Thread: Pre Education need to do BPI or Resnet?

I am in a position to change careers. I have no experience with doing inspections or audits. Do i need any other schooling before i pursue energy auditing courses? How many courses should i take before starting to preform audits? How many years would it take to change to this career? Has anyone ever heard of a company offering apprenticeships?

I strongly believe in energy conservation. I guess you could call it a passion. I want to help others to make these changes as well. I started looking in to a bachelors in environmental sciences at a local college. I don't want to spend 4 to 6 years in school. So i am instead looking into being a energy auditor. It is something i have talked about for 2 years now. I hope to turn it into a family business in the future. I need to know what i am getting into before i start spending thousands of dollars.

Any advice from people who are currently doing audits or who are in training would be helpful.

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• Inspector Education

Originally Posted by Nichole Regul

I am in a position to change careers. I have no experience with doing inspections or audits. Do i need any other schooling before i pursue energy auditing courses? How many courses should i take before starting to preform audits? How many years would it take to change to this career? Has anyone ever heard of a company offering apprenticeships?

I strongly believe in energy conservation. I guess you could call it a passion. I want to help others to make these changes as well. I started looking in to a bachelors in environmental sciences at a local college. I don't want to spend 4 to 6 years in school. So i am instead looking into being a energy auditor. It is something i have talked about for 2 years now. I hope to turn it into a family business in the future. I need to know what i am getting into before i start spending thousands of dollars.

Any advice from people who are currently doing audits or who are in training would be helpful.

Th first thing you should know is that very few if any are making enough to live off of by doing energy audit inspections like this. Just about the only ones that are making any money are the ones who are putting on the training and who are selling the equipment!

Do some additional research on how much money folks are making doing energy audits and their ROI for getting into it.

I performed energy audits back in the early 1990's and little has changed since then. The fees that folks will pay are still low and then you have the local utilities that do them for little or even for free for their customers.

Nichole,

Contact Sydney Roberts or Brad Turner at Southface in Atlanta. They offer the training you are looking for. I spoke with Sydney just the other day at a home performance conference in Austin, TX.

Nichole,

There is not much money in the energy audit business at this time. I have made a good profit from doing Energy Star Certifications for new construction and energy efficiency mortgage audits. There may be more opportunity coming if Home Star legislation passes. Because only RESNET certified raters can do Energy Star certs I recommend that training even though it appears more people take BPI training. Whatever training you take find some small classes so you can actually get some good hands on training with the equipment.

Bob,
I am looking to do this part time for now. As far as Energy Star Certifications, what back round education is needed? Can i start these Certs shortly after training.Have you had this training? I heard sometimes they wont pass people. I would like more info about this if you have it. I want to get my foot in the door for the future of this job market. This sounds like it might be the way in.

Bruce,
Who are Sydney Roberts or Brad Turner at Southface in Atlanta. Would i have to travel. I am not able to do that as Atlanta is about 8hrs away.

Scott,
I figure for awhile i might have to give my services away to grow my clientèle or referrals. I have found some threads that say a audit is $300. I have trouble believing these claims. I wouldn't pay that much. If i could make a few hundred a month i'd be happy.

Thanx guys for the responses, i have spent at least 2 weeks trying to sort through internet bull ****/scams about this topic.

"I am not able to do that as Atlanta is about 8hrs away."


What part of GA is that?

Sorry wrong travel time. The only time i drive that way is to go to Thompson's station TN, thats like 9 hours. I am 6 miles from FL. I guess it is like 5 hrs to Atlanta. Traveling into Jacksonville, Fl for training is more practical for me.

"I am 6 miles from FL."

My Wife is from Clyattville (Valdosta).

Originally Posted by Nichole Regul

Sorry wrong travel time. The only time i drive that way is to go to Thompson's station TN, thats like 9 hours. I am 6 miles from FL. I guess it is like 5 hrs to Atlanta. Traveling into Jacksonville, Fl for training is more practical for me.

I actually live about 1500' from the metropolis of Thompson's Station.

Nichole,

Doing Energy Star Certifications requires a knowledge of building construction and the RESNET training. Before I completed RESNET training I had built 4 custom homes and been a home inspector (did many newconstructionphase inspections) for ten years. Coupling my inspection/construction experience with my RESNET training gave be a solid footing to do certifications. However, it still took addittional effort on my part to truly get up to speed and feel comfortable doing Energy Star Certs.

My recommendation to you if you chose to get some energy rater training - get a mentor (not easy to find) to help you in the beginning. The rater written test was not that difficult if you listen in class, comprehend what they say and are good at test taking!! Most classes, however, do not give you enough hands-on training with the equipment (which by the way costs over $4000!). To get into the business will cost at least $6000!

Originally Posted by Scott Patterson

I actually live about 1500' from the metropolis of Thompson's Station.

I have family in Thompson's station, they bought their first house in Spring hill then down sized housing. I lived not far from the Kroger/Daily's corner for 2 months with them. Beautiful place to live. It's a shame that the Saturn plant brought in so many and then closed.

[QUOTE=Bob Spermo;129205]Nichole,


My recommendation to you if you chose to get some energy rater training - get a mentor (not easy to find) to help you in the beginning.


Is regular home inspection a mentor field of work? I am willing to start as a regular home inspector, as it would allow me more of a understanding of a house. If you saw a ad in a paper for "looking for a mentor in the home inspection field" what would you think? I have a lot of understanding of homes in general and how they function. I have remodel 85% of my last house. We are working on having a Deltec house built in the near future. I am still young enough to spend a few years in training. I would like to avoid spending that train solely in a class room.

Originally Posted by Nichole Regul

I have family in Thompson's station, they bought their first house in Spring hill then down sized housing. I lived not far from the Kroger/Daily's corner for 2 months with them. Beautiful place to live. It's a shame that the Saturn plant brought in so many and then closed.

They still have the engine plant at the old Saturn place and employ around 900 folks. They completely redesigned the old Saturn plant (Now the Spring Hill GM Assembly Plant) and now it is the most modern plant that GM has. They made the Traverse here till last November and then they moved the production up north. Go figure (politics) why they closed this one as it was their most profitable plant and their newest! It really did not impact the area as much as folks thought it would when it was idled.

It's a same you don't offer training. I could travel there and stay in the area for training.

OK so after spending 3 hours scanning the net again i am still over whelmed. I will get schooling for HI as these seems to be the first step. There are so many schools on line but not so many live classes. ASHI training seems to be the best, there aren't any near by though.

I am going to look in the local paper as well. Maybe i can get hired as a temp or a trainee at a HI company. As I will be moving out of this area in the next 2 yrs. i wont be a threat to their business.

Originally Posted by Nichole Regul

It's a same you don't offer training. I could travel there and stay in the area for training.

OK so after spending 3 hours scanning the net again i am still over whelmed. I will get schooling for HI as these seems to be the first step. There are so many schools on line but not so many live classes. ASHI training seems to be the best, there aren't any near by though.

I am going to look in the local paper as well. Maybe i can get hired as a temp or a trainee at a HI company. As I will be moving out of this area in the next 2 yrs. i wont be a threat to their business.

This link will show you the ASHI School locations and dates:
Classes The ASHI School Home Inspection Class Information

I'm both a RESNET certified rater and BPI certified. I believe the primary difference is that RESNET is geared more towards rating new homes. BPI certification is more for assessing existing homes and making improvements. Should home star legislation pass; BPI certification will definitely be the more valuable.