Property Inspector
Why Is Property Inspection a Job of Tomorrow?
With an ever-increasing population, the need for government services is escalating. In the case of property inspection, a rise in population inevitably leads to a rise in building construction to accommodate the residents of crowded cities and towns. Whether these buildings are for housing, recreation, or business, they must adhere to the safety standards established by the government in order to keep residents and workers safe during the construction and afterwards as well. Employment opportunities for property inspectors are expected to increase 18 percent by 2016, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Property inspector salaries vary depending on whether the inspector works for the local or state government. For example, locally-employed property inspectors earn an average of $46,040 annually, while state-employed property inspectors earn an average of $43,680 annually.
What Does a Property Inspector Do?
Property inspectors are responsible for ensuring that buildings that are being constructed or modified stick to the strict building codes and regulations as established by the local and state government. The rules that must be enforced include zoning regulations, aesthetic regulations such as adhering to the common architectural theme of a surrounding community, safety regulations such as fire escapes and alarms, and health regulations such as avoiding lead-based paints and other toxic materials. Property inspectors make several appearances to building sites to make certain that the building is complying with the regulations. Those that work in areas prone to certain natural disasters, such as earthquakes or hurricanes, have the added responsibility of making sure that the building is able to withstand such events and protect the occupants inside and outside. For example, a building in an earthquake-prone location must be constructed in a way that it can withstand most tremors, and if it does collapse, it will collapse in the least catastrophic fashion. Property inspectors can work in several specialty fields. These fields include building inspection, which focuses on the structural quality of the building, plan examination, which looks over the blueprints of the proposed project to check for regulation compliance, electrical inspection, which checks the equipment as well as the building’s electrical systems to ensure that the building is within electrical codes, and elevator inspection, which concentrates on the safety of elevators in commercial buildings.
What Kind of Training Do I Need to Become a Property Inspector?
Property inspectors must have at least a high school diploma, though more employers are now looking for applicants with at least an associate degree in an engineering-related field. An associate degree takes two years to earn, and students should take courses in building inspection, drafting, mathematics, and other related topics. Most states require property inspectors to be licensed, which typically requires the successful completion of an examination testing the prospective inspector’s knowledge of the field. However, the requirements for licensure vary between states.
