How to Become a Field Inspector
When I am in the field, I often get asked how I got into this business and some people even ask if it’s possible for them to get into it, too. This isn’t meant to be a definitive guide on how to succeed in the world of field inspections (and there are many different types of inspections to choose from). I have been an inspector since 2012. It hasn’t made me a millionaire, but in some of my better months working less than full-time I am able to pay my rent, car note, and groceries. I am able to set my own schedule and I don’t have to request days off when my child is sick or if I want a vacation. I figured that now would be a good time to share my own experience and possibly help someone else looking for this information. I won’t say that there’s a wealth of info out there now, but there is more than what I had when I first got started more than a decade ago. If you don’t want to read my entire spiel, then scroll to the bottom of the page for a few helpful links to help you get started.
There is a huge caveat with this line of work, along with any other type of work that is non-traditional. You’re not guaranteed a check. Depending on a variety of factors including your location, the market, your access to transportation, etc, it can be either feast or famine. Here is my story about my life as a field inspector.
How I became a field inspector
It all started with mystery shopping. I was in my early 20s and childfree. I was registered with countless mystery shopping companies and I managed to turn it into a full-time venture. I almost always kept a part-time job because even back then I knew that mystery shopping could be flaky. Because of that, I was and still am always looking more ways to make money while still keeping control of my time. I don’t remember the exact source, but I do remember it being a work from home blog geared towards stay at home moms where I learned about a company which was new at the time called WeGoLook.
WeGoLook hires “Lookers” to go to various locations and take photos and answer a brief questionnaire about the property. The Lookers are independent contractors, they are not obligated to accept any offers that they are not interested in and no taxes are taken out at the time of payment. Instead, at the end of the year, the company sends out a form 1099 instead of a W2 and the looker is responsible for their own taxes.
My first assignment was a church. I was to provide 30-50 photos of its exterior. I didn’t have to make any phone calls or schedule any appointments. It took me about 20 minutes to take the photos, another 20 minutes to transfer them from my camera and upload them to the website and I got paid $25 for the job. I figured that there had to be more companies out there similar to this one, so I began looking. I kept searching until I found something.
The prices that WeGoLook offers for their jobs have actually dropped over the years instead of increase, which has been disappointing. Now they pay $12-$20 based on the job. I still will pick up a job or two from them every few months, but I generally direct my energy towards other companies.
What does a field inspector do?
There are several types of inspections, but the basic job description is the same. Visit a property on behalf of an insurance company, bank, mortgage lender, etc, take photos, and make notes about its condition. The mortgage insurance inspections can sometimes be completed without even leaving your car. Insurance loss control inspections can be a little more involved because they often involve scheduling appointments with policyholders, taking measurements, drawing diagrams, and filling out a little more paperwork. High-value insurance inspections may even involve you determining a property’s value for the sake of insurance. There are courses available online to learn how to complete personal lines and commercial insurance inspections. Some companies offer their own training (some companies are better than others where this is concerned).
The next steps
After doing some digging I came across a website called SOFI - Society of Field Inspectors. That website has been around forever and it is the first place I direct people to when they ask how to become a field inspector. They have a list of companies that hire inspectors, which does come at a cost. However, I have never paid for this list. They have a page where they list 5-10 hiring firms for free to us. Every so often, SOFI will update that list with different companies. I make sure to check that list every few weeks in case they list a company I haven’t heard of yet.
Another great thing about SOFI is that they have a database where you can add your own information about yourself and the services that you are looking to provide. Inspection companies have access to this database and if they have work in your area, they may reach out to you to see if you’re interested. It’s been so long since I first registered with them, I can’t remember exactly how many inquiries I received. I do remember receiving several and being able to get started right away. I had no real experience doing any of this, but it didn’t seem to matter. Most of these companies give you a set of instructions for the work they want to be done. If you can read well enough, then you can do the job.
Underwriters Services Association is another great place to get your foot in the door. I believe they are a fairly new organization. You can create a profile there and look for insurance inspection related jobs. They also have links to training courses, which are not free but they are good investments in your career as an inspector.
How to find inspection jobs
In the future, I plan to create a page with a more comprehensive list of inspection companies that I have found through my research, along with more detailed posts about my experience with various types of inspections. The better paying jobs normally require a little more education and skill but it isn’t anything that the average person can’t do. You can search online for field inspections, mortgage inspections, loss control inspections, insurance inspections, commercial inspections, draw inspections, occupancy verification inspections, etc. to get started. Some websites, YouTubers, and other online sources may have a list that you can purchase. I don’t plan to charge for my list. LinkedIn, Glassdoor, and Indeed are also great places to search.
How much do field inspections pay?
It depends. I have heard some stories from inspectors who say they have made $10,000 in a month. I have never made that much money. The prices I have seen for inspections have ranged from $5-$120. I do not work full-time and I average about $2,000 per month. There are some weeks when I don’t work at all. The bulk of my income comes from high-value loss control inspections and construction draw inspections. Mortgage inspections generally pay less than $15 per inspection, but the most successful inspectors cover a larger area outside of their home base and have a large volume of inspections. It is a numbers game. Either work with several mortgage inspection companies and get paid $5-$20 per inspection but stay busy with a large volume of work orders or aim for the high paying work orders with commercial, high-value, and draw inspections and make between $50-$120 per inspection. I do most types of inspections, but my niche is residential loss control. These might require a little more work and brain power, but they tend to pay a little more. I consider myself a Jill of all trades but my experience has been the most positive when I stick to what I am best at.
Useful Links to Get Started in Field Inspections
Job Boards
Society of Field Inspectors - https://www.sofi.us/home_page.html
Underwriters Services Association - https://underwriterservicesassoc.com/?a_aid=wdLWQgbj
Training
Mortage Field Services Free Online Course - https://mortgagefieldservices.com/take-course/
VIITA (Virtual Insurance Inspection Training Academy) - https://www.inspectorinstitute.com/
Great companies to start with and gain some experience
I don’t do a ton of work with these companies, but the work is easy and I have never wondered where my paycheck is. You likely won’t make a ton of money from these, but you will get an opportunity to see what a basic inspection is like and you can make some extra cash in the process.
Photoinspection.com (Nationwide) - www.photoinspection.com
WeGoLook (Nationwide) - www.wegolook.com
ProxyPics
IVueIt
The Source (Nationwide) - https://www.thesourceagents.com/Application
ComplyTraq (Nationwide) - https://inspector.complytraq.com/login
Velocity REOs (Nationwide) - https://bpophotoflow.com
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