| Prior construction experience is a great | | | | decay* central heating systems, including |
| asset - either in renovation, construction, | | | | heat loss/gain* space heating, including |
| or trade-related experience such as | | | | fireplaces, wood stoves & chimneys* central |
| electrician, plumber etc. - or as a quantity | | | | air conditioning* roofing systems* exteriors, |
| surveyor, construction estimator, trades | | | | including landscaping* interiors, including |
| coordinator, or as a professional architect | | | | insulation and ventilation* environmental and |
| or engineer.An architect or an engineer is | | | | safety issuesWith or without prior |
| not automatically a good home inspector. | | | | experience, the prospective home inspector |
| These are disciplines that deal with very | | | | usually starts by reading about, and getting |
| specialized and specific areas of buildings, | | | | involved with the parts of the house he or |
| whereas professional home inspectors are | | | | she is not already familiar with.There have |
| generalists, observing and understanding all | | | | been until recently, only a few private (and |
| the components in a building - and the | | | | very expensive) schools of home inspection, |
| relationships between different components | | | | and the content is frequently lacking. One |
| and component systems.The general categories | | | | way to start preliminary evaluation of a |
| are:* electrical* plumbing* foundations, | | | | career in home inspection might be with a |
| basements and structures* insects, vermin and | | | | correspondence course. |