Everything You Need to Know About Being a Part-Time Home Inspector
Becoming a home inspector is a great path if you’re looking to make a lucrative living while being your own boss, enjoying a flexible schedule, spending more time with family, and doing work that matters. It’s also a path that’s relatively easy to jump into – and find success in – part-time.
Why Should I Become a Part-Time Home Inspector?
As a licensed home inspector, you’re an important part of the real estate process. You’ll help homeowners gain the knowledge they need to make one of the biggest purchase decisions of their lives.
Working as a home inspector full-time after completing your home inspection training is certainly the quickest way to learn the business. But there are also many benefits in starting out part-time and growing into your business.
If a part-time approach is more your speed – or you’re looking to start a profitable property inspection side hustle – here are five BIG reasons you’ll be set up to succeed.
#1 – You Can Learn the Home Inspection Business at Your Own Pace
Slow and steady wins the race. This naturally goes for part-time home inspection.
As a part-time home inspector, you’ll learn the business at your own pace and gain valuable industry experience before going full-time. This is helpful, for example, if you’re not ready to leave your primary job or you simply want to start small and steadily grow your business.
AHIT-trained home inspector Joe Mazza of HGTV’s “Home Inspector Joe” began his successful home inspection business part-time. After completing his AHIT training, Joe did home inspections on the side while continuing to work construction in New York City. The extra money he earned paid for upgraded tools and went into savings before he jumped into the business full-time.
#2 – You Can Work the Hours You Want
One of the biggest draws of being a home inspector – full- or part-time – is flexibility. As a part-time home inspector working for yourself, you can work the hours you want. Really! That’s the beauty of being your own boss.
Schedule inspection appointments only on the weekends, take them in the mornings on certain weekdays, or offer them during late afternoons. It’s completely up to you. Home inspection is an appointment-based business, and you are in the driver’s seat of your schedule.
#3 – You Can Make a Lot of Extra Cash
As side hustles go, home inspection offers one of the highest cash returns on your time investment.
As a part-time home inspector, you’ll make an average of $400 to $600 per inspection. This amount fluctuates based on the location, size, and age of a home. Home inspections typically take three to four hours – and the bulk of your report-writing can be done during the inspection using home inspection report software.
Here’s an example earning scenario. Say you perform one home inspection per week as a part-timer and the going rate in your location is $450 per inspection. Let’s do the math.
| Example Part-Time Income For A Home Inspector | |
|---|---|
| 1 Inspection Per Week x $450 Per Inspection = | $450 Extra Income Weekly |
| $450 Weekly x 4 Weeks = | $1,800 Extra Income Monthly |
| $1,800 Monthly x 52 Weeks = | $21,600 Extra Income Yearly |
That’s a handsome side hustle!
Of course, you’ll need to pay taxes and business expenses (you can learn how much it costs to be a home inspector in this blog). You might also have a less aggressive side income goal. Working as a part-time inspector still offers you a much higher earning potential when compared to other side jobs.
#4 – You Won’t Feel as Much Pressure or Stress
Less pressure and stress on the job? It’s one reason many AHIT students decide to train with us and start new careers in the first place.
Some of our students turned to part-time home inspection after experiencing physical burnout from working in construction for many years. Some transitioned after retiring from military service. And some of our students are semi-retired with goals of building low-stress, part-time businesses that are sustainable in the long term.
As a part-time home inspector, you’ll enjoy a low-pressure, flexible, and profitable career that you can grow however quickly or gradually you’d like.
#5 – You Can Advance Your Education While Working in the Field
As a new home inspector, there are lots of things to learn. From streamlining your home inspection process to learning the report-writing essentials, mastering your client communication skills, and learning what works for your marketing. It’s a whole new world.
As a part-time home inspector, you can take the time to learn the different aspects of the job and the real estate industry – in-depth – while working in the field. This may involve becoming certified in add-on services – such as radon, termite, or mold inspection – to bring in more income. You might work on your marketing to find out the most effective way to get leads. You’ll have more flexibility to network with local real estate agents for referrals, and you can stay on top of Continuing Education (CE).
Working part-time gives you the freedom to learn the ropes as a home inspector and build a successful home inspection business at your own pace.
Ready to Get Started as a Part-Time Home Inspector?
Find out the requirements to become a home inspector in your state and browse our online and in person training courses. Have questions? Our career advisors are happy to speak with you. Reach out at 800.441.9411 or ahit@theceshop.com Monday through Friday from 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM CST.
About the Author: Ashley Roe
