Wow, another four weeks just passed us by. Today we completed another 120 hour fundamentals of home inspection training class and yet another 40 hours of field training. At this point in the course, the students are totally exhausted. The first three weeks they are mentally pummeled for 8 hours a day with relentless and very detailed minutia. Then, the final week, they have five inspections and, all together, that amounts to 40 hours out in the field. But, they are still not done. Because, after that, they have to go home to wherever they live and write the reports. These photos are among the last photos I will take of this group. They look pretty beat to me. Thanks for stopping by, Steven L. Smith
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Hey, how come that one guy is taking a nap?
I was kinda wondering the same thing. No sleeping on the job...
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My question is, while the classroom and field training are great, what are the skills that a prospective home inspector must bring to the training phase of licensing???
For instance, could a person, with no background in the building/construction/HVAC, elec, etc., trades get a license after the couse and passing the test???
Ah, the ever-comfy crawl space! They all seem to have the same infection on their faces, although in different spots. Is that typical to your area?
Someone should use those photos for advertising the glamorous and lucrative field of home inspection.
Len,
Yes they could. The course and licensing are minimum standards, as are almost all standards in a profession that requires testing. Once they get that license, whether they make it or not will depend on many things including their capability to do the job. Like a kid getting a first driver's license, they will be better at it after a couple years. And, just as a clarification, having seen many students go through the program, simply having a construction background is sometimes, but not always a plus. Often those from the construction background, having spent years pounding nails for example, have a harder learning curve on electrical, plumbing and HVAC than someone else who is scientifically inclined and often these people with less building background end up doing better and have more credibility in the field if they are more detail oriented because they document, write and communicate better than the other guy who spent a life at building sites. Who will be good and who will not in the field often has less to do with building experience than intellect and enthusiasm to learn. Inspecting is not building, very different.
Steve, aside from your paying me to agree with you :) ----I would add that as a builder for over 33 years I completely agree with you.
Jim, I am well aware of the "glamorous" part of the job---the "lucrative" part still eludes me :)
Maybe things are more lucrative in Connecticut, Charlie. You have to bring your own glamor to the job though.