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Home Inspection Certificate Program
Business Outlook
James Dobney
Carson Dunlop
Alan Carson
Information Session
Please join us at the New Westminster Campus, from 6:00 - 7:30 pm at one of these sessions and learn more about this excellent career training program. A brief presentation will be followed by a question and answer period.
These sessions are offered at no charge, register online or by calling the Registrar's Office @ 604-527-5472.
| Date: |
To Be Confirmed |
| Time: | To Be Confirmed |
| Room: | To Be Confirmed |
Definition
A Home Inspector gives an opinion to a client "regarding the condition of a residential dwelling or property based on a visual examination of readily accessible features and components of the dwelling or property (Consumer Protection BC website)."
The Douglas College Home Inspection Certificate program will teach you how to be an excellent Home Inspector and provide the knowledge you need to meet the licensing requirements.
Licensing
Until March 31, 2009 home inspection training in British Columbia (BC) was voluntary and there were no restrictions on who could call themselves a home inspector. Thankfully this has changed. BC is the first province to require licensing.
Consumer Protection BC issues licenses to individuals who perform home inspection services based on the requirements of the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act and the Home Inspector Licensing Regulation. For information on how to become licensed and much more please visit:
http://www.consumerprotectionbc.ca/businesses-home-inspectors-home
For those students who will be pursuing licensing through "Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors (BC)" CAHPI (BC) Exams will be held at the College. Current Exam Registration Form:
CAHPI Exam Registration Form (doc)
About The Program
The Home Inspection Certificate Program is offered in partnership with Carson Dunlop and Associates. This relatively young profession has evolved from a rare service to one that is routinely used by prospective homebuyers and sellers - this means there is a growing need for qualified home inspectors. You may take all 10 courses to earn a Certificate in Home Inspection or complete the courses of interest to you.
About our partnershipThis program incorporates the Standards of Practice of the American Society of Home Inspectors/Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors (ASHI/CAHPI). It is also consistent with and recognized by the National Occupational Standards document created as part of the National Certification Program for home inspectors in Canada.
The Standards of Practice define a minimum and uniform standard for private home inspectors.
This comprehensive program has also been adopted by the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), the Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors (CAHPI) in British Columbia, and Alberta.
Admission Requirements
There are no prerequisites for the program nor is technical knowledge mandatory. The program is comprehensive but the format is simple and designed to make learning enjoyable and satisfying.
Time Commitment
In addition to class time, you will need an additional 21 hours for home study and field exercises per course. Please assure that you have dedicated time for each course.
Instructors
All instructors are licensed practicing professionals with many years experience and have completed The Instructional Skills training at Douglas College.
How the Program Works
The Home Inspection Training Program is designed to teach in a logical, progressive way. For each component and house system, the approach follows this simple 10 step learning process:
- What is it? (Name and description)
- What does it do? (Function)
- What is it made of? (Materials/components)
- What does it look like? (Appearance/location)
- How does it work? (Operating sequence/details)
- What can go wrong? (Non-performance)
- What causes the problems? (Why did it break?)
- What are the implications of problems? (What happens if it doesn't do its job?)
- How do I find out if it is doing its job? (This is the home inspection expert part!)
- What do I tell my client? (The report)
Whether you are taking all ten subjects to achieve your certificate or simply one or two subjects to build specific knowledge, you'll enjoy the comfort of knowing that you are learning from leaders in the profession.
What You Bring
- great communication skills
- a knack for working with people
- an interest in construction and how things work
- a desire to continue learning
We will help you acquire the construction-related knowledge you need to perform professional home inspections. Each course is designed for someone with no prior experience. We'll introduce you to the world of home inspection and help you build a successful career.
Program Benefits
- Each of the 10 courses is 42 hours long, divided 50/50 between the classroom and home study. Home study includes field exercises and readings. Learn from established industry professionals, who will coach you as you progress through the program.
- Earn a Douglas College Certificate in Home Inspection. This will greatly increase your marketability.
Your Future In the Field
The opportunities in home inspection are significant and will grow as this profession matures.
Pre-purchase inspections are becoming a common part of every real estate transaction. It is estimated that 60-70 percent of resale homes are currently inspected in Canada. Over the next decade, that number is expected to near 100 percent.
Owners of new homes also hire professional home inspectors to inspect homes as they are being built and before the new home warranty expires.
Maintenance inspections may also be conducted to protect the owner's investment in the home, to maximize life expectancy and comfort, and to minimize operating costs and energy consumption.
Once certified, you may continue your education to offer inspections for a wide range of services, including:
- commercial buildings
- asbestos
- carbon monoxide
- water quality
- lead
- air quality
- energy efficiency
Home inspection will evolve as construction methods and materials change. Your services may be required by home buyers, sellers and owners.
Career Benefits
- low start-up and operating costs
- work from home
- work full or partial days
- set your own schedule
- make more money in less time
- limited physical demands
- easily maintain business once established
Enhancing Your Current Career
If you are already involved in home building, renovations, design, repair or maintenance, you can gain a lot from this program. You may take all the subjects to become certified, or just those that are directly applicable to you. The benefits are better results, higher pay and higher value in today's competitive market. Continuing education is recognized and required in many professional organizations.
General Interest
If you simply want to improve your understanding of homes, how they operate, what goes wrong and why, this program offers a great deal. The easy-to-understand presentation means you do not need background knowledge before you start.
Tuition
$295.00 per course
Tax receipt will be available on Douglas College website.
Books
The cost of each book per course is $200.00 plus shipping and tax. The course books will serve as your home inspection library when you start practicing. The books total 4700 pages and over 1600 illustrations. With your first purchase, you will receive FREE the Home Reference (400 pages) resource guide to be used in all courses.
Books must be ordered before start of the course.
When you register for each course you will receive a Douglas College Student Code to order books at the reduced price above. The contact information and Douglas College Student Code will be printed on your course receipt. Please contact Laury DeBow by phone @ 604-527-5607 or email @ debowl@douglas.bc.ca if you have not received the receipt with the Douglas College Student Code. After you place the order for the books they will be shipped directly to you.
Courses
To receive a Certificate in Home Inspection, all 10 courses must be successfully completed at Douglas College.
Schedule for future courses: Please note: All courses are offered two times per year.
Winter 2012
|
Roofing |
| Plumbing |
| Structure |
| Insulation & Interior |
| Heating 1 |
| Exterior |
Spring 2012
| Heating 1 |
| Heating 2 |
| Electrical |
| Exterior |
| Insulation & Interior |
| Air Conditioning & Heat Pumps |
| Communication & Professional Practice |
Fall 2012
|
Roofing |
| Plumbing |
| Structure |
| Heating 2 |
| Electrical |
| Air Conditioning and Heat Pumps |
| Communication & Professional Practices |
ALL STUDENTS: The course dates and CRN numbers for the Winter 2012 semester are now posted.
Roofing
This course identifies proper roof construction for both sloped and flat roofs. Detailed descriptions and rich illustrations help to explain flashing details and the intersections that are often problems on roofs. Included are sections on how to inspect roofs and what to watch for with various roofing materials.| Instructor: | Jim Small |
| CRN: | 11155 |
| Dates: | 3 Saturdays, January 21, February 18 and march 17, 2012 |
| Time: | 9:00 am - 4:30 pm |
| Fee: | $295 plus textbook |
| Textbook: |
Please obtain books prior to the start of the course: |
| Instructor: | Jim Small |
| CRN: | 11154 |
| Dates: | 7 Thursdays: January 12, 26 and February 9, 23 and march 8, 22 and April 5, 2012 |
| Time: | 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm |
| Fee: | $295 plus textbook |
| Textbook: |
Please obtain books prior to the start of the course: |
Plumbing
The plumbing course is broken into four segments: supply piping, water heaters, waste piping and plumbing fixtures. The basics of the physics of water are covered at the beginning in a simple, common-sense way. Instruction on how systems work and common failure modes is provided. Illustrations add significantly to the learning experience.
| Instructor: | Tracy Gosling |
| CRN: | 11157 |
| Dates: | 3 Saturdays: January 14, February 11 and March 10, 2012 |
| Time: | 9:00 am - 4:30 pm |
| Fee: | $295 plus textbook |
| Textbook: |
Please obtain books prior to the start of the course: |
|
Instructor: |
Tracy Gosling |
| CRN: | 11156 |
| Dates: | 7 Tuesdays: January 10, 24 and February 7, 21 and March 6, 20 and April 3, 2012 |
| Time: | 6:00 pm 9:00 pm |
| Fee: | $295 plus textbook |
| Textbook: |
Please obtain books prior to the start of the course: |
Structure
All the elements of a building from the footings and foundations to the floor, wall and roof assemblies are addressed in considerable detail. Elements of good construction are explained and illustrated, along with common failure modes and how to identify them.
| Instructor: | Fraser Manson |
| CRN: | 11147 |
| Dates: | 3 Saturdays: January 14, February 11 and March 10, 2012 |
| Time: | 9:00 am - 4:30 pm |
| Fee: | $295 plus textbook |
| Textbook: |
Please obtain books prior to the start of the course: |
| Instructor: | Fraser Manson |
| CRN: | 11146 |
| Dates: | 1 Wednesday 6 Tuesdays, January11, 17, 31 and February 14, 28 and March 13, 27th, 2012 |
| Time: | 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm |
| Fee: | $295 plus textbook |
| Textbook: |
Please obtain books prior to the start of the course: |
Heating I
Start with an introduction to residential heating systems, beginning with a description of fuels and then focusing on furnaces and boilers. Detailed instructions on operational tests, common failure modes and life expectancies of various systems are included.| Instructor: | Norm Williams |
| CRN: | 11153 |
| Dates: | 3 Saturdays, January 21, February 18 and March 17, 2012 |
| Time: | 900 am - 4:30 pm |
| Fee: | $295 + textbook |
| Textbook: |
Please obtain books prior to the start of the course: |
| Instructor: | Norm Williams |
| CRN: | 11152 |
| Dates: | 7 Thursdays, January 5, 19 and Feburary 2, 16 and March 1, 15 & 29th, 2012 |
| Time: | 6:00 - 9:00 pm |
| Fee: | $295 plus textbook |
| Textbook: |
Please obtain books prior to the start of the course: |
Exterior
Begin with an illustrated description of architectural styles. Wall systems, windows and doors are included, along with a discussion about how to inspect and identify problems. Exterior structures and landscaping features are also addressed.| Instructor: | Fraser Manson |
| CRN: | 11149 |
| Dates: | 3 Saturdays, January 28, February 25 and March 24, 2012 |
| Time: | 9:00 am - 4:30 pm |
| Fee: | $295 plus textbook |
| Textbook: |
Please obtain books prior to the start of the course: |
| Instructor: | Fraser Manson |
| CRN: | 11148 |
| Dates: | 7 Wednesdays, January 4, 18 and February 1, 15, 29 and March 14 and 28th, 2012 |
| Time: | 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm |
| Fee: | $295 plus textbook |
| Textbook: |
Please obtain books prior to the start of the course: |
Insulation and Interior
This course focuses on two different parts of the home. The first section addresses home insulation and ventilation systems. Modern building standards are explained along with the principles of heat transfer. The interior section addresses floor, wall and ceiling finishes as well as stairs, windows, doors and wet basements.
| Instructor: | Henry Khuu |
| CRN: | 11151 |
| Dates: | 3 Saturdays, January 7, February 4 and March 3, 2012 |
| Time: | 9:00 am - 4:30 pm |
| Fee: | $295 plus textbook |
| Textbook: |
Please obtain books prior to the start of the course: |
| Instructor: | Henry Khuu |
| CRN: | 11150 |
| Dates: | 7 Mondays, January 9, 23 and February 6, 20 and March 5, 19 and April 2, 2012 |
| Time: | 6:00 - 9:00 pm |
| Fee: | $295 plus textbook |
| Textbook: |
Please obtain books prior to the start of the course: |
Heating II
The heating discussion is continued with a focus on chimneys, wood heating, fireplaces, steam heating, electric heating systems and space heaters. The information is presented in a straightforward fashion with clear diagrams. Again, this course concentrates on inspection strategies, operational test procedures and problem identification.
| Instructor: | Norm Williams |
| CRN: | |
| Dates: | 3 Saturdays, Date to be confirmed for Spring 2012 |
| Time: | 9:00 am - 4:30 pm |
| Fee: | $295 + textbook |
| Textbook: |
Please obtain books prior to the start of the course: |
| Instructor: | Norm Williams |
| CRN: | |
| Dates: | 7 evening Dates to be confirmed for Spring 2012 |
| Time: | 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM |
| Fee: | $295 + textbook |
| Textbook: |
Please obtain books prior to the start of the course: |
Electrical
Begin with a description of house electricity and develop your understanding of the basics. Address getting electricity into the house, and distributing it safely to its end-use points including switches, lights and receptacles. Discussion is designed for people who do not have an electrical background. The objective is to provide the learner with the skills necessary to perform the electrical part of a home inspection.
| Instructor: | Tracy Gosling |
| CRN: | |
| Dates: | 3 Saturdays, To be confirmed for Spring 2012 |
| Time: | 9:00 am - 4:30 pm |
| Fee: | $295 plus textbook |
| Textbook: |
Please obtain books prior to the start of the course: |
| Instructor: | Tracy Gosling |
| CRN: | |
| Dates: | Evenings, To be confirmed for Spring 2012 |
| Time: | 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm |
| Fee: | $295 plus textbook |
| Textbook: |
Please obtain books prior to the start of the course: |
Air Conditioning and Heat Pumps
These complicated mechanical systems are broken down into simple components. Start with basic principles of operation and build an understanding. Considerable detail is provided on how these systems fail. Upon completion, the learner is able to test and inspect air conditioning and heat pump systems as a professional home inspector.
| Instructor: | Mike Woodbridge |
| CRN: | |
| Dates: | Saturdays to be confirmed for Spring 2012 |
| Time: | 9:00 am - 4:30 pm |
| Fee: | $295 plus textbook |
| Textbook: |
Please obtain books prior to the start of the course: |
| Instructor: | Mike Woodbridge |
| CRN: | |
| Dates: | 7 evening dates to be confirmed for Spring 2012 |
| Time: | 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm |
| Fee: | $295 plus textbook |
| Textbook: |
Please obtain books prior to the start of the course: |
Communication and Professional Practices
This is the only non-technical course, and as such is not accompanied by a CD-ROM. The focus here is the activity of home inspection and how the business works. Discuss how home inspections are arranged and how to conduct an inspection. We address issues including communicating your findings to clients verbally and in writing. Excellent coverage of the elements of professional technical reports and sample checklists are included.| Instructor: | Fraser Manson |
| CRN: | |
| Dates: | 3 Saturdays, To be confirmed for Spring 2012 |
| Time: | 9:00 am - 4:30 pm |
| Fee: | $295 plus textbook |
| Textbook: |
Please obtain books prior to the start of the course: |
| Instructor: | Fraser Manson |
| CRN: | |
| Dates: | Evenings, To be confirmed for Spring 2012 |
| Time: | 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm |
| Fee: | $295 plus textbook |
| Textbook: |
Please obtain books prior to the start of the course: |
Evaluation
The means of assessment for each course is as follows:
Quizzes 20%
Mid Term Exam 25%
Field Exercise/Assignment 15%
Final 40%
Exams are a combination of multiple choice, short answers and illustrations.
Registration
You do not need to make a formal application to Douglas College which would necessitate supplying transcripts and minimum grades for certain courses. Registration is as easy as a phone call, FAX or online purchase.
Course registration is on a first come, first serve, basis. If the class is full, please ask to be placed on the waitlist.
How To Register
Walk in - Douglas College, New Westminster or David Lam Campus Coquitlam
Fax - 604-527-5696
Phone - 604-527-5472 (Visa or MasterCard only)
Mail - Douglas College
Continuing Education, Registration
PO Box 2503
New Westminster, BC V3L 5B2
TTY - 604-527-5317