Education · 1 of 5
The path
Short and cheap compared with almost anything else on this site. The hard part is not the training, it is getting your first customers.
- 1
High school diploma or GED (General Educational Development) test
Grade 12
Take construction technology, shop and any writing class you can. You will write for a living more than you expect.
- 2
Learn how houses are built
1 to 5 years, and it pays
The best home inspectors come out of a trade: carpentry, roofing, electrical, plumbing or heating and cooling. You cannot spot a bad repair if you have never made a good one.
- 3
Take an inspection training course
Weeks to a few months
Classroom, online or a mix. Courses cover structure, roofing, electrical, plumbing, heating and cooling, and how to write a report that holds up.
- 4
Pass the exam your state requires
Weeks of study
Many states use the National Home Inspector Examination or their own version of it. Some states also require a set number of supervised inspections first.
- 5
Get insured and start inspecting
Ongoing
Buy errors and omissions insurance, build a website, and introduce yourself to every real estate agent who will take a coffee.