How to Earn Your Home Inspector Certification
Embarking on a career as a home inspector is a great idea if you love working in a flexible environment and are interested in the real estate field. For this, you will need a home inspection certification, which serves as proof that you’ve been trained to offer services in your state.
This post will uncover what you need to know about a home inspector’s career and the steps you should take to become one. Let’s dive in.
To Begin With, What’s a Home Inspection Certification?
Home inspectors are professionals who evaluate the safety, quality, and compliance of houses and buildings being sold. The journey to becoming an established home inspector involves taking a pre-licensing home inspection course from a reputable provider such as RocketCert to equip you with the basic knowledge and skills required in your field.
But that’s not everything you should do to stand out in this career. You can also leverage the different certification courses that exist to familiarise yourself with the best practices, in-depth safety knowledge, and other similar elements. This will not only help you stand out in your field but also make you feel more confident anytime you are working on a project.
Steps To Get Your Home Inspection Certification
After getting licensed as a home inspector, you may have thought that your educational journey ends there, but if you are aiming for the stars, a certification course will go a long way. Here are the steps you should follow to obtain one:
1. Research and Understand Certification Requirements for Your State
In most cases, there will be several requirements you should meet to succeed in acquiring your home inspector certification. These requirements typically vary from one situation and location to the next. They will also vary depending on the type of certification you are interested in.
The good thing is that the institutions that offer these certifications have all the information you need on their websites. Some of the top organisations to consider during your research are the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI), the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), and the American Home Inspector Training (AHIT).
The most recognisable certifications that these organisations offer include, but aren’t limited to:
- AHIT: Radon Measurement Technician
- AHIT: Termites and Other Wood-Destroying Pests Management
- AHIT: Certified Mould Inspector
- InterNACHI: Certified Professional Inspector (CPI)
- ASHI: ASHI Certified Inspector (ACI)
2. Take Your Preferred Course(s)
After understanding the requirements and striving to meet them, it’s time to complete the most appropriate certification course for your situation. Depending on what you are trying to achieve, you can either enrol in a standalone course or a training program. Also, pay attention to any educational needs and requirements that the licensing board regulating home inspectors in your state specifies.
Keep in mind, also, that you will be taking a certification test at the end of your program, so prepare thoroughly for that through exam prep and similar material. You can choose to learn in a variety of settings depending on the certification you choose, so go for the ones that work best for you. Make sure you meet any additional requirements for sitting for the exam, such as the minimum study hours, exam fee, and others.
3. Pass Your Exam
Once you’ve completed your course, you will almost certainly sit for an exam whose purpose is to verify that you’ve understood the content. The passing score will vary between certification programs, so make sure to understand the conditions of your preferred programs.
It may seem challenging, but passing your exam on the first try is typically possible if you set aside enough time to study. If there are any topics or concepts you are struggling with, consider seeking assistance from your instructor and peers.
4. Keep Your Certification Valid
Depending on the type of certification you went for, you will need to meet a couple of requirements to keep your documents valid. In most cases, this means taking additional coursework or even retaking some exams to update yourself with the necessary information. Either way, ensure you meet all the requirements for keeping your certification valid, since reinstating such certifications can be a hectic process.
Simplify Your Home Inspection Certification Process
Earning your home inspection certification will be a crucial and probably challenging journey, but this doesn’t mean it must be a complicated process for you. RocketCert, as one of the top professional education providers in the United States, makes this process easier through expertly written and fully narrated courses that you can take from almost any device, 24/7.
While they may not offer all the certification courses available for home inspectors, they simplify the mandatory courses for guaranteed licensing in your state. This will help you have an easier overall process of getting certified.
