| If you research the home inspection industry, you'll | | | | and an extension ladder for the outside. You may |
| find that there is no shortage of home inspection | | | | already own a ladder but if you don't, price them, |
| training schools. Some home inspection training | | | | they are not inexpensive. There are other tools you'll |
| school's advertise that you can make seventy to one | | | | need to make the job easier and faster, they all cost |
| hundred thousand dollars a year and more. You could | | | | money and nothing is inexpensive. You also must |
| in a perfect world. The training is usually adequate | | | | have a van or truck. |
| and they will prep you to take and pass the state | | | | Assuming that you've met all the above criteria and |
| certification tests, take you out on mock home | | | | bought your tools, your ready to move forward with |
| inspections. Home Inspection training/school is | | | | your business. What's next? This is the toughest part |
| expensive. | | | | of starting a home inspection business, Marketing. |
| Many new home inspectors I've talked too have said | | | | Getting your business out there. If you have really |
| that these schools rarely ever touch on or discuss | | | | close friends that are Real Estate Agents, this would |
| the subject of what it could cost to start a home | | | | be very helpful, but you probably don't. Home |
| inspection business. They say that they do touch on | | | | Inspection Is a Target Specific Market. Home |
| some basics though, it can be a home based | | | | Inspection services are specific to mostly home |
| business, there is no overhead and not many tools | | | | buyers and sellers. How often do people buy a |
| are needed to start. | | | | house? Once every 5 or 10 yrs? Here are some |
| Most states now, require that home inspectors be | | | | marketing strategies that new home inspectors |
| State Certified. I base the following on the State of | | | | usually do. |
| Nevada, your state may differ. | | | | Yellow Page Advertising. The cost for an add can be |
| Before you take your state test, you must be finger | | | | anywhere from $150 to $1000 a month for a yellow |
| printed and background checked. You must pay for | | | | pages ad. It's a big waste of time and money. Hardly |
| this out of your own pocket. Then you take the | | | | anyone uses a phone book anymore. Brochures and |
| State test if you pass the background. You must | | | | business cards. The business cards are a must. The |
| pay to take the test out of your pocket too. There's | | | | brochures will cost you an arm and a leg to be |
| a fee that you must pay to take the test. After all | | | | printed, then you'll have to distribute them. You'll have |
| the above is done and assuming you've passed the | | | | to drive around to hundreds of Realtor offices (fuel |
| state test, you must submit all the above results to | | | | costs) and ask if you can leave some next to the |
| the state to get your certification. There is a | | | | other one hundred or so home inspectors brochures |
| certification fee, the application fee that you must | | | | already there. |
| pay to the State to submit it. I can't say what the | | | | You can give a presentation to the real estate |
| dollar amounts are because every state is probably | | | | agents in the various real estate offices you visit, |
| different but they are not going to be inexpensive. | | | | giving them the same speech that all the other one |
| Here are some more costs that you'll have to pay to | | | | hundred or so home inspectors have pitched to them |
| get your state certification. Usually, to get your state | | | | before you. What can you possibly tell them that |
| certification, you'll have to submit proof of insurance | | | | they haven't already heard so that they will use you? |
| with your application to the state. E & O Error and | | | | They probably will care less about you and what you |
| Omissions & General Liability insurance. The E & O is | | | | have to say, but they'll be happy to gobble down |
| usually around $2200 to $2500 for new | | | | your free doughnuts, cupcakes and cookies. They'll |
| inspectors.General Liability varies. Then there is the | | | | probably never remember or use you either. The |
| business licenses, County license and any cities within | | | | doughnuts, cupcakes and cookie cost alone will |
| that county jurisdiction. You must have a business | | | | bankrupt you. |
| license from each city to work in them and the a | | | | Your going to need a website and hosting because it |
| license from the county. | | | | is your best bet for Marketing. This is costly if you |
| Assuming that you've payed all the thousands of | | | | want a decent website. Are you going to design your |
| dollars involved and you have your state certificate, | | | | own or hire a website designer? Hiring a web |
| insurance, licenses, what about the tools you'll need? | | | | designer is expensive. Usually thousand's of dollars. |
| A pencil, writing pad and flashlight aren't all that's | | | | Assuming you get an active website, what now? Sit |
| needed. You really need a report writing software | | | | back and wait for the phone calls and emails to come |
| program to do the reports. These cost anywhere | | | | rolling in? You'll be waiting a long time. Your website is |
| from $250 to $1300 dollars or more. Some home | | | | just not going to appear on Google, Yahoo or MSN |
| inspectors use a laptop tablet computer to do on site | | | | Bing's search pages. It doesn't work that way |
| reports. Tablet computers are expensive. You'll need | | | | anymore. You'll need to have your website Search |
| ladders, a good step ladder for breaching the attics | | | | Engine Optimized (SEO) or nobody will ever find you. |