Become a home inspector in 2023

With a high income potential and no need for an advanced degree, this career is an excellent choice for those interested in working in the construction industry.

In this article, we’ll give you a step-by-step guide to cementing a career as a home inspector. You’ll find information regarding how much you can expect to earn and what skills you need to succeed in this position, and more.

What is a home inspector?

A home inspector examines the condition and safety of real estate properties.

Employment of home inspectors is projected to decrease by 4% from 2021–2031. Despite this decline, about 14,800 job openings are estimated to arise yearly. These positions usually open up when workers need to be replaced, when they exit the labor workforce, or when they retire.

A good home inspector examines home components and writes a detailed report containing

Here’s what’s generally included in home inspections:

• Exterior home inspection

The inspector completes a full inspection of the outside of the structure. This will often

include them climbing into crawl spaces underneath the home and using a ladder to climb

onto the roof. The components of an exterior inspection include the following:

• Interior home inspection

The inspector completes a full inspection of the inside of the structure. This inspection is

often less laborious than an exterior one. The components of an interior inspection include

• Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC)

• The home inspector will take note of anything that might pose a safety or health risk, such as structural defects, mold, or old wiring. They’ll then give a detailed report with their findings to the client.

Some home inspectors also offer other services and types of inspections, such as pool inspections, termite inspections, and thermal imaging.

How much do home inspectors earn?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, construction and building inspectors earn an average of $61,640 per year or $29.63 per hour. However, home inspectors specifically earn around $50,000 per year, on average.

A home inspector’s salary can be influenced by several factors, including location, specialization, and emploment structure.

Home inspectors who live in certain cities can earn far higher wages than others. For example, those who live in Los Angeles can earn 30% more than average, while those in Las Vegas can earn 8% less than average.

If you offer additional services or have special skills, such as radon testing or pool and spa inspecting, you’ll be able to charge more. On the other hand, if you’re a public home inspector employed by the government, your pay may be limited regardless of your specialization.

Self-employment: If you choose to start your own business, your income potential becomes limitless. But how much money you make will ultimately depend on the amount of work you put in and how big you grow your company.

Independent contractor or contract worker: You may work for an established inspection company without being a full-time employee. This option also opens the door for high-income potential since you can work for several companies simultaneously and get paid per hour.

Employee of an inspection firm: You can also choose to work as a full-time employee for an inspection company. This option is the most secure since you’ll work full-time hours and get a steady paycheck. However, you can only grow your income as far as your employers will let you.

Different ways workers can get paid

As a self-employed home inspector, you get to set your own rates. However, it’s important to do market research so that you don’t end up overcharging or undercharging.

Additionally, whether you work for yourself or not, you can benefit from using job boards and structured resumes or portfolios to prove your trustworthiness and expertise. This will help you gain more clients and work opportunities.

What skills do home inspectors need?

Here’s a list of some of the top skills you need to become a home inspector:

Knowledge of construction

Home inspectors need to be experts in construction and all house components. This means they need to have experience in roofing, electrical wiring, foundations, and more.

Good communication skills

They’ll use verbal communication to talk to customers over the phone and while on-site, and they’ll use written communication to write inspection reports and emails containing their findings and to answer any questions customers may have.

Home inspectors need to be able to plan and organize their days while keeping several things in mind, including the time it’ll take them to travel, what they’ll need to complete during the inspections themselves, and the reports they’ll need to prepare.

Business management skills

Self-employed home inspectors need to be able to manage their businesses, including their staff, processes, and finances, effectively.

In addition to business management skills, self-employed home inspectors need marketing skills to get customers. They can use several local marketing tactics, such as local SEO, newspapers, and brochures.

Alternatively, they can hire someone to handle the marketing aspect of their business.

Requirements to become an inspector

In order to become an inspector, research the license requirements in your state. There’s no national inspector certification standard. Rather, each state has different requirements to become a home inspector. While some only require 60 hours of education, others require close to 400 hours.

Similarly, some states only require you to pass the National Home Inspector Exam, while others require you to pass both their own exam and the national exam. Be cautious of taking the wrong programs since they’re not all equal and might not be accepted in all states.