How To Become a Home Inspector
If you have an interest in construction, pay sharp attention to detail, and want to use your skills to help protect people’s safety and financial investments, you might wonder how to become a home inspector. When people purchase homes to live in, they want to make sure that the house is in acceptable condition for the price. Home inspectors are the professionals who examine houses, inside and out, during the purchasing process.
A home inspection requires a complete evaluation of a house, inside and out. Home inspectors may assess the condition of townhomes, condominiums, and other residential buildings as well as detached houses. They ensure that the house meets building codes and examine the condition and safety of the house’s structural foundation and walls, roof and plumbing and electrical systems. Some home inspectors provide additional services, such as checking the quality of air or water in the house. Typically, a home inspector will spend between two and four hours at the property, performing the inspection, and then work to compile a detailed written report. To make the report as precise as possible, home inspectors typically take specific notes about the home systems during the inspection. Some home inspectors even take photographs during their work to include in these reports.
Typically, the purchasers of a home hire a home inspector to examine the house prior to completing the sale. Certain lenders and funding programs require buyers to have a home inspection completed before the sale, while other buyers voluntarily opt for a home inspection to ensure that they are making a sound financial investment in purchasing the house. In some occasions, the seller of the home, rather than the buyer, arranges the home inspection. This allows sellers to know about and repair problems before finding a buyer, boosting the value of the home.
Home inspectors learn much of their trade through on-the-job training, often by working with seasoned professionals over a period that can range from one month to a full year. Aspiring home inspectors may be able to enter the field with simply a high school diploma and minimal related work experience, but experience and higher education can improve candidates’ career opportunities. For example, candidates may earn certificates or associate’s degrees from community colleges upon studying home and building inspection.
Home inspectors are often self-employed, earning their wages on a per-job basis rather than a set salary. To gain a competitive edge over other home inspectors, these professionals often chose to earn certification from a professional organization such as the American Society of Home Inspectors as well as obtaining any licenses required by the state in which they work. For aspiring home inspectors with the right credentials, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics expects opportunities to increase. If you have the observational skills to detect problems within houses and an interest in the real estate industry, knowing how to become a home inspector could be the start of a rewarding new career.
