There is so much critical comments on here but I am so glad to find one of the first female inspectors on RU-vid. Very few women in the profession and I’m getting license to do this. Thanks for sharing
I would like to know how it is going. I have been going to school for my real estate license but decided I also want to get certified as a real estate inspector but being a woman I'm a little concerned if I would find work. I need a career which is a guarantee.. I don't want to have to compete because of my gender
I’ve graduated with a bachelors architecture but I realized that career is not for me, I’m more of a hands on person. I don’t see myself being behind a desk my whole life. I’ll be trying this career change. I live in Minnesota which doesn’t require any testing or certification but that won’t stop me from taking online courses and becoming a house inspector. This is my dream and I’ll make sure to put in the work and effort while learning.
If you're anywhere near Minneapolis, you should reach out to Rueben Salzman with StructureTech; he's a dynamic person and a very successful home inspector. He'd be happy to fill you in on Minnesota's rules! structuretech.com/
I wouldn't jump to the conclusion that she is successful at her home inspection career. She could be a. Instructor,or endorser,... She could even just be trying to get paid for RU-vid by having subscribers and views on videos ,her herself aren't even interested in lol, don't be easily influenced, learn from the video but don't jump to conclusions about the host.
Nice to have some clarity. These are questions we home inspectors get and always glad to see a female in the field. This is a great couple and they do good work.
🤯 Several people suggested I do this after I lost my job...2 years ago. I've been recovering from a 2018 auto accident. This is timely, informative and encouraging!!!
My friend used to do home inspections about 10 years ago, he used to tell me all kinds of stories. Owners would patch up houses just to sell them, trying to hide all kinds of things. He worked for Unispec inspections and in a bad year made $200k. He's not doing that anymore, retired to Mexico a few years ago....
Was he jerkin his clients in the laundry room?? I don't know how my grip would hold up after 120k extra in handies. I used to be an ice cream man, on a bad year I pulled around 302k but depends on the tariffs.on fudge pops.
What a great video! Straight and too the point by someone who’s been in the business. I actually learned a lot watching this. I’m hoping to be hired on by a company I applied to, so I can be a home inspector, too. Thank you for the advise!
Great video. InterNACHI member since 2015. Keep up the good work. I love when I see women in the trade. I worked with plumbers, carpenters,electrician many good trade women.
I've been a home inspector for over 20 years and getting the phone to ring and get a good amount of consistent work is still the hardest thing to overcome. Say what you want but that is the biggest hurtle of all and a pretty darn big one at that. Some people are much better at it then others but you have to figure out if your that guy/gal or not. Personally I hate marketing with a passion and even with internet advertising its still hard as heck and costly. I have known quite a few women inspectors and in fact when I first stated looking into it a girl helped me out and took me on several of my first inspections way back in 2000. She is still at it today too.
You put this together very well! I hired the first female as a electrician at my home town. Talk about a adventure! She ended up being the highest paid electrician at that town! Yes!
My cameras are my most important tools. DSLR with a variety of lenses, 360 camera for documenting conditions room by room, Flir Thermal Camera, and the Iphone camera used to build the report. I took over 200 pictures during an inspection.
Thank you for this video! I'm only 17 and looking into this because I'm trying to find what to study in college and this sounds really interesting! But I would probably be only 19, and still a girl when I start looking for a job and I'm afraid no one will take me seriously!!! You say the market is good but I'm still worried people will hate on me and think I am unqualified if I don't have construction experience. Previously I was considering becoming a dental hygienist but that actually sounds too boring and physically taxing (yes you can get serious back problems from being bent over like that, and carpal tunnel)
I don't know. I grew up on a job site. Worked for a GC for about 8 years doing various tasks. Before that I was one of the lead maintenance men for a vacation resort at the beach. I also ran my own property maintenance business for 5 years before taking my home inspector courses at the age of 40. Having some kind of background in construction/maintenance might not be necessary but it will make you better than the rest who don't. It just will
Agreed! I’m a Construction Engineer, 11 years flood and restoration Project Management, 6 years Home Warranty inspector, 2 years Roofing Project Manager/Estimator, 2 years Construction Site Superintendent and Asbestos/Mold certified. Just started my own home inspection business at 50, didn’t feel I was ready for the huge responsibility until my experience was at a level I was comfortable with. Kickin ass now though!
Not true at all. Some of the worst home inspectors Ive met have been former contractors/construction guys. To be a great inspector, you need attention to detail, patience, a wide understanding of all the home's components, excellent written and verbal communication skills, and a desire and willingness to continually learn and sharpen your skills and knowledge base. Being a former construction guy guarantees NONE of that. One of the best inspectors I ever encountered was a waiter before he got into inspections and was completely green when he started inspection training. I think your assessment is very short sighted and overlooks the true qualifications that separate the bad inspectors from the good/great inspectors.
@@benjaminschwartz1242 My statement is true to some degree. Calling it not true at all just because you've met some bad ones is ridiculous. You're applying the variables of people who have a terrible work ethic and a lack of pride in their work. That's completely off base from what I was talking about. I've met some terrible inspectors both with or without a background in maintenance/construction too. I never said having that background will nullify a lack of work ethic or pride in your work
I’m starting a home inspection certificate at Carroll community college September 11 th and I’m glad I came across this video I’m glad I saw it it informed me a lot thanks
Thank you very much for the video,am just watching your video,very educative,encouraging because an currently a student undergoing Home Inspection Course.I love the words of encouragement.
I really appreciate the time you put into this video. Currently in the banking profession and have been researching becoming a home inspector and your video answered alot of questions. Thank you!
Loved the video but the only suggestion I would make is a Lavalier Lapel Microphone because I had a such a hard time listening with only one ear .. glad I found this video because I know a little more into my career choice
I was thinking about getting my license but then my mom said she doesn't think I'll be able to handle the Attics a crawl spaces because it comes with a lot of pest, dead rats/mices and feces. So now I am rethinking it.
While I do see all of that, it’s not really that often. Rodent feces are the most common, but I wear a respirator. Unless you are phobic about things like spiders, or freak out at spotting a snake skin, you get used to it. When I started, I was sure I would panic in attics or crawl spaces, but quickly found out I was made of sterner stuff than I imagined. So go for it; you’ll never know your strength until you try!
Thank you for doing this video, Miss Sisson; you've been very helpful. If I lived in Maryland, I would take your class; but unfortunately, I have only online courses available to me here in Mississippi. Could you recommend a good provider of online course study? They're nearly all accepted by my state.
I was just thinking how cool it is a woman is doing this video and then you said it, haha. I’m a woman and very interested in tools and home repair and I think this may be a good career move for me.
@@Luis-xr6ec did u sign up w them ? Make sure ur account is fully canceled. They will change it back to approved and start sending u " opportunity leads " to confuse u and run up ur card. U have to tell them to fully cancel and no opportunity leads. They r reall sneaky w that. Good luck my friend
@@km-nq4tj Yes I did! They charged $60 every time a customer simply inquired rather than accepted the job. Even after leaving them they still would charge. You don’t make money with home advisor at all!
Informative. We are always looking for well trained and equipped home inspectors. Men or Women. Construction experience is prefered but not required. In So Cal. Just give us a google.
I agree! How many jobs let you go into a huge variety of homes and find all the weird stuff that's wrong with them? Not to mention freaking people out when you come out of a crawl space covered in cobwebs and carrying a shed snakeskin!
I don't have the safety equipment to climb a roof like that. I'm not a roofer and don't have roofer's insurance. Our insurance policy limits us to a 17-foot ladder, which will get me to a point 14 feet off the ground.
Great point and I would add that every training course states that you are not required to climb on roofs, geez every Home inspector wants to be a hero just buy a drone most of the defects on the roofs are dead obvious
aaand to inspect a car for road worthyness all ya need is a good class, the class should go for at least a couple hours, after that your good to go, no need for those pesky years of experience in the mechanical field, no sir... one class and your all set!
@27AlexN Actually a good comparison @John John. There is more one learns from doing inspections, knowing construction methods, engineering physics, and being around other inspectors than you can get out of the best training classes. Would you hire a nurse who just graduated to operate on you??? Good luck with that.
Unless you are a very good general contractor you wouldn’t have the breadth of knowledge required to be a home inspector from just working in the construction industry. A drywaller doesn’t know about electrical systems. A roofer doesn’t know about HVAC systems. A plumber doesn’t know about foundations, etc. A home inspector doesn’t necessarily need to know how to build a truss, how to pull wire for electrical, how to plumb a kitchen sink, or whatever - they only need the have enough expertise to identify problems during a visual inspection. In depth knowledge of each system of a house is not required but a good, broad understanding of each system is needed. You can get that from about 150 hours of training.
Nice video. Leaving a sales job at a national bus dealership to become an inspector. I absolutely hate sitting at a desk and know 100% that I will Love this new profession.
Do you find that real estate company’s won’t call you back after you their present prospective home buyers with a real honest report? My realtor recommended a home inspector to me which I found out latter was his buddy. After getting into the house I found out that the inspection report failed to mention important findings. I think that was pretty shady on their part.
It doesn't bother us, to be honest. We don't market to real estate agents; our business comes from referrals from previous clients, a great website, and also from agents who want the best for their clients. Our reports are thorough, but fair, and we take the time to explain the significance and implications of the conditions we find.
Most Realtors have their favorite inspectors which they will offer to you. Certainly check them out for their thoroughness and online reviews. But getting a referral from someone who has previously used a home inspector is the best way to choose one. (Even though I'm an inspector, we chose Ms. Bob when we bought our most recent home.) About 10% if my business now is inspecting a home once someone has moved in and found that the inspector they hired did a poor job.
0:53 Regarding tools, do you carry a level, to check decks, gutter slope, concrete grade, etc? What about a moisture meter? Thermal camera? Just curious, because I've seen home inspectors catch otherwise invisible problems with tools like these. Oh, and what about a camera?
The more I think about it, the more I want to call BS on this video. Does she carry a non-contact voltage meter? An outlet wiring checker? If not, then as an untrained home buyer, I did a far more thorough inspection than she could have possibly done (and found one wing of the house wired without ground, among other things!)
Of course I carry more tools; all I was showing was the bare bones basics. I also have a moisture meter, thermal camera, non-contact voltage sniffer, gas sniffer, pressure gauge, GFCI tester, two ladders, respirator, binoculars, an ice pick (to probe for rot), story pole to check heights (quicker than a measuring tape), wood block to test garage doors, box cutter to cut paint from around panel deadfronts and attic scuttles... and yes, a camera.
1:00 To quote the video verbatim, "You actually only need four tools to do a Maryland home inspection. One of them is a one-story ladder. You also need a good flashlight. You need a simple circuit tester, and a screwdriver. That's all you need." That section is misleading at best (because you can get away with just those four tools to do a substandard inspection that somehow satisfies the Maryland requirements?), or total bullshit at worst. As you said, you carry many more than those four tools. This section of the video does not help your business, it may well hurt you, implying that you do substandard work. Consider replacing it with material that better illustrates your capabilities and experience.
I am taking a class right now for home inspections and it told me the exact same thing she told me. She is just passing the information onto others. She never talked about her own business doing this. It would be more of a mistake for someone to imply such a thing.
Balsy video Bob and Welmoed. Thank GOD there are more female inspectors coming aboard. You two are a great team...one of the best. Keep up the great work, and stay controversial. I know for a fact that you guys are in a constant state of continuing education. Never stop learning! Been almost a decade since we last spoke (Bob), but this is a great video by Welmoed. You go grrrl.
You should have to have at minimum 10 years construction experience. To many people have no idea how a house is built or the details of the systems that matter
There's not much to measure, really. We're not required to do so. I do carry one, but mostly end up lending it to my client so they can measure for furniture. I will also measure with my hand/arm/height: for example, my fist is just about 4 inches, so if I can put it through a space in a guardrail with room to spare, it's wrong.
Seems the negative comments here are from crotchety old tradesmen. Ya know, the kind that walk around the block to come bother you about the details of their work life while you’re trying to get a damn inspection done.
It's still offered! The next session starts on February 10 and runs Monday through Friday from 9am to 4pm until February 26. There is also an evening session starting on March 10, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6-9pm. Go to the FCC website at frederick.edu and search "home inspection".
This video was very informative! I have a bit of an odd question. It's obvious that inspecting a roof is required. In the case where an Inspector may have a fear of heights, what methods or solutions are available to address this issue?
Fear of heights would be a pretty serious disadvantage in a home inspector. Climbing ladders takes skill, planning, and awareness, and should be approached with caution, but not fear. There are many times when walking a roof isn't possible (weather, slope, material, etc.), and in those cases I use what I call my "World's Longest Selfie Stick" which is a 24-foot extendable pole with a wifi camera on it; this lets me get a pretty good look at what's up there.
I thought you had to have certification s in different construction areas. In NC all you need is a heart beat and a class. Need to make sure you are getting a good inspector. There are certain inspectors around here are paid for by realators big cam
Requirements are different in every state. I don’t know of any that require construction experience. Most only need an approved class and a passing score on the National Home Inspection Exam (NHIE). The market will typically weed out the bad inspectors. Sure, some are willing to be in a Realtor’s pocket; any profession has bad apples. It’s why it’s so important for a buyer to do their own research when choosing an inspector, rather than blindly letting their agent choose for them.
Too true... I've had agents ask me to "tone down" my report so I don't "scare off" their buyer. (And no, I always tell them I have an obligation to the client to give them the most accurate picture of the condition of the house that I can, so they can make a truly informed decision.
Inspections by Bob LLC Ive got a question for you, so in my state (Utah) licensing isn't required, but in order to get a job would I need to have to be knowledgeable in the field without a license? Or do companies offer on-the-job training? Thanks!
@@briandiaz834 Your best bet would be to contact an inspector in Utah and get their input. I suggest giving Kurt Salomon a call; his number is 801-523-6060. His website is inspectutah.com. Tell him I sent you!
@The Greek Physik Don't listen to the naysayers! Check your local community college for the required training class. We didn't have construction experience or connections when we started either!
I don't think a professional home inspector just need so such simple tools for the job, the more knowledge you have about the home and it's appliance the more update tools you will need to find out everything as much as possible. With a few tool as you show, no home buyer will need home inspector at all, they can do it themselves. They homeowners want their inspector to do more.
Of course I use more tools; I was demonstrating that these are pretty much the minimum requirement. And what we do isn't rocket science; pretty much everything we see and report on is clearly visible. You just need to know what you are looking at! Our clients don't hire us for our fancy tools; they hire us for our training and experience in connecting the dots to tell the story of the house.
Those who can’t... teach. People like this are dangerous to extent of negligence. Here in central Florida (with some of the tightest codes on earth) all state, county, and city inspectors are REQUIRED to have field experience to various trades. I feel sorry for anyone that paid her money to inspect a house.
John Thomas Not in Florida. In Florida there are requirements: 1) Completion of an approved 120-hour course that covers a home’s structure, electrical system, HVAC system, roof covering, plumbing system, interior components, exterior components, and site conditions that affect the structure. 2) Passing an approved examination. 3) Submitting an application, fee, and submit to a criminal background check.
No experience in commercial skilled trades. No business pretending to be an inspector of any sort.. Misconception number 1.. Believing anything this woman says has substance that is worth memory space in your brain.. If you haven’t worked in any trade, project management etc.., for many years, do something else..
Well, you are certainly entitled to your opinion. Not having a background of working in construction doesn't mean I came into this with zero building experience.
Most inspector are trash, they really don't check deep on issues 1 of my clients called me after inspector did inspeccion and find some trouble with a old house AFTER I DID A REAL INSPECCION I FOUND THAT THE ELECTRICAL HEATER WAS NOT WIRED CORRECTLY, ELECTRIC WIRE UP IN ATTIC WAS CONECTED OUT OF BOXES MANY PARTS OF THE HOUSE WERE MADE POORLY AND WITH PAPER MATERIALS INSULATION WAS NOT DOING ANYTHING ON THE ATTIC BECAUSE MANY LEAKS AND THE FOUNDATION WAS CRACKING AND ABOUT TO FAIL HOW IN 3 FUCKS A INSPECTOR MISSES ALL THAT
Of course I use more tools. But the ones mentioned are all that is required to perform a home inspection that meets the Maryland Standards of Practice as well as the ASHI SoP.
