ICC certification - InspectionNews

Jim Luttrall · #1 (**permalink**) 10-06-2007, 10:20 PM

I am interested in gaining ICC certification. Does anyone have any tips for beginning the process and maybe a plan of attack?
Thanks, Jim

Joseph P. Hagarty · #2 (**permalink**) 10-06-2007, 11:01 PM

IRC Home Study Course

Dan Bowers · #3 (**permalink**) 10-06-2007, 11:57 PM

Go to IRC's site, buy the study guides and study - then take tests. Simple stuff. I read their study guides for mechanical, plumbing, electrical and building. Bought a Code Book. Signed up for tests (1 every 2 weeks - took them - passed) and got certified in all 4. The only test that gave me any problem was the electric. Was a real shock to find out I passed. Lot of questions about things that we don't regularly see or do, such as how many wires can be in a square box that is xx" by xx".

Nolan Kienitz · #4 (**permalink**) 10-07-2007, 07:39 AM

Jim,

Check out ICC's website for the certs:

ICC Online | Certification & Testing

I'm going to work the process myself over the next six months or so. The testing center is just East of North Central and just South of Park in a 2-story office building. Easy access.

I completed the NHIE for my ASHI membership and am now helping the NHIE developers with further releases of the test. Learning a lot !

Scott Patterson · #5 (**permalink**) 10-07-2007, 08:23 AM

Get the loose leaf IRC and put in the speed tabs. Keep in mind that this is an open book test and it is not necessary a test of your knowledge, but a test of your skill in reading and looking up the codes. Pay attention to the "exceptions", they will trip you up.

The ICC test are not all that hard if you know how to look up the information.

Jim Luttrall · #6 (**permalink**) 10-07-2007, 09:41 AM

Joseph, that home study course looks pretty interesting, have you had personal experience with it?
Nolan, keep me updated with your progress.
Thanks, everybody.

Eric Shuman · #7 (**permalink**) 10-07-2007, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan Bowers

The only test that gave me any problem was the electric. Was a real shock to find out I passed. Lot of questions about things that we don't regularly see or do, such as how many wires can be in a square box that is xx" by xx".

I agree with Dan on this point about the Electrical test. It was in my opinion the hardest test of the four and I, too, was surprised I passed the first time. The study guides were a big help to me, I didn't try the home study course, but if I were to do it over, I probably would have used it even though I passed all tests on the first attempt (probably by the minimal score when it came to the electrical

). I didn't think the tests were easy (even being open book), but definitely passable with the right preperation.

Even though as Scott said, it is not necessarily a test of your knowledge, existing knowledge of the codes will definitely help as it is a timed test and if you already know the answers to some of the questions, it will free up time for the ones you have to look up.

Eric

Rick Thitoff · #8 (**permalink**) 10-13-2007, 05:08 PM

I am also considering getting certified. Will studying the IRC, and using it at the test be sufficient? Are the code check books also good study references?

Thanks for any info.
Rick

Deleted Account · #9 (**permalink**) 10-13-2007, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott Patterson

The ICC test are not all that hard if you know how to look up the information.

If you are successful and take two exams at each sitting it will cost $400 to achieve an R-5 Certification, so advice is cheep only when you don't have to put your money where your mouth is or maybe when you have another exam to sell.

Anyone who has actually taken these exams know that it is almost impossible to pass just by looking up the answers, you will have to know something about the subject especially when taking the electric exam.

All exams have a two-hour time limit. In raw numbers, the B1 Exam is 50 questions which gives you 2.4 minutes per question. The other exams (E1, M1 & P1) have 60 questions which give you 2.0 minutes per question.

The B1 exam covers the first 10 chapters and is over 270 pages of information, most people will not be able to read and answer the questions within the alloted time and will need a successful strategy to pass.

Matt Hawley · #10 (**permalink**) 10-13-2007, 07:35 PM

Joseph's and Greg Bell's ICC Boot Camp and Ace Educator software program are both excellent.

Scott Patterson · #11 (**permalink**) 10-13-2007, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joseph Burkeson

If you are successful and take two exams at each sitting it will cost $400 to achieve an R-5 Certification, so advice is cheep only when you don't have to put your money where your mouth is or maybe when you have another exam to sell.

Anyone who has actually taken these exams know that it is almost impossible to pass just by looking up the answers, you will have to know something about the subject especially when taking the electric exam.

All exams have a two-hour time limit. In raw numbers, the B1 Exam is 50 questions which gives you 2.4 minutes per question. The other exams (E1, M1 & P1) have 60 questions which give you 2.0 minutes per question.

The B1 exam covers the first 10 chapters and is over 270 pages of information, most people will not be able to read and answer the questions within the alloted time and will need a successful strategy to pass.

Don't you have a class to sell?

I said that the ICC exams were not all that hard, this is based on when I took the B1, E1 and M1 six years ago. I did not find them all that difficult, the electrical was the most difficult. It could be that the exams have become more difficult since I took them in 2000 & 2001, I don't know. I stopped paying my ICC dues back in 2004 so I have not been that involved in the process. Yes, being familiar with the book and knowing how locate the answers is important.

Tim Moreira · #12 (**permalink**) 10-14-2007, 12:19 AM

I took the ICC exams for building and electrical last year. I went through Joseph Burkeson and Greg Bell's class first. The class they taught was 1st class and highly recommended. I don't think I would have passed without their class and study materials. Electrical test was easier for me, but I do have more of an electrical background. Building was a bit tougher.

You need to really spend a lot of time studying this stuff. You can not just look it up. You will not have a lot of time. I recommend you use the loose leaf three ring binder with the tabs in it. Put the index in the front of the three ring binder so you can access it easier. I do not recommend the book version for the test.

Study the index and learn how to read the tables. I seem to remember a lot of table questions on the building section. This to me was the worst and most time consuming.

You will most definitely feel "rushed" when taking the tests. Two hours seems like a lot of time but it isn't. I could have easily spent double that on each section.

Hope that helps and good luck.

Hello to all, sorry I've been away so long. My father moved in with me and took over my office.

Hope everyone is doing well.

Tim

Brandon Chew · #13 (**permalink**) 10-14-2007, 08:04 AM

I've seen several people recommend buying the loose leaf version of the code book instead of the bound version. I'm curious -- what are the reasons for this preference?

Ditto the comments on the turbo tabs. I think they are worth getting and using for the paper code books.

My preference, in my work, is the electonic version, because it is easy to do a search and to copy & paste code sections into other documents. But I don't think they'll let you use the electronic version on the cert tests.

Deleted Account · #14 (**permalink**) 10-14-2007, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott Patterson

Don't you have a class to sell?

Thanks for the plug, it is not just a class I sell but a whole philosophy, I believe that home inspectors should be certified independently of home inspection associations this way there is no conflict of interest.

Take for example the My Safe Florida Home Program being trashed this morning in the Tampa Tribune, it appears there are discrepancies concerning the quality of inspectors, who would have thought that an 8-hour course would not have been sufficient to train people to properly conduct wind mitigation inspections. I can say this with certainly, no one could spend only 8-hours with the IRC code book and pass the B1 exam. Had the state also required the applicants to have successfully passed the B1 besides whatever other training they deemed necessary I doubt these problems would now exist. But then again if not for the poorly structured WCE program we would not have high level ASHI leaders who have turned WCE attempting to get inspectors to perform these inspections for a lousy 50 bucks.

Let me not trail too far from your question though, yes I sell a low-cost ICC course that provides a proven plan to achieve ICC Certification, which appears to have your shorts in a knot.

What is it that concerns you about Assurance Check helping hundreds of home inspectors achieve ICC Certification, could it be that we are a threat to your multi-million dollar EBPHI which is diligently attempting to suck every state into using your questionable exam? Anyone taking the time to do a little investigative work on their own will soon discover that without state licensing the EBPHI corporation would be no more than an asterisk on the historical ASHI time-line, yes, it is obvious to all that you have something to sell and it smells rotten.

Scott Patterson · #15 (**permalink**) 10-14-2007, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joseph Burkeson

Let me not trail too far from your question though, yes I sell a low-cost ICC course that provides a proven plan to achieve ICC Certification, which appears to have your shorts in a knot.

What is it that concerns you about Assurance Check helping hundreds of home inspectors achieve ICC Certification, could it be that we are a threat to your multi-million dollar EBPHI which is diligently attempting to suck every state into using your questionable exam? Anyone taking the time to do a little investigative work on their own will soon discover that without state licensing the EBPHI corporation would be no more than an asterisk on the historical ASHI time-line, yes, it is obvious to all that you have something to sell and it smells rotten.

Joe, I never said I had a problem with your course. You just assumed it because I asked a question. In fact I think it is great that you have the talent and time to put it on. ICC also has a very good course that they offer online.

The NHIE must not be too questionable as it is used by 19 States, ASHI, AII and even NAHI allows it as their membership exam.

As for EBPHI, this thread was not about the NHIE. But now that you brought it up, as of three years ago ASHI no longer has anything to do with EBPHI. And yes, licensing is what supports EBPHI. With the NHIE being in 19 states, that is what the exam is and was designed for. EBPHI is not a multimillion dollar corporation as you say, I wish it was then I might get paid for all of my time I spend with it. All you have to do is the math and you can figure that out.

Joe, I don't sell anything other than my inspection services. You are the one with a dog in this hunt.

Brandon Chew · #16 (**permalink**) 10-15-2007, 06:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brandon Chew

I've seen several people recommend buying the loose leaf version of the code book instead of the bound version. I'm curious -- what are the reasons for this preference?

BUMP.

Scott Patterson · #17 (**permalink**) 10-15-2007, 06:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brandon Chew

BUMP.

Brandon, the loose leaf is just easier as you can add addendums or changes as they are published.

The best way to have to codes is on your computer, but you need the printed version for the exams.

Deleted Account · #18 (**permalink**) 10-15-2007, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brandon Chew

I've seen several people recommend buying the loose leaf version of the code book instead of the bound version. I'm curious -- what are the reasons for this preference?

One of the keys to passing the exam is the ability to decipher the question, once you know what is being asked you then have a target to look up, the next key is to keep look up time to a minimum by reducing the the size of the target.

To help reduce look up time... The loose leaf version of the code book allows you to move the index to the front of the section you are being tested on.

To help reduce the size of the look up target... You could create custom content pages & indexes for each division that you can place in your Code Book yourself, this strategy is not possible with the soft-cover edition.

Assurance Check has created these custom content pages & indexes for you as part of our over all strategy for exam success, all that you need do is print, three-hole punch and put them in the appropriate section.

Brandon Chew · #19 (**permalink**) 10-16-2007, 06:35 AM

Thanks for those tips guys. I have and use the computer version in my work. I plan to take the cert tests this winter and will need to buy a paper version of the code book to bring into the tests. Meanwhile I'll need to practice with it so I can quickly find what I'm looking for.