According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for construction and building inspectors is expected to grow at a rate of twelve percent between now and 2022 and the medial annual wage in 2012 was $53,450. Most work full-time, Monday to Friday hours, but you may find yourself busier during posting season.
To balance out the risks involved, home inspectors earn an average salary of anywhere between $50,000 and $64,000 per year with benefits for home inspectors employed privately or by the government including medical or health insurance, paid annual leave and a retirement plan.
How to Become a Home Inspector: take these 5 steps and work for YOURSELF.
- Build Your Skills.
- Research home inspector license requirements in your state.
- Study up with pre-licensing home inspection classes.
- Get a home inspection certification & get educated.
- Make sure you stay certified by getting Liability/E&O insurance.
The good news: Only a few states have laws about certifying felons as home inspectors, and it's only outright illegal in one. In most states, home inspector certifications are reviewed on a case-by-case basis, meaning you can become a home inspector with a felony as long as you fulfill other requirements.
A recent study completed by the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) and the National Association of Realtors (NAR) estimates that nearly
4.9 million home inspections were completed in the U.S. in 2000.
Existing Single Family Homes.
| Region | Total Sales | Approximate Number of Home Inspections |
|---|
| West | 1,362,000 | 1,127,100 |
Every state has different requirements to become a house inspector. Some states only require 60 hours of education; some require almost 200. Some require you to pass the national exam; some have their own exam for you to pass, too.
Did You Know? New York, New Jersey, Florida, Tennessee, Texas, Louisiana are the only states that require a mold removal license. Requirements for achieving a mold removal license: A qualified applicant is the only individual that can receive a license.
State-by-State Home Inspector Licensing Requirements (Map)
- Find Your State Requirements:
- Arizona. Home inspectors are regulated in Arizona with annual renewal.
- Arkansas. Inspectors are regulated in Arkansas.
- California. California home inspectors are not state regulated.
- Delaware. Home Inspectors in Delaware are regulated by the state.
- Hawaii.
- Iowa.
- Kansas.
15 things that fail a home inspection
- Ground sloping or draining toward the house.
- Problems with the foundation.
- Issues with plumbing and pipes.
- Leaks.
- Mold.
- Termite damage.
- Rotting wood.
- Electrical problems.
A real estate home inspector can insert a clause in his contract that limits his liability to the cost of the inspection. In other words, if he misses a problem, the most he can pay is the return of his fee. For one, many buyers will not hire an inspector who insists on such a clause.
Make sure your inspector is objective, independent and does not have any affiliation with the real estate agency selling the home. Choose an inspector who carries errors and omissions insurance. Take the time to speak with several inspectors and have confidence in their skills and demeanor.
When you find a house, we recommend you hire a thorough home inspector such as Prospec to inspect the condition of the home and provide you with a detailed report. Regardless if the purchase is a newly constructed home.
Getting employment as a home inspector is not always easy, however.
- Get a license.
- Become a member of a home inspectors association (see Resources).
- Diversify your business.
- Contact local real estate agents and lenders.
- Sing up at online home inspector sites.
- Advertise in local newspapers and the Yellow Pages.
Fortunately, there are some things you can do to prepare for the inspection.
- Provide open access to areas that need to be checked.
- Clear the perimeter.
- Check the roof.
- Keep a clean house.
- Replace any bulbs that are out.
- Make sure your toilets are functioning properly.
- Put in a fresh furnace return filter.
Home Inspections - Make Your Listing Stand Out | Zillow. Market data shows that sellers who conduct a pre-sale inspection receive more offers and close earlier. You can now upload your inspection to your listing on Zillow. Someone still has to pay for that inspection.
Questions Every Buyer Should Ask the Home Inspector After the Inspection
- Can you explain this to me?
- How big a problem is this?
- Do I need an expert to look at this problem?
- Is this problem normal?
- Can you advise me on things I should fix when I move into the home?
A Home Inspector is defined as an individual who is employed by one or more home inspection businesses to conduct home inspections. A Home Inspection means an opinion as to the condition of a dwelling based primarily on a non-invasive examination of readily accessible features and components of the dwelling.
If you work as an inspector for someone else's business, you can expect to work around 50 – 60 hours a week. As you can see in the schedule above, the days are long. You have to like the work you are doing to make it through a 13 hour day, every day of the week.
How Much a Home Inspector Makes. The average home inspector salary in the U.S. is about $58,000, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (bls.gov). You'll make about $450 bucks per inspection. You'll earn about 28 bucks per hour.
More often, the general home inspection happens first, and that puts you at risk of breathing in dangerous particles and gases. Exposure in one home might be nothing to worry about. But exposure can build up over many houses through the years.
Getting your home inspection certification requires a lot of education, testing, and hands on training. This is not to say that the process is difficult – it will simply take time and hard work to do it right.
Home Inspection Business Startup Costs:
Start-up costs will vary, but you can successfully start the business with as little as $500. On average, startup costs may be about $5,000-$8,0000.According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), jobs for all building and construction inspectors, which includes home inspectors, were expected to grow by 7% between 2018 and 2028 (). As of 2018, the average annual income for building and construction inspectors was $63,150.
A real estate broker can also be a home inspector. There is no prohibition against working in both industries. Some may consider it a conflict of interest, however, for a real estate broker to also perform the home inspection in the same transaction.
In most cases, the answer is yes, you can trust your real estate agent to refer a qualified, ethical home inspector. Often with years of industry experience, real estate agents typically know what to look for in a home inspector and which inspectors they can rely on them to provide great service for their clients.
As an independent, you'll need to find your own work and clients, but it can pay off handsomely—we found the average home inspector makes over $70,000 a year.
How to Become a Home Inspector in 8 Steps
- Confirm the Licensing Requirements in Your State.
- Increase Your Knowledge of Construction.
- Develop Your People Skills & Build Relationships.
- Find Courses & Training That Work for You.
- Pass Your State's Home Inspection Licensing Exam.
- Join ASHI.
- Choose Your Career Path.
- Never Stop Learning With CE Opportunities.
Job openings for Inspector
| Company | Average salary |
|---|
| NSW PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION Inspector 7 salaries | $106,201 per year |
| Victorian Building Authority Inspector 15 salaries | $103,331 per year |
| Your Building Inspector Inspector 7 salaries | $96,776 per year |
| Australian Maritime Safety Authority Inspector 5 salaries | $96,197 per year |
Top 6 Home Inspector Training Providers 2019
| Home Inspector Training | Best For |
|---|
| American Home Inspectors Training (AHIT) | (Best Overall) Inspectors who want top-notch training with lifetime support |
| Inspection Certification Associates (ICA) | Learners who prefer instructor-led courses, both in person and online |
An applicant for a home inspector license must: Complete a 72-hour on-site home inspector training course approved by the Commission. Pass the NHIE. Submit completed application and fee.
A home inspector will look at a house's HVAC system, interior plumbing and electrical systems, roof, attic, floors. windows and doors, foundation, basement and structural components, then provide a written report with results. Attend the inspection so you can explore your new home in detail and ask questions as you go.
Let's take a look at the steps you'll need to take to become a building inspector:
- Step 1: Obtain Postsecondary Education.
- Step 2: Obtain Work Experience.
- Step 3: Get Building Inspector Training.
- Step 4: Obtain Certification or Licensure.
- Step 5: Maintain Licensure or Certification.
- Step 6: Earn a Bachelor's Degree.
