best home inspection booksMore and more people are looking at getting started in the Home Inspection business. I know a lot of your Old Salts don’t want to hear it, but it’s true. But at one time, you were a newbie also. It seems this fact is lost on some of my older friends who’ve been in the business for many years. When I was running my home inspection business, I took a different route. I tried to help everyone that was sincere about getting into the business. I didn’t look at it as training my competition, I looked at it like I was training and building a business network of like minded business people. It worked for me. Over the years I built a network of Home Inspectors that I could call up and ask for help if there was something I needed. And who do you think they sent all their customers to if they couldn’t get to them? That’s right, me baby!

But as time goes on, getting into the Home Inspection business is getting harder and harder. A lot of people with a passing interest in homes think they have what it takes to get started. On the surface, starting a home inspection business looks easy. And I suppose in some states where Home Inspectors are not regulated, it may be. But in places that I’m aware of, it’s nearly as hard to start an Inspection business as it is any other, in some regards even harder if you take into account the States with licensing laws. In places like Texas, it’s easier to become a Home Builder than it is a Home Inspector. Go figure. The power of the political lobby I guess!

So if you’re looking to start you own home inspection business, where do you start? Well, one of the best books I’ve ever read on the subject is called “The Home Inspection Book: A Guide For Professionals”

The Home Inspection Book – Learn The Basics Of Becoming a Home Inspector

This is a handbook of sorts outlining things you’ll need to know along the way. It’s a great source for inspiring Inspectors to look over to see just what they’re getting into. A home inspection consist of a lot of things and most newbies only focus on one area. This book gets you down to reality in a hurry.

This 416 page book will walk you through the home inspection process step by step following along the guidelines established by top industry associations like the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), National Association of Home Inspectors (NAHI) and the National Association of Certified Home Inspectors (NACHI).

It will take you from the exterior to the interior describing important components of the house and showing you what to look for, what to do and what not to do. Not only that, but at the end, it will show you optional systems you can inspect that isn’t required in some areas. These can be extra money makers for your home inspection business.

This handbook is divided into chapters. Each chapter covers a component of the home such as the Foundation, Roof, Heating & Cooling, Plumbing, etc. By breaking the book up into chapters like this, it helps you zero in and focus on one area until you know it well.

Finally, the book ends with a self paced study guide. You’ll also get to test your knowledge on a 50 question exam that covers all the chapters. This will help you get more familiar with important components of the home and show you where you to need to brush up on.  The diagrams and pictures will really help you understand what you need to look for as well as show you the different aspects of each component.

Learning How To Become A Home Inspector

As if all that wasn’t enough,  you’ll learn about the business side of starting and running a home inspection business. There’s more to it than just visiting a bunch of Real Estate Agents and giving out your business card! In fact, I dare say that the success or failure of your business depends highly on how you approach this business and what you do the 30 days prior to becoming a home inspector and the 30 days immediately after starting your business. For me this was the time that I laid the foundation for my business for years to come.

“The Home Inspection Book: A Guide For Professionals” is one book I highly recommend to anyone even remotely thinking about throwing out a shingle and starting a home inspection business. It’s a great way to find out what home inspectors really look for and how to run a home inspection business.