How to Become a Home Inspector in Colorado

Thinking about becoming a Colorado home inspector? You've picked a good place. Colorado offers a healthy real estate market in 2022, combined with a frictionless process of getting your business up and running. A lot of websites out there will tell you that becoming a home inspector is as simple as taking their course and getting a certification. But that's just the beginning. Here's what you need to do to get ready to inspect in the centennial state.

1) Enroll in a certification course

There are several national and local organizations that can give you a certification that says you know how to inspect a home. And even though the state doesn't require you to have one, it's a really good idea. In fact, the unregulated states make certification even more valuable, because it's the best way to vet a home inspector by seeing if they are in good standing with an association.

There are a lot of quality organizations that offer competitive pricing and instruction. Here are some of the most well-known:

• Instruction Certification Associates (ICA)
• International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI)

Alternatively, you might be able to find some local schools in your area or even apprentice under a working inspector. If you do, you might not want to pick one in your area, since you may be their future competition!

Time

2-4 weeks depending on your availability

Cost

Less than $1,000

2) Find some software and start practicing

All good home inspections are done with modern software. The good ones are cloud-based, highly visual, and customizable. Even if you're not finished with training, you can usually download a free trial and start learning.

It's helpful to start early with this. As you do mock inspections around your house, you'll start building a report template and fine-tuning your process. It will also help your coursework.

Many schools will have software that they either own outright or have deals with. Don't just use these platforms because they're convenient or free. Do your research and find the best software that can power your business.

Time  

Learning software can take a week or less

Cost

$50 - $100 a month

3) Start building a website and develop your pricing

Whether you hire out or do it yourself, building a website will take some time. There are all the obvious ways to build your own site, but there's a big difference between a DIY site and one made by professional designers. Spectora has a web design team that can show you some of the 2,000+ sites we've built for home inspectors. We can build stand-alone sites, or bundle it with our software 

As you build your site, you'll start thinking about branding, logos, and a business name. It's worth taking the time to get this right. Your website is your biggest marketing tool and you'll rely on it to impress prospects while you're building connections in the industry.

As you're building your site, you have to start thinking about pricing. Most inspectors use a square footage model, but others use a combination of a flat rate with various add-ons. Either way, don't feel pressure to undercharge because you're new! For some insight into how inspectors in your area price inspections, check out our tool showing the average inspection quote in every zip code. 

Read more:

• 8 Tips to Build a Killer Home Inspection Site
• The ultimate pricing guide for new inspectors

Time

You can make your own site in a week. If you order a professional site, it could take 3 to 6 weeks

Cost

A DIY site can cost as little as $200, plus another $100 for hosting. Custom sites may be upwards of $700.

4) Gear up and tech up

Home inspectors come to every job with a basic selection of tools. You can get all of it at your hardware store for a reasonable price. Here's a good list to get you started.

You'll also want to invest in some technology tools for email automations, payment processors, and online scheduling for your clients. If you use good home inspection software, some or all of these might be included. 

5) Get insurance

General liability insurance covers you for "slip n' fall" injuries on the job. It also covers property damage that occurs as a result of your home inspection. Errors and Omissions (E&L) insurance covers you if someone claims you made a serious mistake or oversight on your inspection.

Both of these types of insurance are quite affordable and can be further discounted if you pay more money upfront or bundle them together.

Read more: How much should E&O insurance cost?

Time

In most cases, you can get approved for a policy within 24 hours.

Cost

$700 - $1200 a year 

6) Start your marketing and networking

The operative word here is "start". You'll never stop marketing and building your pipeline. Real estate agents are the most common source of leads, and they tend to be plentiful and easy to find. Finding them and building relationships is key.

You can also scout other contractors such as mold and radon testers, pool maintenance,  or services that you don't provide but might otherwise refer a client to. They might not be high-volume referrals, but they'll help fill the corners in your marketing machine.

Read more: 13 unique ways to establish relationships with agents

 7) Join an Association (optional)

There are a few national home inspector associations that you should consider joining sooner or later. They will all offer benefits like networking, training,  and product discounts. Some, like InterNACHI, can actually provide your full training and certification. Instead of paying everything up front as you would with a home inspector school, you pay a modest monthly fee similar to any streaming service like Netflix. 

• International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI)
  • InterNACHI has a special Colorado Chapter as well
• American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI)

Read more: Should you join a home inspector association?

How long does it take to become a home inspector in Colorado?

There's no minimum time to become a home inspector in Colorado. If you choose to take one of the many home inspector certification courses out there, plan to spend a couple of weeks.

Most people underestimate the time it takes to start a business.  Getting equipment, insurance, a business license, and building a website are some of the things you'll need to do to get ready for showtime. Overall, give yourself a solid month to be "show ready" as a home inspector.  

Are home inspectors regulated in Colorado?

No, but home inspectors are just as susceptible to litigation from clients if they are negligent or incompetent, which is where solid reports, getting voluntary certifications and having insurance come in.   

Are home inspectors licensed in Colorado?

No. Colorado doesn't require you to take any sort of state exam, but you do need to register your business with the state in order to pay taxes.