Study Book

[Richard Senn]

Okay, so last night was the first night of my class and the instructor informed us that there was simply not enough information in the course to sufficiently prepare us for the state exam. He recommends studying as much as we can on our own as we work through the course work.

The last month of classes in December will help a lot since we will have access to the labs and a computer program at the school campus called Compu Cram witch is supposed to have questions similar to what's on the licensing exam.

My question is, what is the best book I can buy to prepare myself for the state exam, which in Oklahoma is the same as the national inspector licensing exam? Is there a National Standards book that I can be studying while I'm in class?

Regards,
Richard

[Dan Harris]

Okay, so last night was the first night of my class and the instructor informed us that there was simply not enough information in the course to sufficiently prepare us for the state exam. He recommends studying as much as we can on our own as we work through the course work.

The last month of classes in December will help a lot since we will have access to the labs and a computer program at the school campus called Compu Cram witch is supposed to have questions similar to what's on the licensing exam.

My question is, what is the best book I can buy to prepare myself for the state exam, which in Oklahoma is the same as the national inspector licensing exam? Is there a National Standards book that I can be studying while I'm in class?

Regards,
Richard

All of the code check books.

[Elliot Franson]

All of the code check books.

Plus whatever rules and regulations OK has for HIs.

[Richard Senn]

All of the code check books.

Dan,

Are the first 5 books shown here sufficient?

Code Check: Book Info & Purchasing (http://www.codecheck.com/cc/ccwwwbuy.html)

I'm guessing I don't need to know the California codes and that they probably have a separate type of exam, but I could be wrong.

[Richard Senn]

Plus whatever rules and regulations OK has for HIs.

Elliot, good call I have those already.


I just know I need to study like crazy the next several months. I believe the failure rate on the exam is like 60% the first time. I've already read our 500 page book on Real Estate and Home Inspection Licensing but there is just so much I have to learn and hopefully retain it all in the next several months.

One good thing is we will inspect with our instructor 4-5 actual houses. One he will walk us through and the rest he expects us to make full reports on our own and then critique us. There are only 3 other students besides myself and business partner in the class so the instructor should be able to give a lot of one on one instruction.

Plus we've lined up several inspectors to let us tag along on some ride alongs. Things are looking good, I just need learn as much as I can, pass the exam, and flip the "magical economy turn around switch" and I'll be ready. :D Well, almost ready I'll still have lot to learn.

[CHARLIE VAN FLEET]

compu cram has some great quizes--that will help--but learn the organization or states sops--lot of questions on sops

goodluck and pay attention in class

cvf

[Scott Patterson]

Elliot, good call I have those already.


I just know I need to study like crazy the next several months. I believe the failure rate on the exam is like 60% the first time. I've already read our 500 page book on Real Estate and Home Inspection Licensing but there is just so much I have to learn and hopefully retain it all in the next several months.
Actually the NHIE (OK State exam) has around a 64% pass ratio for first time takers.


One good thing is we will inspect with our instructor 4-5 actual houses. One he will walk us through and the rest he expects us to make full reports on our own and then critique us. There are only 3 other students besides myself and business partner in the class so the instructor should be able to give a lot of one on one instruction.
This will be helpful in learning the process of inspecting homes.


Plus we've lined up several inspectors to let us tag along on some ride alongs. Things are looking good, I just need learn as much as I can, pass the exam, and flip the "magical economy turn around switch" and I'll be ready. :D Well, almost ready I'll still have lot to learn.

As much of the in-the-field experience you can get will help you more than anything. But, it will not replace the knowledge you will learn from the books.

The Journal of Light Construction Field Guide is another good book to help you with the NHIE.

[Richard Senn]

I've been super busy here at work today so I haven't been able to research the code check books much more.

Can anyone tell me if the "Code Check Complete: An Illustrated Guide to Building, Plumbing, Mechanical, and Electrical Codes" is sufficient or is it just a watered down version of each of those sections and I should by the Building, Plumbing, Mechanical, and Electrical Code Check books separately because they will have more information?

[Jack Feldmann]

The Code Check Complete should be enough, though the pages are smaller and may be a little harder to find info.
Another good source of info is the Carson Dunlop Home Reference book (if still available). While it was designed as an inspection report, it full of a lot of stuff that you need to know. ITA used to have a Study guide fort he Home Reference book as well.

[Scott Patterson]

I've been super busy here at work today so I haven't been able to research the code check books much more.

Can anyone tell me if the "Code Check Complete: An Illustrated Guide to Building, Plumbing, Mechanical, and Electrical Codes" is sufficient or is it just a watered down version of each of those sections and I should by the Building, Plumbing, Mechanical, and Electrical Code Check books separately because they will have more information?

Code Check Complete is a great book. Every inspector should have a copy. I have one in my truck and one on my desk.

[Richard Senn]

Thanks for the help guys. Code Check complete is on order and should be here early next week. :cool:

[Garry Sorrells]

RICHARD-
I am glad that your instructor told you up fron that he is going to talk about Home Inspections and building practices rather than teach you about Home inspections. Now you know that you will have to be self taught to pass the NHIE. Or, you will have to pressure the instructor to be a teacher. To many times the instructors will spend so much of the time telling war stories as they read from a book on building methods and practices. 1) What you need to know is everything that goes into building a house (everything). 2) You will need to know and understand the Code Book ( a condensed version) that you have ordered in detail. 3) The best thing is to find as many pictures of building defects that you can find with an explanation of why it is not correct. This site will give you a real breath of topic areas. Just make sure that you understand and agree with the reasoning followed by looking it up in the Code Book to see the wordsing of how it supposed to be done and recognizing why it does or doesn't. The test involves many of pictures that you have to find (where's Waldo) what is right or wrong. Your instructor could prepare you if they were willing to spend the time and effort to create an instructional outline with supporting pictures that they would follow. It needs to be intense due to time constraints. They also need to have a Power Point Presentation that reinforces all that they cover in class and with additional information that you are able to study outside of class. This has to be available to the student from the first day of class. The instructor need to have taken the NHIE with in the past two years so that the are fresh with the direction that the test is presented which changes every several years. Few will do this due to the cost of the test. Few if any will have the preparation for the class as if they were real teachers/instructors. Most class instructors are from the Home Inspection field with real experience but are not true teachers (with alll of the preperation that it entails). Sad to say they feel that meeting the basic lowest level of competency is sufficient as they feel they are only generalist and only operate to the bare minimum Standards Of Practice (SOP) that they are required to by law.
I expect that this may ruffle some feathers out there, truth can hurt at times. Not all classes that are offered fall short, but knowing that you will not receive the necessary information that will prepare you for the NHIE in the beginning puts you at an advantage. Much better than finding out that the course that you have spent weeks in does not give you the needed preparation the week before it ends.