| In response to a flood of inquiries about
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| | perfect time to start taking steps toward
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| pursuing a home inspection career and
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| | a challenging and rewarding career in
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| starting a home inspection company, we
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| | home inspection!
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| offer the following information and also
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| | How would you define a home inspection?
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| encourage you to join ASHI.
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| | A home inspection is a documented
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| Home Inspection Opportunities
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| | professional opinion of a home based on a
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| Ever since home inspection first came on
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| | visual evaluation and operational testing
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| the real estate scene in the mid-1970s,
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| | of the home systems and components to
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| consumer demand for the service has been
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| | determine their present condition.
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| growing rapidly. Home inspection is a
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| | What does a home inspector do all day?
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| young and growing professional consulting
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| | A typical home inspector spends his or
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| service aimed at helping homebuyers make
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| | her day inspecting homes for buyers,
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| the biggest financial decision of their
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| | writing reports, speaking with
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| lives. The consumer movement has spawned
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| | prospective clients, and marketing to
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| a new breed of savvy and demanding buyers
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| | consumers or real estate agents. Let's
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| who want to know all they can about their
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| | look at a typical home inspection: A
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| potential homes before making their final
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| | client or real estate agent calls and
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| decisions. As a result, the opportunity
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| | books an inspection. In many cases, the
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| is there for you to become an ASHI home
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| | client has bought the home conditional on
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| inspector.
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| | the results of a home inspection. When
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| The Market is There for You to Become a
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| | the inspection is booked, the fee will
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| Home Inspector
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| | have been set ($250 to $500 is common).
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| While the numbers continue to grow, the
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| | The inspector may have sent the contract
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| American Society of Home Inspectors
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| | to the client by e-mail or fax detailing
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| (ASHI) estimates that 77 percent of the
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| | the scope of work, often defined by the
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| homes sold in the United States and
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| | ASHI Standards of Practice. Most
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| Canada today are inspected prior to
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| | inspectors invite the client to attend
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| purchase. This means that the market is
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| | the inspection.
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| still underserved and that the remaining
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| | When the inspector and client arrive at
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| growth potential is considerable. This
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| | the inspection the contract is signed (if
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| trend leaves room for many to become a
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| | this has not been done earlier by fax or
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| home inspector and construct a home
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| | e-mail). The inspector explains the
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| inspection career, or even begin a home
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| | process and begins the inspection. An
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| inspection company.
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| | inspection may last from two to three
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| While the market determines what a home
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| | hours under normal circumstances. The
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| inspector can charge for an inspection,
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| | inspector looks at the roof and the
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| ASHI’s 2005 Home Inspection Business
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| | building exterior, including the garage.
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| Operations Study shows that the average
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| | Inspectors will explain the findings to
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| cost of a home inspection is $318— and
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| | the client as they go, describing the
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| inspectors can expect to earn gross
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| | building condition and any improvements
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| revenues of more then $75,000.
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| | that may be recommended. The inspection
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| Even more, home inspectors with talent
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| | continues inside the home and includes
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| and ambition can expand their business
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| | any basement or crawlspace, the living
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| services to include commercial
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| | spaces, and any accessible attic or roof
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| inspections and expert witness testimony.
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| | spaces. Inspectors frequently offer tips
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| Radon, lead-based paint, septic systems
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| | for operating and maintaining the home as
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| and indoor air testing are just a few of
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| | they go, (e.g. explaining how to turn off
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| the services that home inspectors can
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| | water and power in an emergency, how and
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| provide for additional fees. The
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| | when to change furnace filters, etc.).
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| financial investment and overhead needed
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| | At the end of the inspection, the
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| to run a home inspection business are
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| | inspector and client review the findings.
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| small compared to other businesses,
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| | Some inspectors prepare and deliver their
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| making this a lucrative small business
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| | written report on site, while other
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| opportunity.
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| | inspectors write the report, based on
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| Do you have what it takes to be a
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| | their field notes, after the inspection.
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| successful home inspector?
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| | The inspection report is delivered
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| Are you the kind of person who
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| | quickly to the client, often within 24
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| Doesn't want to be tied to a desk all
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| | hours, because the real estate
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| day,
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| | transaction hangs in the balance. The
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| Has a desire to run a small business,
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| | client often pays the inspection fee
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| Is interested in construction and how
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| | onsite, and it is not unusual for the
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| things work,
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| | client to say something like, "That is
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| Has a technical mind and likes to figure
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| | the best money that I have ever spent."
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| things out,
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| | Most inspectors perform up to three
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| Is organized and clear-thinking,
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| | inspections in a day. The inspector keeps
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| Enjoys meeting and helping people, and
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| | a copy of the report on file and
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| Is willing to learn and take initiative?
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| | processes the inspection fee payment,
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| If that sounds like you, then now is the
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| | back at the office.
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