The job: to carry out home condition reports for house sellers. The candidate: ideally a surveyor, but possibly a construction professional looking for a change. Experience preferred, but all applications will be considered (we’re desperate).
When the Housing Bill finally received Royal Assent last November, it presented the construction industry with yet another recruitment headache. This time, the throbbing behind the eyes was caused by the need to find a small army of surveyors to write home condition reports – those confessional missives that the act requires vendors to send to buyers. The ODPM estimates that 7500-8000 surveyors, or home inspectors as they are officially know, will be needed when the reforms are introduced in 2007.
According to the act, vendors must compile a home information pack. As well as guarantees, evidence of title, a draft contract and building control certificates, the pack must contain a home condition survey and an energy efficiency survey written by an inspector. Anyone wanting to write these, including existing surveyors, will have to pay out up to £2000 to train for a diploma in home inspection. And because it will probably take inexperienced students more than two years to qualify, the ODPM is hoping to recruit experienced people from the construction industry. It says research shows that there are between 10,000 and 18,000 professionals with the relevant experience, and is confident that enough of them will be in place by 2007 to apply the legislation.
But Ian Walton, business director of recruitment consultant Hays Montrose, doesn’t share the ODPM’s confidence. “If there are only 10,000 people with some experience, they are talking about a 75% take-up. It strikes me as a bit of a tall order. I wonder how many architects are going to do a course to become home inspectors?”
So where are all the home inspectors going to come from? Well, the job certainly has its attractions. Paul Creffield, the technical director of Countrywide Surveyors thinks the pay will be on a par with that of residential surveyors. “As an employer we have a mixture of people with varied qualifications and we don’t pay them any differently according to the letters after their name,” he says. “I see no difference between what home inspectors will get paid and what current residential surveyors get paid.” People could either become full-time home inspectors or do it part-time by combining it with an existing job. Self-employed people could add home inspection to a portfolio of existing skills and retired people could use it to top up their income.
However, if home inspection turns out to be a good option for those already in the industry it could create skills shortages in other areas. Pierre Williams, communications director at the House Builders Federation believes the home inspection regime is problematic. “There is an acute shortage of surveyors at present and creating the need for another 7500 without any effort to increase their numbers could cause serious problems.”
There is an acute shortage of surveyors. There could be serious problems
The recruitment drive certainly seems to have got off to a good start. The ODPM kicked off with a dedicated recruitment conference near Coventry at the end of November. Nearly 1000 people attended and most of those Building spoke to said they were serious about becoming home inspectors. Attendees varied from national firms of building surveyors to estate agents and individuals from within and outside the construction industry.
The new assessment centres where people train are reporting brisk business. “We are more than happy with the rate of sign up,” says Jill Murray, the RICS’ education and development manager. She says between 1200 and 1300 people have registered an interest in the RICS-run course, have made it through rounds of eligibility checking so are just waiting to sign up. Of these 82% are practising home surveyors and valuers, 6% have other industry experience and the remainder are people with little construction experience who are seeking a career change.
SAVA, an accreditation organisation for residential surveyors, reports even more buoyant figures, saying 4900 people have registered an interest, and 100 have started the course. SAVA says interest is coming from a wide variety of people. The Institute of Maintenance and Building Management has 200 on its course, which is open only to members, and the number is growing all the time. The Association of Building Engineers reports that several hundred people have registered an interest with it.
The ODPM sees these as encouraging signs. A spokesperson says: “RICS are confident and we are confident there will be enough home inspectors.” It seems unlikely, however, that they’ll get rid of the headache pills just yet.
What’s in the home condition report?
The home condition report is intended to make home buyers aware of any immediate defects in the property that need attention and to provide an overview of the condition of the home and how energy efficient it is. The report will be completed electronically and follow a standard format, which is being finalised by the ODPM. It is divided into eight sections including information about the home such as its size and age, external condition, internal condition, the condition of services and outbuildings. Each item is give a rating of one to three – items that are in good condition receive a one and serious defects needing immediate attention attracts a three.
The energy report is the result of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, which requires all buildings to have energy performance certification carried out from 2006. The energy report is a speeded up version of the standard assessment procedure called Reduced Data SAP and covers subjects such as how much insulation is present and the efficiency of the boiler. The home will get an A to G energy rating, like a fridge, and a list of for how the rating could be bumped up. Once the report is completed it is added to a database before being released to the home seller.
The first wave
Derek Coleman, senior site manager, Bowey Homes
I have been following this process very closely and want to find out more, as this is a second-career opportunity. Within two years I could get the qualification, become a home inspector, and become my own boss. Eventually there will be a lot of competition but initially there won’t be many people in the business so it’s a chance to make some money. I’ve been building properties for the past 25 years in north-east England and don’t see why experienced people other than surveyors shouldn’t benefit from this.
I’ll definitely sign up for an assessment centre – I am in my early 50s and would consider giving up my job or providing a special service, maybe at weekends.
Mike Brighton, self-employed
I am certainly taking a look at this and am interested to see what it’s all about. It’s a bit early to say whether I would do it but potentially I would say yes, depending on how much it costs and how much time is involved.
I don’t have any construction knowledge – my business is about cleaning and looking after computers so I would have to go on one of the specially designed courses. It would have to be part-time at evenings or weekends and I would invest a couple of years if necessary as there seems to be a really large demand for this. I would initially work for myself as a home inspector and forge alliances with local estate agents.
In the long term, I would take on a couple of home inspectors or team up with other home inspectors.
Simon Deacon, principal of Essex-based chartered surveyor Wheeldon & Deacon
Our market is changing with the introduction of the seller’s pack so we want to be involved with home condition reports although there will still be a demand for building surveys. Only 15-20% of people currently have a homebuyer report or building survey but it’s now going to be 100% so there will be tremendous increase in the workload. I am just about to start training with SAVA, which will take a minimum of six months. I am looking at taking on additional staff and they will have to train, which we will fund. I am taking on two or three initially because of the expansion in the market. I don’t anticipate that it will be hard to get people – there are a lot of aspiring home inspectors.
Nicola Gray, technical officer for Blaenau Gwent County council housing department
I have come to see what’s involved and what the job opportunities are. I would go to a different employer if this takes off or, if I could get enough work, I would work for myself. I have a building surveying degree and am not sure how much training I would need. I would have to fit the training around existing commitments. I will probably do it but I have a new family so it depends on how much time I have available.
Paul Rimmingon, building control officer, Erewash council
I am looking to develop my career as I have been in building control for 18 years. I want to broaden my horizons and am interested in becoming a home inspector as it is quite related to what I do. I want to remain as a building control officer but work part-time, ideally a balance of half and half. I have the skills to consider working on my own, which would be an ideal scenario. Other colleagues I know in building control are interested too, so perhaps we could join forces. I feel the training is a lot of work but when you see a route through, it’s not as difficult as it first seems I am not doing this for the money – it’s because it’s a change and a new venture.
How do you become a home inspector?
What qualifications are needed?
All potential home inspectors must gain the Diploma in Home Inspection. This has been developed by the Awarding Body for the Built Environment, which is currently going through an approval process with the ODPM to become the official awarding body for this qualification. It is set at a similar level as a National Vocational Qualification Level 4, which is equivalent to an HND or modern foundation degree. Because the diploma is a vocational qualification, it is achieved by building up a portfolio of evidence that the candidate has the competence to do the job.
Where do you do it?
Potential home inspectors must complete the diploma at one of four ABBE-accredited assessment centres. The RICS has set a centre up with Optimus Associates, the Association of Building Engineers has set up another and the Institute of Maintenance and Building Management and SAVA run the other two. “There are more centres in the pipeline,” says Kelly Stewart, the manager of ABBE.
What skills are needed?
The ODPM hopes it will find enough home inspectors from within the ranks of the construction industry, so the course has been designed to use people’s existing skills and enable them to do the course without giving up their day jobs. “We’ve designed the qualification with experienced practitioners in mind,” says Stewart. Each centre offers an online assessment to help potential candidates to determine whether they can start studying for the diploma immediately or whether they need to undertake other training first.
Do I have to do the whole course if I am already qualified?
ABBE has devised a credit tariff that grants the candidate a credit for the relevant part of the course if they have formal qualifications and specific experience. For example, members of the RICS, the Chartered Institute of Building and the British Institute of Architectural Technologists may not have to take the first three units of the diploma. Centre assessors can also give credits on a case-by-case basis for existing skills. Previous experience could save a lot of time. For example, a total of 10 surveys must be carried out, of which three must be in home condition report format. Full-time surveyors could submit seven surveys they have carried out as part of their job.
How much does it cost?
The centres charge between £1600 and £1950. The RICS centre offers a discount for its members and ABE offers a discount for its own members and those of the CIOB.
How long does it take?
Stewart says skilled people such as surveyors could gain the diploma quite quickly. “There is a minimum 10-week rule,” she says. “However we are suggesting that someone experienced would take six to nine months.” People with no construction experience will need to complete a construction-related course at another educational institution before signing up, or take it in tandem with the diploma.
What’s in the course?
The course consists of five units and a final exam and should take an estimated 360 hours. As the course is a vocational qualification, candidates build up a portfolio of evidence to demonstrate that they are competent at each module. The modules include: working in an effective and professional manner, contributing to the safety and security of people and property, preparation for home condition inspections, the undertaking of home inspections and dissemination of home condition reports. Most of the course can be done at home with students communicating with centres on the internet.
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