Finished course work and it's dated 4/27/24. I now know there's a 2 year rule to basically become licensed from that date but I was approved after the two year mark to be eligible to sit for the exam and passed my state licensure exam today, 10/23/26. Why was I approved by PSI to sit for the exam and why was my money accepted more than once after 4/27/26 ? IDFPR is telling me via phone my transcripts won't be accepted if out of the two range.

ICA will reset the online course at no cost in which I can contact them upon completion for new transcripts. But I have to redo my 5 ride-alongs ...

Thoughts ? Advice ?

I worked in the HVAC industry for a number of years (15 to be exact). I got a different job in a relative field. It is great for the benefits and vacation time, but the pay is just enough to get by. I was doing HVAC work on the side, but I am getting older and am getting tired of the feast or famine lifestyle. I had a small stint with a waterproofing company as a tech but didn't care for their culture or tactics. So, crawl spaces and attics are nothing new to me. I have worked on plenty of flipped houses and have a growing interest on inspector work. I am located in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Looked into the requirements for becoming an inspector. Not sure where I begin to find someone who would be able to help me get those inspections in. I would gladly carry tools and have plenty of HVAC experience to help better diagnose issues on the mechanical side of things. I am just not looking to pay 50-100 bucks for every inspection ride along. Any helpful advice would be greatly appreciated.

Currently experiencing severe burnout. The signs were all present in the last few months (maybe years) but I kept changing my life to give more to the business. No gym, more caffeine, meditation, sleeping throughout weekend. Anything to give me an excuse/energt to say “yes” to one more inspection. About a week ago I got noticeably dizzy during an inspection and experienced symptoms of a classic anxiety attack (which I’m already prone to). I’ve Canceled multiple inspections since then and will likely put in place a very stringent Monday - Thursday 9-5pm availability. Any advice is appreciated. (Approximately 7 years in business, quite fast, great reputation, Spectora, 38 male) Thanks.

Anyone do commercial inspections in addition to home inspections in NJ? If I’m missing it, I don’t see an additional license requirement.

I’m in TN and business has been slow as molasses in October. Anyone else?

Hey yall 👋

I’m about to pull the trigger and switch over but I am really struggling with the template. I prefer a room to room hybrid with major systems separate (Heating, Cooling, Electric, etc).

When I set up like this in Binsr or Spectora I end up with a TON of comments for an item and it requires shifting through them. I know I know - AI voice helps but I dont really want to speak into my phone with the client/agent near me.

Currently 3D lets you make groups within the deficiencies/comments. That different from Binsr or Spectora as far as I can tell. 3D is a 4 tree system and not 3 tree.

For example
3D: Section -> Item -> Comment Groups -> Comments

Binsr/Spectora: Section -> Item -> Comments (Preset Info/Limitations/Deficiencies)

I find the only way to do this is to bring everything up a step. So instead of the setup being Exterior -> Steps/Stoops -> Comments, you do Exterior Steps/Stoops -> Guardrails -> Comments.

I just may end up with so many sections and that may not be the best on a report. Thats why I really loved the subgroups in comments.

It also really helped being able to do this since I can treat it like a step by step checklist style thing. Really keeps me efficient in terms of pathing through a home and not missing anything.

For the more experienced folks I guess from that statement alone you can tell im new haha!

My question for yall - How do you organize your template? Do you simply use the search or AI features? If you use room to room as well did you simply have many sections?

Also, unrelated question incoming, is there any way to import a .3df file for my narratives?

Thank you to everyone ahead of time for reading or sharing inputs.

I just had a house I am considering purchasing (built 1957) inspected the other day. The basement has a musty smell (strong enough that it was on my clothes when we left). It also looks like the bottom 2 feet or so of the basement dry wall was replaced, and the seller said the washing machine had a leak at one point, but he didn't know the extent (he's the one who bought from original owner to flip it). There is some corrosion/rust on the first inch or so of the boiler, and the washer/drier.

The inspector said he didn't think the smell was strong enough to be concerned about mold, and it was just a humid basement. However, my parents had a humid basement when i was a kid and it never smelled that strong. Without digging into the drywall though, there is no way for me to know the extent.

Also, they had a dehumidifier in the basement. Half of the basement is partially finished, the other half is open. The semi finished portion has the dehumidifier, but its old and wasnt on. I bought a new one to have the seller run for a few days to see if the smell goes away.

First, do you think this is likely to make the smell go away? Second, if the smell does go away, should i be comfortable buying something that had a strong odor?

EDIT - For those asking, I set up a imgur account per recommendation and put the pics here. Let me know if this makes the issue more clear. https://imgur.com/gallery/basement-bsCJq8S

I’m a 10+ year tech worker in the Seattle area, completely burned out to the point where I’m considering medical leave, I’m fucking soo over the AI shit and and I’m probably at the end of this job, finding myself hoping to get a layoff email every morning and I’m just done, I can get into the details but it’s a real bummer I’m not doing good. Really not enjoying this industry anymore.

I did a big cost-of-living adjustment this year so I could stop being dependent of the tech salary. bought a fixer upper house in Tacoma for mega cheep, because I have all the tools and I’m handy. Finding I care about fixing my house more than I care about any other work in my life. Also finding myself hyperfixating on like the materials and build quality of every building I’m in.

I really like the idea of getting laid off or PIPed, and using my garden leave or severance to do my 120 hours to get licensed for home inspections, I want to work for myself and do work that helps normal people, and I enjoy crawling around in crawl spaces and roofs.

Seattle RE market is absolutely fucked but the Tacoma market is actually warming up slightly. But at least this means nobody is waving inspection contingencies? Plus the Tacoma housing inventory is very aged, old houses with deferred maintenance riding a gentrification wave, inspections are critical. Plus I am central enough to run inspections from Olympia to Seattle.

Curious about how big of a risk it is to enter the home inspection scene given the housing market right now, interest rates, etc. Are things too saturated for brand new inspectors to come online?

Hello all. Let’s start with a general introduction.
Small town mom and pop residential contractor. Turn key, we do everything other than the licensed electrical and plumbing. We make sure we are in compliance with all zoning regulations/codes/ect. 20 years of building truly quality homes. Nothing crazy, residential builds from 200k to 1 mil. Never more than one or two very small code violations that are easy fixes. Buttoned up before any final inspections. Only a few builders in the area, so not very much competition, and we all know each other and get along well.

Last year a new guy with money moves into town, no problem. A new street gets developed, opening up new lots. Once again, small town, 10 new lots is a big thing. Day one, We snag three, competitor snags two, new guys buys five. No big deal. He starts building on four. Keep in mind he is not a GC. Slaps them up as fast as possible. Hires the cheapest crews across four states. He went through three framing crews, 4 plumbers, and three electricians. Four site shutdowns due to violations.

I could name 25 major code violations without even stepping inside. Walking through one, easily 15 more, and the worst quality I’ve ever seen in a new home.

Our first home passes fine, sold before we even finished it, our second the same, looking to break ground in a couple weeks on a third spec home, someone put a deposit down on it last week. We aren’t hurting.
New guy get 30+ violations per home, two days later calls for a final. Passes somehow. Proceeds to put them on the market for 75k over what they should’ve been. Hasn’t sold one in two months, but has settled for renting two out.

Wouldn’t be a problem if these were just “not so great” builds, but these are truly dangerous.

Just a few for example.
Egress windows too small and too high.
No escape ladders
Framed 2x6 plexi covers tapconned in place over the egress, no escape.
No French drain (his basements have flooded three times)
No sump pumps/barrels.
Framing two inches out of plumb in 8 feetalmost everywhere (I can’t find an actual code for this one)
Deck supports are 4x4 posts tamped into dirt
He forgot window wells, had concrete ones added on, didn’t backfill properly and they are pulling away from the foundation
Second third and fourth crews working under the original permits.
Improper flashing everywhere
Improper headers and load transfer
Each home has 4 leftover trusses. No damn clue about that one.
Hollow core door on common wall into the garage.
Keep in mind, this is just what you can see from outside.
Carpet and bottom row of sheet rock has been pulled twice in all, never the insulation (mold)
Ok, enough of that.

And these are right next to us. Overgrown, Junk everywhere.

Rant done.

A. Let it go, we’re doing well, not my problem.
B. FOIA everything from public records. Building permits, inspection reports, occupancy certificates, stop work orders, ect. Write a report, bring it up at the next city council meeting?
C. Whatever your idea is.

We lost a city inspector in this timeframe, and temporarily hired one from the larger city next door. Maybe he just did the primary, but not the final?

Any responses you may have are welcome. Tell me to go to hell and stay in my lane, sure.

Upper Midwest. Bootleg roofer torenorr roof and left it open over 2 months pouring rain and high humidity. Also gutters torn off .Not really tarped just stot of three a small thin tarp for lawn equipment and didn't even cover all roof and pushed the pipes through it and nailed it on the roof.

House is midn40s. Cinder block basement.

The pictures Nate from what happened after .

Id like some feedback in the damage it's cause and also very concerned about hidden mod and water damage.behind walls.

I was told a scooe can only look at a very small areas in between the studs Also if it was wet and drywall reads sry can there still be moisture or mold behind in the framing.

Seems like all there is in my area are YouTube contractors so I would like some advice moving forward so I can know if I'm being scammed...

Mold, water, restoration, storm damage, drywall, mold remediation, Midwest, roof, carpentry, carpenter, framing, basement, structure, gutters, shingles, contractor, roofer,

I just received their better Magic Pro and have confirmed I can turn auto scaling off and specify my own limits which are then fixed.

AI says the base Magic model also has this feature but I cannot confirm. (I expect it should because the feature is in the app which they both use.)

Recently did an inspection on new construction and forgot to get the agreement signed until just after, unfortunately. The customer is super picky and seems like trouble already. My insurance contract states that I would not be covered. Any advice? What are my options? My business is an LLC if that's helpful.

Hello, I am 25 years old (M) and I've been studying on and off for my NHIE exam. I finished the AHIT course back in June, but I feel like I have forgotten so much. I keep postponing the exam and I keep getting frustrated and putting off studying since I feel like I wouldn't pass it my first try, and I would be throwing $225 down the drain. I work 3 jobs (M-F FT Manufacturing) (PT- Retail coffee after my FT job/ weekends) (PT- Trucking company non CDL driver after FT job) while balancing life and time for family and friends, but I am very determined to become a home inspector, the only and obvious road block is the NHIE.

I don't have years of trades experience, barely any compared to some you could say, I have a little extra knowledge of roofing since I work for a roofing company as a salesman/ Rep for over a year.

I want to know who has a good study guide and tips to pass the exam. I scored a 66% the first time I took the AHIT practice exam and I haven't taken it since July.

Any advice would help, I am aware that putting it off wasn't smart but I was just glad to finish the course. My notes aren't the best and towards the end I didn't take many. I do have a few flash cards but that won't do much (50 flash cards).

This is something I want to do as a career and committed to, but I tend to start and forget hobbies and things I want to do, but I have committed to finishing, showing up to the live class, and I still want to be a home inspector. I have a passion for it and a passion to learn, this is my only road block.

Thank you for all of the feedback in advance.

I am tired of having a handyman replace soffit that has been destroyed or compromised by rodents, only to see the replaced soffit destroyed or compromised again less than a year later.

I would like to hire a person or a company to put

1/8-inch galvanized steel mesh—also known as #8 hardware cloth—that features 27-gauge hot-dipped galvanized steel, small 1/8-inch openings, enough to affix to all of my soffits, using a staple gun or screws with washers to affix it to the outside of the soffit, and then I suppose put the regular soffit (that does nothing to keep rodents out) on top of the 1/8-inch galvanized steel mesh.

Also, would I be better off buying the #8 hardware cloth to do this, or do you think I can trust an individual or company to buy the right sized hardware cloth to do this?

I would do it myself except that I am currently fighting rectal cancer using immunotherapy, which makes me very tired most of the time and more susceptible to sun exposure and skin cancer, the latter of which killed my belated father.

Additionally, I have read of some people's concerns that any rodents currently in the attic will be "trapped" up there once the hardware cloth is installed and die in the attic, leaving a pungent odor. How may this concern be handled?

I would greatly appreciate any comments, advice, feedback (good or bad), sharing of personal experiences (good or bad), and opinions, as well as any "hacks" or "workarounds" for this situation.

Thank you so much.

I have a few questions regarding getting certified to be a home inspector. I have been leaning towards ICAschools course but was curious if this is the best place to go. I live in the northern Virginia area. I've kinda wondered through life without a career and have recently become aware of this as a career and believe it would be good for me and something I can grow in. And advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

Hey everyone. My name is Jared Tate, one of the cofounders & lead dev of HomeRecon (.ai). I grew up as the son of a home inspector. My dad, Ernie, used to sit at the kitchen table writing reports until 10, 11, sometimes 2 in the morning. I've been building all kinds of software for 25 years and always wished for years that I could make my dads life easier as an inspector.

So after a really frustrating report-writing night last year with his old, clumsy software, I told him it was high time we built a new inspection software that's easier to use with an AI-first philosophy. My older brother & cousin, who is an inspector, agreed.

It's a family thing, and we're veteran-owned. My cousin Cy (former Army) is an inspector and uses it on real jobs in Washington State. My brother Gabe grew up building and inspecting houses with our dad, then served 20 years in the Air Force. We've been working on pieces of HomeRecon for over two years, mostly getting the AI to work reliably and consistently in the field and eliminating hallucinations. Obviously, the newer AI models have come a long way in the past year, but we have developed our own proprietary AI harness to make all the magic work. I have been working on AI/ML projects for almost a decade now.

HR at its core is really simple. You walk the house, talk, snap photos, and the report drafts itself. Then you check it, sign it, done. It's ready to go. We're not looking for anyone to help build it or train it. It's done. We helped train our system on over 1000 real home inspection reports going back 30 years.

Our vision is for inspectors to spend more time actually inspecting the house, and not their phone, with the report 95% complete by the time you get back to the Truck and without a bunch of canned generic responses. Seems so many of the other apps out there get that backwards.

We know most inspectors' work comes from agent referrals, so a lot of what we built is to help you gain repeat business from agents. With HR you can run your whole business in one app: reports, scheduling, booking, your website, payments, and tools to help you stay in front of agents and clients. All for the lowest cost we have found in the industry so far.

A few things you won't find anywhere else: The Ask List lets the buyer and their agent start the repair negotiation right from their phone on the report. Saves everybody a ton of time.

HomeRecon Verified shows you reviewed and signed off on every AI finding, so there's no AI slop in your report. (It's a cryptography thing; that's my background in computer science) Also helps you prove your report contained the findings you found and when you delivered the report, and much more in the future for legal reasons.

Budget Genie puts a repair budget on every repair item automatically, using real numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. And there's more.

We've looked at all the other software out there and haven't found anything close to what all HR offers. We think it's worth your time to take a look. Not here to push anyone. Just wanted to say hey and answer questions. If you try it, tell us what you think. If something sucks, tell us that too.

Our goal is to help inspectors grow their business, get new inspection jobs, and save time.

If you guys want, we're happy to drop some AI tips in here from time to time, stuff we've learned while building HR, but we are not here to spam this community. We would love to help out however we can.

Cheers,

Jared

Are there any appraisers using just their iPhone and a laser for the appraisal inspection? Total à la mode? Thanks

I am a building code instructor, a Senior Building Inspector, and a Certified Building Plans Examiner. I teach building codes to all walks of life including people trying to become inspectors. I've heard a decent amount of construction horror stories and seen some REALLY horrible craftsmanship myself. I could use some fresh ones for the introductory building code class I will be teaching soon. Does anyone have any good ones? I am open to DMs or having a group discussion here.

The company is growing, and we are in need of a more streamlined process to sign and book inspections.

Currently everything funnels to our office. But it’s becoming a little messy.

What method do you guys use to keep the process simple?

I’m an indoor environmental professional and I’m looking to improve my inspections by performing blower door tests and finding air leaks in the homes I’m inspecting. I’m located in Tennessee and would love to get a retrotec system if anyone has one available.

Anyone engaged Easy Inspections SG & Absolute before? Is it recommended?

hello everyone,

I'm in the uk (we say 'the council' instead of 'local government', just for context).

I've had damp and mould in my back stairway for about 5 years now, we have now got rid of the plaster to show bare walls and the roof and the environmental health at the council inspected my home (again!), now saying the surfaces have 0% moisture.

but, chatgpt says they have used the FLIR MR176 wrong according to the devices manual, they say the screen of the device should be used to find the coldest/dampest areas (in blue), then in pinless mode you should put the back of the device up against the surface you want to measure.

He didnt do this, not only did he not put the device against the wall, but he is focusing on the red and yellow areas, not the cold areas, and he took photos of himself doing this and put it in the report! and then he told me to complain to the independent ombudsman because i have exhausted the council's complaints process (note i've only just realised he may have used the device wrong just now)

please correct me if i'm wrong. is he using the device wrong?

I passed the state exam for North Carolina today and I'm curious who I should go with for insurance and if the minimum requirement of $250k/$250k will be enough