Tips for Success as a Field Inspector

 

Tips for survival in the inspection business

Get Educated

You may have noticed that I haven’t mentioned anything about having any certifications or special education. That’s because I didn’t need any. However, it would’ve been helpful to me to have had some more structured training than the random videos and pdfs that some companies offered. Now there is a free course offered by MortgageFieldServices.com that runs through all of the basics of how to complete a field inspection. I would recommend checking that out before going out on your first inspection.

Have the right tools

A good clipboard, pens, camera or smartphone, laptop or desktop computer, measuring wheel, disposable shoe covers, and reliable transportation are all musts to be successful in this field.

Wear decent, but not your best clothes

You always want to look presentable when you go to inspect a property. In my experience, however, I quickly learned not to wear my Sunday’s best even when I am doing High-Value inspections, which involve me visiting homes valued at half a million dollars or more, because at some point I will have to go outside and contend with whatever is out there, be it muddy conditions from heavy rain the day before, animals or animal droppings. Some companies expect you to wear business professional attire, but I suspect that whoever came up with that must not have ever been in the field. 

Register with as many companies as you can

About 95% of the companies that I have come across hire inspectors as independent contractors. As a matter of fact, some of these companies encourage their inspectors to have other work. This is one industry where it isn’t looked down upon to job hop or have more than one iron in the fire. This means that you work for yourself. None of these companies can guarantee a certain amount of hours or a certain volume of jobs in your area, but many of them can give you averages. Some of them outright lie to you about the number of assignments available, but that’s a rant for a different post. Earlier I mentioned that this industry can be feast or famine. That is because it can take months or even years to get the right number or combination of companies that will be enough to sustain you and even those companies have slow periods. Sometimes, you find that you just don’t mesh with a company very well for whatever reason. You have the ability to walk away when it isn’t working out for you. Some inspection companies have staying power and have been around for decades. However, a lot of companies come and go. Some of the companies that I did work for back in 2012-2014 no longer exist. Stay diligent and always look for other companies to apply with.

Remember that you answer to no one except you

One of the reasons that many people struggle with working from home or working for themselves is that it can be hard. The actual task of completing inspections isn’t necessarily difficult, but motivating yourself and getting things done on time can be. You have work that needs to be done and while you may get a few angry emails or phone calls for not doing it or turning it in late, no one can make you do anything. You are in control. If you need more money, it is up to you to give yourself a raise by either finding more companies to work with, negotiating your fees with the ones you already work with, or developing some new skills to market. There is nothing wrong with working a traditional job, if anything it is a little less stressful than working as a contractor because you know how much your check will be, you probably have access to some type of health insurance, and you don’t have to worry about tracking gas mileage, business expenses, etc. I love the freedom I have to do what I want, but it comes with a lot of responsibility. If I don’t work, my family doesn’t eat.