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How Much Money Do You Make?

Hello NC Home Inspectors. I hope you had a great 2014 and I am praying we all have a great 2015. The title of my article probably got your attention. I don't really want to know but I am challenging you to study that information. I cannot take credit for this idea. The idea, and much of the passion about it, came from Mark Williams, a long time NCLHIA member from Wilmington. I want you to take some time to look at how much money you make for a home inspection. I am going to challenge you to change that.

I looked at a recent week of inspections for my company. We did 7 full home inspections that week. The list prices of the houses totaled $2,358,340. My company is "attached" to that much real estate for some amount of time. My company made $3,325 in home inspections fees for that week. Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining. Quite the contrary, I am extremely grateful for the blessing of work. However, we need to start thinking about the liability that we hold and how much we get paid for it.

Now, I am going to make some people mad - especially those reading this that are not home inspectors. As Mark told me, the home inspector is the smartest person in that house with respect to how the house works together as a system. There are many people who know more about particular components in a house than I ever will or ever want to know. However, there is no other profession that has more knowledge of the house as a whole system than a home inspector.

In 1997, I became an NC Licensed Home Inspector. I attended a course at Wake Technical Community College, took a state exam and got my general contractors license. I took another course at Wake Tech, took a state exam and got my home inspectors license. I was then allowed to collect a fee for performing a home inspection. I have every home inspection report that I have ever produced. I can tell you that I was not a good inspector in the beginning. However, we have tremendous educators in this state. You can't go wrong with any of the current educators. They are all extremely knowledgeable. I want you to attend a NCLHIA continuing education event, but if you choose another educator you'll still get a good education. You can learn all about the NCLHIA Continuing Education Conference and Annual Meeting in this issue of Probings.

We are better home inspectors because of continuing education. We are better home inspectors because of DDID. Those four letters have been pounded into us for years now. My home inspection reports became MUCH better with the advent of DDID. And now with pre-licensing education, even rookie inspectors become very good inspectors. All that to say, a home inspector is a knowledgeable person walking into that house. We know how the things in that house are supposed to work and how it will affect the entire house if it does not work properly.

The world sees home inspection as a blue-collar trade. We get paid for producing a product - a home inspection report. But, that is not the reality. We need to change the world's perception. We need to be hired for our education and knowledge.  

As I said earlier, a home inspector is the only person that is trained on how the whole house works together. You are the smartest person in that house at the time of the inspection. You need to get paid for your knowledge.

I believe a membership with NCLHIA can help you sell yourself as a more valuable home inspector. We offer ways for you to network with other inspectors, which helps you learn when you run into new things and gives you a network when you need help. Membership gets you discounted rates for great continuing education conferences. Membership allows you to use the NCLHA logo, which shows the world you are a leader in your profession. Please join us.

I am not encouraging you to work with your fellow, local inspectors to fix prices. That would be illegal. But, I am encouraging you to look at how much money you make. Compare that to the liability that you take on.  

We need to change the world's perception and get paid for our knowledge. Please let me know if you have ideas on how to accomplish that.

Good luck to you in 2015.

17th Annual NCLHIA Education and Home Inspectors Convention in Asheville.

The annual NCLHIA home inspectors' convention will be held February 26 to 28, 2015 at the Double Tree by Hilton Biltmore-Asheville in beautiful Asheville, NC.  

Schedule: 

Thursday, February 26, 2015

NCLHIA Board meeting 12:30 until 3:00.

From 3:30 to 6:30: Interesting and thought-provoking classes with great speakers: hour-long sessions. 

This is a free extra curricular event for all home inspectors and does not count toward your CEU requirements.

Thursday night the association will provide round trip transportation to one of the area's finer restaurants. A great opportunity to network, catch up on techniques and share war stories.

Friday February 27, 2015

Conference registration opens at 8:30 AM.

A regularly scheduled meeting of the North Carolina Home Inspector Licensure Board will begin at 9:00 and end at 12:00 Noon.

Continuing Education Classes begin at 1:00 PM sharp for and end around 5:00 PM.

Immediately following class the Vendor Reception starts. Light snacks and a cash bar will be provided.

Saturday February 28, 2015

Classes start at 8:00 AM sharp and go until 5:00 PM.

The association has obtained discounted tickets to Biltmore Estate, just around the corner from the hotel. If you've never been to Biltmore Estate this will be a highlight of the trip. Bring the family and make this a long weekend of sightseeing and fun.

To Register: 

Our website is up and running for registration to the conference. Feel free to either register on line at NCLHIA.com or use the form that has been mailed to you.

To register online, go to nclhia.com, click on "Members Only Info", and then click on "Events".   

Please call if you have any questions. 919-861-4549. Our Fax number is 704-625-3607

To call and make hotel reservations call 828-274-1800 or 800-222-8733. Be sure and ask for the NCLHIA room rate. Cut off for discounted hotel rooms and early bird specials is January 27, 2015   

Double Tree Hotel Website 

Robert Wilson

Executive Director NCLHIA

[email protected] 

Changes to the Standards  

effective October 1, 2014

by Dave Hahn

The North Carolina Home Inspector Licensure Board (NCHILB) issued a revised version of the NC General Statutes and NC Administrative Code effective October 1, 2014 (last update February 1, 2014). All of the changes occurred within Title 11 - Department of Insurance, Chapter 8 - Engineering and Building Codes.

While some changes were simple alterations in word capitalization, semantics or wordsmithing, and some were to eliminate reference to the (now defunct) Associate Home Inspector, some changes may be more relevant to you. While highlighted below (and still a pretty dry read), you are encouraged to view these changes in their entirety in order to see how they may or may not impact you and your business, by going to: http://www.ncdoi.com/OSFM/Engineering_and_Codes/Documents/HILB_Statutes_and_Rules/2014%2010%2001~Statutes%20and%20Rules%20(Oct.%201,%202014)_.pdf 

Changes effective October 1, 2014 (absent numerous inconsequential word capitalization changes):

Section .1011 FEE SCHEDULE - The removal of any fees related to Associate Home Inspectors

Section .1020 DEFINITIONS - The removal of any reference (definition of) Associate Home Inspector

Section .1103 PURPOSE AND SCOPE

(b)(1)(A) - added "as set forth in this Section:"

(b)(1)(B) - changed "and the cost" TO "and their cost"

(b)(3) - changed "Submit a written report to the client that shall:" TO "submit a written report and summary, pursuant to G.S. 143-151.58(a1), to the client that shall:"

(b)(3)(C) - changed "State any systems or components so inspected that do not function as intended, allowing for normal wear and tear, or adversely affect the habitability of the dwelling;" TO "State any systems or components inspected that do not function as intended, allowing for normal wear and tear, or appear not to function as intended, based upon documented tangible evidence;"

(b)(3)(D) - changed "State whether the condition reported requires repair or subsequent observation, or warrants further investigation by a specialist. The statements shall describe the component or system and how the condition is defective, explain the consequences of the condition, and direct the recipient to a course of action with regard to the condition or refer the recipient to a specialist; and" TO "Describe the system or component; state how the condition is defective; explain the implications of conditions listed in the summary; and direct the client to a course of action for repair, further investigation by a specialist, or subsequent observation; and" (this simply now uses actual reference to DDID)

(b)(3)(E) - removed reference to any supervising inspector signing the report (Associate Home Inspector program)

(c)(1) has been changed from "This Section does not limit home inspectors from: (1) Reporting observations and conditions or rendering opinions of items in addition to those required in Paragraph (b) of this Rule; or" TO "This Section does not limit home inspectors from: (1) reporting observations and conditions, including safety or habitability concerns, or rendering opinions of items in addition to those required in Paragraph (b) of this Rule; or"

Section .1201 DEFINITIONS - previous definitions under subsection (1) relative to Associate Home Inspectors, and subsection (2) relative to "file" or "filing" documents with the presiding officer and/or Board have been deleted. Additionally, previous subsection (4) defining "Service" or "serve" relative to disciplinary actions has been modified and is under subsection (2).

Section .1301 DEFINITIONS

(a)(3) removed reference to Associate Home Inspector

Section .1302 CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIRED FOR RENEWAL OF ACTIVE LICENSE

1. Removed reference to Continuing Education for Associate Home Inspectors and changes the license renewal requirement for an active home inspector license for the period beginning on or after October 1, 2014 to now require 12 credit hours during the license renewal period (down from 16), except as described in Paragraph (b).

2. While home inspectors that became newly licensed between October 1, 2011 and September 30, 2014 who had not completed the pre-licensing education program (or its equivalent) still must complete 20 hours of continuing education per year for the first three years of licensure, home inspectors who are newly licensed on or after October 1, 2014 (who have not completed the pre-licensing education program or its equivalent), still need to complete 16 hours of continuing education per year for the first three years of licensure with three (3) specific course requirements outlined in the SOP.

3. A licensee who is newly licensed on or after June 1 is exempt from this Section for the initial license period.

Section .1318 ELECTIVE COURSE COMPONENT

1. Simply altered the reference from 12-hours down to 8-hours of instruction relative to the elective courses.

2. Semantically made changes in reference to course sponsor requirements.