Home Inspection Tips & Trends

Inspection Certification Associates prides itself on hiring the best instructors in the home inspection field, so that you can get the best learning experience possible. To aid in the continued growth of your own business, we wanted to share with you one of our many success stories. We’d like to introduce Patrick Hardy, an ICA…

Photos are an important part of home inspections. That being said, many older home inspectors who have been in the business for many years might forego taking pictures, just because they never have before. This is the kind of attitude that can put a company out of business. With the dawn of smartphones, photos changed.…

6 Tips for Sump Pump Inspections Many homeowners who have basements or crawl spaces that suffer water infiltration opt to install sump pumps. They’re not cheap, but they’re cheaper than the water damage that can result from a flooded basement. As you’re conducting a home inspection, do you know what to look for with a…

Home inspectors should inspect the electrical system in a home carefully, not just to make sure it works properly, but to make sure it is safe. Of all the home systems, the electrical is the most dangerous. A problem with the electrical system can result in fire, property destruction, injury, and even death. The most…

The two main factors affecting the home inspection business are real estate trends and location. The real estate market is dependent on the economy, so it’s up and down. Land and homeowners can wait for prices to come back up — real estate is almost always a good investment — but it can be harder…

As a home inspector, it’s important that you have an understanding of the types of wood-destroying organisms and how to identify them. Most homes are made of wood, and these creatures can do significant — and sometimes irreparable — damage to a home. Even a home made of brick or stucco is not safe. Bugs…

The cost of a home inspection varies, mostly according to the economic parameters of the area in which you work. Homeadvisor.com puts the typical range between $278 and $388, and the national average at $325. The best way to help determine how to set your prices is to find out how much everyone else in…

Electricity is really handy, but it’s also dangerous. That’s why only licensed electricians are supposed to perform electrical work — to make sure it’s safe. But you can’t see the wiring inside the walls, ceilings, and floors, so the best way you can make sure a home’s wiring is safe — outside of checking the…

Furnaces are a great invention. They heat our homes so well and so efficiently. But when something goes wrong with them, they can be dangerous. When you mix gas and air and fire, you have to do it right. When you’re inspecting a home with a combustion furnace, what should you look for to make…

There’s been a lot of talk in recent years about “sick houses.” What are they, and how can we ensure that a house is healthy? While many inspection training programs touch on this concept, it’s worth a deep dive to understand just how dangerous an unhealthy home can be. Medicine Net says a house that…

Many professionals improve their knowledge and skills by reading literature relevant to their field. As a home inspector — or a home inspector to be — you can find lots of helpful and valuable information in the books and resources listed below. It’s exciting to embark on a new career, and it’s rewarding to learn…

Mold isn’t just ugly; it can be dangerous too. That’s why looking for mold is such an important part of a home inspection. Some mold can be cleaned up with bleach, but some is in the air, and you can’t even see it. Breathing in these mold spores on a daily basis, the way occupants…

Potential home buyers don’t want to see a cracked chimney. In fact, they probably don’t want to see cracks in anything in their home-to-be. But the reality is, cracks are part of most structures — concrete, brick, stucco, plaster, and more. Some are expected and inevitable. Some are just ugly. And some are dangerous. As…

Mold has always been a part of life — since before life for humans even existed, according to the Smithsonian. But more attention is being paid to mold these days, due to the illnesses we have learned it can cause. According to the National Poison Control Center, mold is a nontechnical term for fungi that…

Many home inspection courses deal with how to look for leaks and water damage. This is because of the top 10 most common home inspection problems, seven of them are related to water and leaks, according to Realtor.com. Water is one of the worst enemies a home can have. Another is fire, and that’s why…

Do you think you need insurance coverage for errors and omissions for your home inspections business? You may think you don’t, but insurance isn’t only for people who might make mistakes. It’s for people who own property, a business or have assets they don’t want to lose. Anyone can make a mistake, no matter how…

When you undertook inspection training, you likely had home inspecting in mind. There are more home inspectors than commercial building inspectors, but this is just one of the reasons you might want to consider branching out into this area. Many states have minimal — or no — licensing requirements for home inspectors. While it’s easier…

Depending on when you started your home inspection career, using drones might seem like a crazy, futuristic idea, but it is fairly common today. Roof Inspection with a Drone One aspect of your home inspection business that can be made a lot easier with a drone is examining roofs. Home inspectors are not required to…

When you were thinking of becoming a home inspector, you probably didn’t think about working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. You likely envisioned inspecting homes and perhaps businesses in your area as preconditions for sales. However, the unfortunate truth is that natural disasters are becoming more common. Fires, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards and other…

  When you take home inspection courses to become certified as a home inspector, you learn a lot about home systems, how they work, and how to assess what is safe and what isn’t safe. These home inspection courses, such as the one offered by ICA School, prepare you to take your state licensing exam…

When you undertake home inspection training, your expectations are generally that your clients will be local home and business owners involved in property transactions. But if you decide to branch out into FEMA disaster work, you will need specialized home inspection training. FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, was created in 1979 and the organization…

How much home inspectors make varies, depending upon factors such as the going rate for inspections in the general area, the strength of the local real estate market, the number of hours worked and the inspector’s skills in marketing his or her business. Becoming a FEMA disaster inspector can be an additional source of income…

You may wonder if you should join a home inspection association now that you have passed your home inspector exam and started your own business. What are these associations even about, and how can they help you in your new career or side business? Home inspection can be an inexact science. Rules vary from state…

What would a profile of an average American home inspector look like? Would they be a certain age, gender, race, income bracket or part of a particular socioeconomic status? At one time, such a classification may have been possible, but no more. Today, anyone who puts in the time and effort can become a home…

More than ever, busy mothers are deciding home inspector training is the path they want to take to a successful and prosperous future. As real estate transactions continue to multiply, the need for home inspections does as well. Today’s Americans are constantly on the move, changing jobs, relocating to new cities, or retiring to warm…

Podcasting is a fantastic educational tool. With current topics, you can ensure that you are getting the home inspection training you need to continue being a successful inspector. Steve Preins hosts an informative podcast designed for everyone from ICA students to inspectors who are already working in the field. With so many different types of…

Training to become a home inspector is no easy feat. Educational courses are meant to facilitate the process, allowing you to become skilled at your craft. Building confidence through minor successes in training allows you to become an excellent inspector in the field. Every student wants to know what he or she is getting into…

What would you give to start a new career before spring arrives? Would you give a few short weeks of time and study? You can do it with ICA School’s home inspector education program, updated for 2018. Our program offers 120 credit hours, which satisfies licensing requirements in many states. It’s self-paced. Speed up when you…

Not every house for sale has a homeowner polishing faucets, painting walls and baking cookies inside. Vacant or abandoned homes also find their way to the market. The owner might move early if they find the home of their dreams. Maybe the property was a rental and the investor wants to sell. Sometimes, foreclosures or…

Real estate agents and home inspectors use the phrase “good bones” all the time, but what does it actually mean? It does not mean that your house is like a skeleton or that it doesn’t have more than the basics to offer. The truth is that good bones have positive meaning for the house in…

Now that summer is slipping away and fall is nearing, you can expect to see an influx in critters making themselves cozy in residences. If you are a home inspector, this does not spell good news. Fortunately, you can arm yourself with education to ensure that you do not find yourself troubled by common pest…

Noisy pipes can be the bane of a homeowner’s existence, especially when the noise is a mystery. There’s not one but several possible causes for the pops, ticks, bangs, and rattles that happen inside plumbing. Here’s what might be happening and what homeowners can do about it. Bang-Bang-Bang Goes the Water Hammer One of the…

Not everyone comes to the home inspection industry with a background in construction, plumbing, electrical or any other related field. That’s why comprehensive training is so important. It’s also why ICA School includes four modules on electrical wiring and inspections in the complete home inspection certification program. If you’ve ever wondered why lights and outlets…

Cool weather is on its way and new homeowners will soon put systems through their paces. If there’s a defect that slipped by you, count on hearing about it. Your training should prepare you to describe the type of heating system in the home and uncover material defects that interfere with the operation of a…

It won’t be long before windows are closed and heating systems fire up for another season of heavy use. That’s when indoor air quality issues can intensify for homeowners. Late summer and early fall bring a new wave of pollen producing plants and closed windows mean less fresh air. For allergy sufferers, it’s a double…

If you’re thinking about becoming a home inspector, you might believe you have most of the facts about the industry. Then again, you might not. Because virtually everyone has lived in a home of some type, you probably know at least a little about the systems that make up residential property. But the home inspection…

During an inspection, a home’s basement might appear to be as dry as a bone. But the first time it rains, the new homeowners might have a different story. Wet basements are the bane of many homeowners’ existence. They prevent proper finishing, which limits the utility of the space. They can create mold problems and…

One of the biggest frustrations of home buyers and home inspectors alike is the fact that you can’t see inside walls. So far, nobody has invented a handy portable x-ray vision device that lets you take a real peek at what’s going on behind plaster, drywall or paneling. Life would be a lot easier if…

There’s nothing that compares to hands-on learning out in the real world. But for some things, you really do need to spend time hitting the books. Training online to be a certified home inspector has quickly become a popular choice for those in the market for a new career. It helps fill your head with…

Stucco has taken a lot of hits over the past decade or so, but it’s still in the running as a preferred home cladding. Applied the right way using proper materials and with skilled hands, it can protect a home from the elements for many years. The problems started to emerge with exterior insulation and…

Probably, most of the homes you inspect will be sound, secure and healthy within reason. But every once in a while, you’ll inspect a house with lurking hazards. Home buyers and other customers will hire you to tell it to them straight. If there’s a problem, they’ll want to know about it. While you look…

Online home inspection training is both convenient and challenging. Retention rates are lower for online courses than for brick-and-mortar classrooms but that doesn’t have to be your story. The problem isn’t necessarily with the digital space but in a lack of realistic preparation. Some new students think online study is easier. That’s not the case.…

Is there treasure in the attic? Cutting-edge wiring in an unassuming older home? What about a hidden room that’s tucked under a staircase? A certified home inspector sometimes finds the most unusual things on the job. Here are 3 surprises, both good and bad, that you might miss on the initial walk-through but your inspector…

Depending on whom you ask, home inspection training should only happen in the field, in the classroom, or online. Naysayers exist in nearly every direction to steer you away from one education model and toward another. There’s no single best path that leads to becoming a certified home inspector, but there is one that’s best…

PVC or polyvinyl chloride plumbing pipe has essentially eliminated corrosion in plumbing supply and drain lines, but plenty of homes still have old galvanized pipe. Copper isn’t immune from corrosion, either, but it’s sometimes easier to spot than corrosion on galvanized metal. When inspecting the plumbing in older homes or new ones that use copper,…

California is one of a few states that doesn’t license home inspectors. But that doesn’t mean inspectors are free to do whatever they please. The California Trade Practice Act, which was enacted in 1996, sets forth regulations that inspectors must abide by. If an inspector belongs to the California Real Estate Inspector Association (CREIA), one…

Wouldn’t it be great if an inspector could do a home inspection and then help the client by doing some of the repairs on the side? In theory, a service like that sounds like a win-win situation. It would attract a lot of business for inspectors, and customers could kill two birds with one stone…

Whether you call it a water heater or use the colloquialism, “hot water heater,” these appliances need serious attention to match the serious work they do every day. Like many other workhorses in and around the home, most of them go unnoticed unless there’s a problem. Water heaters run on electricity or a combustible fuel,…

Property inspectors tend to specialize in residential or commercial buildings, but some inspectors do both. You might need a little time and experience in the home inspection industry before branching out, but it’s a viable way to increase your earning potential and gain valuable skills. Commercial inspections have higher per-job fees, readily-available work and a…

The home inspection industry has come a long way since the days of paper forms, clipboards and ink pens. While the longhand method is still an option, there’s no reason to add more steps to the job when there’s a quicker and much better way. Home inspection report software produces beautiful, professional-looking reports every time.…

For you, the best part about home inspecting work might be learning new things and the freedom to use those skills to build a business. But for the customer, an inspection boils down to one thing: the report. Format, delivery, descriptive language and images can make or break the whole experience. Report writing isn’t usually…

Updated for 2022. For personal fulfillment, it’s hard to beat a career that matters so much to so many while offering the freedom to work on your own terms. That’s what life as a certified home inspector is like. home inspector is like. When considering a career change, it’s perfectly normal to consider the pros…

Periodically, Inspection Certification Associates or ICA School founder, Steve Preins, takes audience questions and fashions the answers into a podcast. January 5 marked the premier of the latest edition, and it deals with a timely subject: home inspection associations. With the recent disbanding of NAHI and ASHI’s acceptance of newly homeless members, listeners had questions…

West Virginia is one of a handful of states that require in-classroom training for prospective home inspectors. Unfortunately, not everyone has the time to break away from work to attend a class. But there’s a viable and responsible way to work around the restriction. Here’s how to get your certification in the Mountain State without…

Homes are made up of numerous systems, none of which is more important than the roof. It blocks the heat of the sun, keeps out the wind and rain, and has important structural jobs, as well. Roofs have ridges, vents, hips, and valleys. They might be covered with shingles, tiles or metal sheets. They might…

A professional home inspection puts a lot of power into a buyer’s hands, but home inspections can work for either party. A pre-listing home inspection helps sellers know what they’re selling. And that helps them market it the right way. What’s the benefit for you? A more marketable service. The more people who need a…

Maybe it’s hard to imagine remote training for a hands-on job. Of course, some brick-and-mortar programs might have you believe that in-person training is the only way to go. But every day, people earn certifications from online home inspection training programs, and you can, too. Here’s what to look for in a solid, online program…

If you want to become a home inspector in Florida, now is a great time to make the leap. Home inspections and real estate transactions go hand in hand. And after a few years of ups and downs that mirrored the economy, Florida’s real estate market is hopping again. Follow these steps from education through…

If you live in Illinois and want to become a home inspector, the journey begins with a good education. But it doesn’t end there. If you have a high school diploma or GED and meet the minimum age requirement, which is 21, you have what it takes to get started. Follow these five steps, and…

Aerial inspection services aren’t common enough (yet) to be considered mandatory or industry standard. However, at the rate that drones are catching on with home inspectors, it probably won’t be long. Don’t let the high-tech nature of drones put you off the idea entirely. They might seem intimidating, but safe and effective drone use is…

Full-time school and work can throw anyone off balance. But every day, students make it happen without letting either responsibility suffer. Go into it with a plan, and you’re more likely to be among those who succeed. Wing it, and you’re asking for trouble. According to a 2015 Georgetown University Center on Education and the…

Got inspection questions about roofs? We have answers. Roofs do more than just shield a house from the rain. They’re complex systems with many different types of roofing materials, and they can affect the integrity of the whole house that sits under them. What Types of Roofs Might You Find on the Job? Although the…

The freedom of home education seems like a dream come true for some prospective students. For others, it feels a bit intimidating. You can learn about home inspecting anywhere, anytime with the ICA School self-paced online study course. But can you really learn everything you need to know about the industry without a brick-and-mortar classroom?…

Real estate closings and the accompanying home inspections wait for no man or woman. And they don’t wait for foul winter weather to pass, either. Rain, shine, sleet or snow, the home inspection show must go on. Usually, at least. Here are a few tips for providing a great inspection when less-than-ideal conditions are in…

Starting your own business as a certified home inspector is a big undertaking. The habits that you form now, including the financial side, will determine its success. But bookkeeping doesn’t come naturally to everyone. Here are 3 simple and valuable pieces of advice to help you avoid the missteps that so many other small businesses…

One of the greatest things about owning a masonry home is that termites will never move in, right? Nope. Those little winged, woodboring insects can and do take up residence in any type of construction, even concrete block and brick. No home is 100 percent termite safe. Why, you might wonder, would termites even bother?…

Former members of the now-shuttered NAHI are finding a warm welcome at ASHI. The American Society of Home Inspectors has worked overtime, facilitating a smooth transition for inspectors who want to join their ranks. This handover was the brainchild of both NAHI and ASHI leaders, according to Frank Lesh of ASHI Reporter. The two associations…

When the weather outside is frightful, it’s delightful for a thermal imaging home inspection. It’s the temperature difference between indoors and outdoors that matters. So whether it’s freezing cold or unbearably hot outside, thermography can reveal more problems as long as the indoor air is regulated. The Department of Energy explains that infrared technology helps…

Heavy storms, such as the recent Hurricane Matthew, can cause severe problems for homeowners. But downed branches, broken glass, hail damage, and other storm-related hazards can’t hide from a drone-assisted inspection. A drone goes where you shouldn’t, and also where you sometimes can’t. Here’s why this technology might be the best invention yet for getting…

You might be a die-hard traditionalist or a progressive forward-thinker. And whether you love this new technology or not, drones are beginning to flood the home inspection industry. Many inspectors believe it’s for the better. But setting a realistic budget and buying one isn’t as easy as you might think. If there is anything consistent…

What would you give never to walk a roof or shimmy through a dank crawlspace again? With the direction that technology is headed, your days of working aloft and down in the dirt might be over. You’ve heard about drones. Now it’s time to meet Reggie. Drone technology has launched, and now a teenager has…

When infrared technology first became available, the cost of the equipment was so high that it priced itself right out of the market for many home inspectors. What appeared to be a great idea was unattainable. But like any new and interesting technology, the price is coming down as the popularity grows. Infrared technology helps…

The cost of an infrared camera is coming down but there’s another option for home inspectors that’s even more affordable: an infrared mobile app. We know what you’re thinking. How can an ordinary smartphone transform into a high-tech thermography device? It’s not a trick, not like the mirror apps that never really worked. Smartphone thermography…

Energy audits take the home inspector’s services beyond obvious (and not-so-obvious) defects and into green living territory. More and more customers are interested in energy efficiency, and the home inspector is uniquely positioned to offer that information on the front end of a home sale. At least if he or she has the right training…

Infrared technology or thermography helps you spot more potential home defects than you could with just your eyes. And that makes your home inspections a better value for customers. It seems like a win / win situation, and in many ways it is. Just remember that the equipment is expensive, there’s a bit of a…

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) relate to the same thing: drones. And drones equal easier, perhaps even more thorough roof inspections, especially when you deal with steep-pitched roofs that no one wants to scale. Drone technology has exploded in recent years. And although there was quite a wait for the FAA…

Swimming pools are permanent fixtures. So why are they often excluded from a home inspection? It’s a matter of choice. In areas where swimming pools are nearly as common as mailboxes, inspectors might need to brush up on pool inspection skills. But for nearly everywhere else, it’s often safer to either perform a limited inspection…

Home inspectors inspect what’s visible and accessible inside and outside the home. That’s what essentially every Standards of Practice say. So why doesn’t it include outbuildings? Sheds, outbuildings, and other detached structures are certainly part of the property, and your insurance company might even include them. But as for home inspections, they fall into a…

Appliances don’t always convey when a house is sold, so many of the homes that an inspector inspects will have a relatively appliance-free kitchen. But where appliances are permanently installed, they require the same level of attention as the rest of the house. The newly updated ASHI Standards of Practice outline several changes that inspectors…

Crawlspaces are, by definition, not exactly spacious. Some of them are entirely vacant aside from the occasional wild critter. They’re dirty and often dank, too. So are home inspectors really expected to shimmy inside? In most cases, the answer is yes. The crawlspace might seem like a relatively unimportant part of a home, especially compared…

Attics are hot in summer, cold in winter, dusty, dirty, and part of a complete home inspection. Inspectors typically work by a set of standards. They’re the Standards of Practice, and most home inspector associations have them. No matter which Standards you work by, you can bet that attic inspections are always on the list.…

Homebuyers are quick to notice obvious things about the exterior of a house, such as the condition of the front door, the landscaping and the color of the stucco or siding. Roof systems, however, receive very little attention, despite the critical role they play in protecting the entire structure. Roof inspections are important, which is…

The appeal of a historic home, or one that’s got the same birthdate without the special designation, is the stuff of dreams for a lot of people. There’s just something about a peaked Victorian or sturdy Craftsman that sets hearts aflutter. But with older properties comes the potential for a mishmash of home defects. Inspecting…

Winter is coming? Say it isn’t so! Unfortunately, frigid temperatures and everything that goes with them will be here before you know it. And that can mean roof issues for unfortunate homeowners and buyers. Here are some issues that might not be obvious when the weather is warm. Once snow and freezing rain starts to…

Are buyers in your area seeing double? While some areas require no home inspection at all, some are at the other end of the scale. Prospective buyers may spend thousands in private home inspections plus auxiliary inspections, and still be required to undergo one by the city. That’s what’s happening in San Rafael, California. Real…

Customers love plastic, and you might, too. Don’t want the hassle of credit cards and credit card vendors? You might find yourself without the hassle of too many customers, to boot. It’s a plastic-driven world, and the businesses that don’t accept cards are at an instant disadvantage. But maybe it’s not as expensive and frustrating…

Is this thing on? How many home inspectors perform inspections and have almost no communication with the customer at all? Some send an email or a quick phone call, and some might communicate more with the real estate agent than the client. You might be surprised by how common the practice is. But good communication…

The new inspection contingency form is a boon for everyone in Minnesota. If you’re a home buyer, seller or inspector in Minneapolis, the home inspection process just changed. The old process, known as the 5-2-2, is no longer in force. Now there’s a 10-day window for the whole inspection and contingency operation, start to finish.…

There should be no question: a home inspection is always the right choice. The tougher it is to find and buy a house, the more likely buyers are to skip the home inspection. At least that’s a trend in some parts of the country. It seems unlikely. Why would anyone make such a large purchase,…

On-demand inspection report access could help every prospective buyer compete. A Seattle-based home inspection startup wants to trim down the out-of-pocket expenses that home buyers usually face. It’s not an easy task. In an active real estate market, expenses leading up to a home purchase can really mount up. But this company’s novel approach is…

Alex Bakman is CEO and Founder of Snappii, a leading mobile business app development company. Snappii lets customers design and build their own apps. What are some of the common reasons customers decide to design an app? To improve existing business process such as manage people, equipment, to allow enable customers to order products, make…

Sometimes technological advances are just for the sake of gadgetry. And sometimes they really mean something. If you’re wondering where smart thermostats fall, they’re soundly in the “worth it” spot. They save natural resources, hard-earned cash and can even save you a little time. Two of the top smart or learning thermostat contenders are Ecobee…

Tankless or on-demand water heaters haven’t overtaken standard tank-style appliances just yet, but they are gaining popularity. With recent legislation that updated efficiency requirements (and drove up prices substantially), you might see them more and more often. They’re already the more popular and common style of water heater in Europe where fuel prices are much…

Believe it or not, your cell phone is one of the most useful tools that you own. So you’re giving serious consideration to a career change, and home inspecting seems like the perfect fit. That’s great! But you’ve probably got a lot of questions. And many of those likely surround the costs involved. You already…

Metal roofs aren’t just for old farm houses anymore. What began life as a rather humble roofing material is enjoying widespread appeal these days. Metal roofing was once only available in one color: metal! Now it’s available in a rainbow of shades and looks great on a wide range of homes. With the resurgence in…

Some people love to complain, but good planning can help minimize the risk. If you’re a home inspector for long enough, you’ll eventually meet a disgruntled customer. It happens to the best of inspectors, and it’s bound to happen to you. Maybe you’ll overlook an important defect. While that’s out of the ordinary, everyone can…

It might look harmless, but some vermiculite have a nasty personality. Much has been made about the danger of asbestos over the years. It seems you can’t flip through the channels or scroll through a website without seeing an advertisement for legal services for asbestos victims. While our society has become more educated about the…

Appliances, plumbing and every other condo feature is just as likely to suffer defects as those in a single-family home. Because condos aren’t freestanding single-family homes and are part of a larger building, some buyers think home inspections aren’t as important. While it’s true that the condo association likely handles building maintenance, the interior is…

Condensation isn’t an anomaly, it’s a collection of water from the air. You’ve seen condensation on a water glass and felt dew on the grass in the morning or evening. The dew point is where water vapor in the air reaches its saturation point. This happens at a temperature and constant barometric pressure that condenses…

The shabby look might be cute in photos, but a shabby deck endangers the whole family. Summer is in full swing, and that means more homeowners will be using their decks throughout the day and into the night. But like a lot of areas in and around the home, oftentimes a problem goes unnoticed until…

Scandalous news usually ranks higher than anything else, so it shouldn’t surprise any home inspector when a rotten one makes the whole industry look bad. Social media spreads disparaging news like wildfire and before you know it, your business might suffer. Good thing you’re not defenseless in the battle between bad press and good home…

Recent clarifications in the FHA underwriting process have inadvertently created confusion in another area. Are appraisers and inspectors really all that different? Now it’s harder to tell. Appraisers for FHA are required to assess the value of homes, and part of the assessment is an inspection that hits the high points. But real estate agents,…

What’s the last thing that a homeowner might feel like doing after learning that his house is in foreclosure? Being gracious, that’s what. It’s an unfortunate reality. For some homeowners, a foreclosure or short sale brings about heightened emotions, plenty of anger, and perhaps a bit of revenge for good measure. In the home inspection…

Jeffrey Brookfield is the Business Development Consultant with AmeriSpec of Canada. In this role he provides leadership, guidance, coaching and develops programs for the network of AmeriSpec offices across Canada. We recently checked in with him about the importance of continued training for home inspectors. Here’s what he had to say: How important is the…

There’s a longstanding belief among some home inspectors that it’s bad form or even unacceptable to recommend a contractor who can make repairs. Some locales might have regulations regarding referrals, but many home inspectors think it’s an important part of the job. Your customers probably aren’t well-versed in home systems. After receiving a report that…

New home inspectors tend to have the same question about getting their fledgling inspection business up and running: what kind of reporting software is recommended, and where to find it. That’s the topic of this month’s ICA School podcast, hosted by course author and instructor, Steve Preins. Keep reading to the end, because Steve has…

Stucco is one of the most common home cladding materials in the state of Florida. Its uniform appearance covers certain architectural elements, single walls or the bulk of the exterior, and gives a home the classic look that stucco is so famous for. But in Florida, there’s a stucco disaster that’s just now starting to…

The primary reason contracts exist is to set forth in clear terms the scope of an agreement. That helps every party involved understand exactly what they’re getting into. No surprises equal a happier inspector and customer, and those are always good things. Your home inspection contract helps avoid the possibility of crossed wires, misinterpretations, and…

As a home inspector, you don’t issue a rating or measurement for a customer’s indoor air quality. However, some of the systems that you inspect have a direct effect on it. There was a time when air quality concerns were limited to keeping down dust and other allergens and airing out paint fumes during home…

You’ve finished your ICA School training, or you’re about to. In no time at all, you’ll be ready to take on your first client. Not so fast. You’ve got a lot of work to do before you set out to perform home inspections, and all of it can help determine the success of your fledgling…

Self-paced, online study sounds awesome! But then the reality of late nights and finding the time and peace to focus on learning sets in. Many people who enroll in online study programs drop out, but that doesn’t have to be you. Here are 5 habits that can help you be among the ones who don’t…

What have you done for yourself lately? That’s the subject of ICA School director of education, Steve Preins’, latest podcast. And it’s a timely one. Spring is here, and the real estate market has done well for the past few years. That’s the ideal scenario for doing something genuinely beneficial for yourself by making the…

Building code changes with the times, but that doesn’t mean older homes have to comply. With a new addition or home renovation, the contractor abides by the most recent set of regulations. But when a home is original, or mostly so, you might encounter some interesting “grandfathered-in” hazards. Whether or not to report a hazard…

For whatever reason, some homeowners make accessing the attic more difficult than it ought to be. The most common method, which probably isn’t deliberate, is covering it with the same ceiling texture that many other homeowners can’t wait to get rid of. But whether or not the attic is sealed, you still need to access…

For the most part, the home inspection industry stays relatively the same. You learn the process of inspecting real estate, and if a system changes later, you learn how to inspect that and add it to your repertoire. The Standards of Practice that govern the industry for association members follows the same guidelines as it…

There are national and state home inspection associations, and at both levels there are plenty of members. Then there are state-level chapters of larger associations, too. There’s no shortage of opportunities to belong to one of the many home inspection organizations, but what’s in it for you? The short answer is that there’s plenty of…

Running a home inspection business is challenging, but getting it off the ground in the first place can seem like a daunting task. One of the most troubling questions is how to set home inspection pricing. Most inspectors don’t charge on an al la carte basis. A house is a house, and unless there’s something…

If you’re on the fence about whether or not to enroll with ICA School, part of your quandary probably deals with value. Is this program all that it’s cracked up to be, and will the investment be worth it? You control your success after graduation. Your training is in good hands with ICA School. But…

Home inspection customers aren’t tasked with inspecting, but they are in charge of who does the job and what happens with that information later. This step in buying a house is a rich mine of details that the buyer probably wouldn’t know otherwise. Inspections matter for any house, and it’s up to the buyer to…

Thinking about enrolling in ICA School’s home inspection course? You’re making a great choice. Our program is one of the most comprehensive on the market, and it’s available to you in a convenient format. Study when you can, learn at your own pace, and never feel rushed to meet a deadline. You’re probably wondering what…

Doctors do a residency, architects do an internship, and home inspectors should go through a mentoring period. Most career-focused education programs teach students what they need to know about how to perform the work. But real life know-how doesn’t come until after completing the course. A mentor might not be required where you live. But…