the forums and news feeds at Inspection News. Inspect America brings you headlines about the home inspecting industry from around the country.

Join building inspection groups

Association with other professionals in the same field will provide you with an inside track to news, often before it hits the press. Get involved with your trade association and take advantage of the networking opportunities to develop relationships as well as the group's newsletters and communication vehicles.

I recommend: Get news, informational articles and thoughtful blogs from the Inspectors Journal. Look for interesting pieces of information that you can use to identify trends affecting your business through the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors.

Read about the latest online building inspections news

Take time to read in-depth reports and magazines that cover the industry further than the headlines. Often the best information that can help drive your own business decisions comes from investigative reporting and research articles that take a deeper look into industry issues.

I recommend: Go to Inman News for a compilation of the latest news in one place. The Allied Home Inspection School provides a running list of headlines to keep students and interested professionals updated on the news affecting the industry.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Encourage your staff to read publications and websites that can bring even more news about home inspection services. Make it fun by giving a prize to the team member who comes up with the best news tidbit each month.

Guide to Starting a Home Inspection Business

How to start a successful business in the home inspection information industry

By G Taylor

1. Locating training programs for building inspectors.
2. Choosing professional affiliation within the home inspection community.
3. Comparing home inspection software.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Prepare to get a home inspection license or certificate

State requirements for home inspection businesses vary by state. Most states require home inspection licenses that are awarded after an exam.

I recommend: Check the laws of the state where you want to begin your business. Enroll in a trade school that offers a home inspection program as a part of a larger real estate major. Some states allow you to get your certification online from a distance-learning school. Other states require that you attend a home inspection training program in person.

Associate with the professionals

You may know everything there is to know about home inspection but without verifiable certification, you won't have the credentials that open doors. Although there is no single national organization that determines building inspection practices, many independent governing bodies oversee and regulate their members.

I recommend: Join the National Association of Home Inspectors (NAHI) or sign on with the National Academy of Building Inspection Engineers (NABIE) if you’re a licensed engineer. If you plan to take your career overseas, contact the International Society of Home Inspectors (ISHI) for information on becoming certified to offer home inspection services in other parts of the world.

Compare home inspection software

The days of recording long detailed lists of every mechanical defect found during the home inspection are over. Today, home inspection report software offers the building inspector predetermined categories where he chooses from multiple-choice options. Individual comments customize the report back in the office. With so many options on the market it's important to compare home inspection software.

I recommend: InspectMaster offers building inspectors a range of report options and includes easy access to building codes. Try HomeGauge when you want a mobile PC program with voice recognition to record your observations and turn them into text. If you’re happy recording the home inspection information on paper, try Home Inspection Report Creator for presentation purposes.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Designate a space solely for your home inspection business. It may be a large office in a strip mall or a corner of your basement, as long as you can keep all your information in one place.
• •  Take out a listing in your local business directory under providers of home inspection information.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Look for training from building inspectors websites

While you are job hunting, or doing your regular research to compare home inspection software, keep an eye out for the trends that are leading the industry to point you to the training that you need to meet the demands of the times. Consider the requirements of the home inspection software jobs you might like to pursue and find out what certificates or training you can get to make yourself a desirable candidate.

I recommend: Get complete online training to become a pro at the Professional Home Inspection Institute. Find local classes or enroll online to get the certifications and training you need from the American Home Inspectors Training Institute.

Join home inspection associations for training

Most trade associations offer continuing education and professional development courses for their members. Some groups can guide you to special certification courses that will help you advance your career while offering events and meetings at which you can meet other professionals and find out about other training options.

I recommend: Make important contacts while taking advantage of the many training and certification courses through the National Association of Home Inspectors. There are a number of good courses you also can take as a member of the National Association of Certified Home Inspectors.

Find out information about home inspection report software from a mentor

Whether you can relate to a good manager who might take you on for mentoring, or you seek out a professional in a trade group or other professional association, follow the advice when you're pointed to special training opportunities. Often a designation or degree can make all the difference when you are looking to advance.

I recommend: Kaplan offers a complete line of home inspection information and courses that will help you in your career advancement. The American Society of Home Inspectors offers member a number of training opportunities.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Talk to your employer about what kinds of building inspector training they will either pay or reimburse you for, including membership fees in trade associations.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Exclusions

Exclusions are areas of the house that are not required to be reported during a home inspection. Some exclusions require a specially licensed inspector for the job. Exclusions will vary according to local and state building codes.

I recommend: The Home Buying Guide from The Boston Globe provides information on the types of exclusions for home inspections in Massachusetts.

Authority having jurisdiction (AHJ)

The authority having jurisdiction is an individual, company or other organization that is responsible for enforcing building codes and standards on a construction project.

I recommend: Parsons Electric provides advice on working with the AHJ of a building project when it comes to installing network cables.

Building permit

A building permit is written authorization for a building to be constructed or renovated. The permit is issued by a municipal, county or state government and is specific to the project outline described in the permit application.

I recommend: The City of Knoxville, TN provides answers to frequently asked questions about building codes, permits and inspection procedures.

Certified home inspector

A certified home inspector is a professional that has earned the designation administered through a federal certification standards organization.

I recommend: The American Society of Home Inspectors provides the standards of practice that all certified home inspectors must know and follow.

International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI)

The International Association of Certified Home Inspectors is a nonprofit organization that brings together home inspectors across the world. InterNACHI provides networking opportunities and information resources for its members.

I recommend: Read more about member benefits on the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors' website.

National Electrical Code (NEC)

The National Electric Code is a set of rules created to govern wiring methods during construction. Local codes and national codes are not always the same, but local codes should be the basis for any inspection.

I recommend: Codebook City provides tips on how to read and interpret the many parts of the National Electrical Code.