The Fundamentals of Home Inspection program at the School of Professional Home Inspection is one of the most rigorous programs in the country. All classes are hybrid, some attend in person while others attend the session via live Zoom. This allows direct interaction with the students and teachers and gives you the best chance to succeed in this rewarding career.
This extensive Home Inspection training will cover professional practices, including Standards of Practice, Business Practices, Legal Issues, Client Communications, and more.
FUNDAMENTALS OF HOME INSPECTION | $2,500
State-Required (120 Hours)
All SOPHI courses are taught via zoom, live lecture in real time. Classes are twelve 10-hour sessions with a special emphasis on Inspection Laws, (SOP), and practical inspection techniques. Our courses are taught by local, experienced Home Inspection Professionals who are ready to help you succeed. This intensive State-Certified course fulfills the requirement to take the National Home Inspection Exam (NHIE).
What is the class schedule?
Class runs from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and then Sunday off then Monday through Saturday and then you’re done.
There are fourteen Technical Subjects including Structural Components, Exteriors, Roofing, Plumbing, Electrical Systems, and nine others.
The class wraps up with special subjects including Common Building Codes, Product Quality, Safety Issues, Environmental Conditions, Hazardous Materials, and a review of Inspection Tools and Techniques.
You can complete this intensive training program in just two weeks. We will prepare you for success in this lucrative career.
Do I need to study before?No. The books that we will be using are the code check series and we deliver those electronically to you after class has begun. All classes are taught via Zoom.
In the meantime, you may consider joining InterNACHI. There are lots of learning materials and sample tests that you can take to prepare yourself for the state exam. If you join here and use our school’s discount code “SOPHI1MO“ you will get a 1-month free membership.
You must go to nachi.org/trial and enter the code there to create a membership.
There is an optional study guide, the print version is available from nhie but it is pretty expensive at $259.00 for the printed version. We do offer this guide to our paying students at a discount. Students that have paid tuition can purchase these books for $125 for the E-book.
We are happy to work with you. By making arrangements ahead of time, you can pay the deposit of $1250 for the class and pay the balance over the next three months. You will not receive a certificate of completion until your tuition is paid. We hope that this will help you join us in class.
Be sure to check out our recommended tools in our Amazon store:
The minimum tools you will need include:
- high-quality respirators
- good flashlight
- camera
- moisture meter
- outlet tester
- minimal hand tools (screwdrivers, nut drivers, etc.)
- ladder
- safety gear, (eye protection, gloves, shin guards, jumpsuit)
- computer/software
- vehicle (think gas mileage)
In one super busy month when I was inspecting with my original gas-hog 350cid van, I spent $750 in fuel alone. When I doubled my gas mileage, it paid for a newer efficient van. Consider an efficient vehicle.
Other nice to have tools include:
- thermal camera (I like the Flir E4)
- drone (DJI makes great drones)
- electrical multimeter (you can’t go wrong with an entry-level Fluke meter)
I would consider buying these later, but I love all of these tools.
While most inspectors work for themselves, there are opportunities to work with multi-inspector firms and franchises. Be sure to read any offer to work for another company very carefully. We recommend you have this offer reviewed by an attorney.
HUD
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has several kinds of inspections. See the link above.
Sewer Scopes
This requires no license in Washington State and can be a lucrative business to run along with home inspections. It is an easy sell, I tell my clients that their sewer “is the most expensive thing I can’t see”.
Energy Audit
An energy audit is an inspection survey and an analysis of energy flows for energy conservation in a building. It may include a process or system to reduce the amount of energy input into the system without negatively affecting the output.
A home energy audit helps individual homeowners find out their residential consumption and energy flow. An audit is useful to determine areas of your home where there is energy loss and by identifying where power usage may be curbed to earn savings.
We are approved by the Veterans Affairs Administration as an eligible provider for Veteran education benefits. (GI bill)
Have more questions? Call us, we love to talk about home inspection careers.
