How did you become an inspector?

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1st.. concentrate on post #14
Pierre, very impressive! Not suprising considering the quality of your posts here.

As for myself, my parole officer found me the job after I failed rehab, amd Matrc wasn't hiring..:D

In this area (TN) there are few really well paying inspecting jobs. Many inspectors are either retired from another job or work as contractors also.
Most are well experienced. Many of us approach the job as contributing to the industry in general, by attempting to assure safe installations and by
providing information to the electricians/contractors. Here, that must be a part of the job as the $$ aren't necessarily there.
Just as with electricians, there are bad one and good ones. Hopefully my tombstone can say I was fair and did a decent job. The better inspectors are like most you see here, willing to do what they can to see work is done safely and constantly working to hone their skills. As with most jobs, those that do better are dedicated to the job.
I think #3 and #5 points in Pierre's post are especially important, but in general, I'd base my decision on what he had to say at #14.
 
to answer the original post, I became an electrical inspector after about 20 plus years in the trade, could not wait to get out and would never go back, I actually look forward going to work the last 6 years, find out what the license & experience requirements are in your area, join & attend any local inspector associations in your area, and the more licenses you have the more you are worth, for me it was the best move I ever made.
 
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a good inspector

a good inspector

Back in the 70's and early 80's I used Middle Dept. of Fire Underwriters to inspect my jobs. There was an older man, Johnny, that I used all the time. He became an inspector at about age 55 after working as an electrician since about high school. His knowledge, practical, theoretical and code, was amazing as he had seen it all and had done most jobs you would run into. I used to get him out to preview the job and get a lot of sound advice and guidance. I used to tell him and all inspectors..........."That book is the Bible, pointing to his code book, and you are the priest, now tell me what it says about this job". Today when I see a young, snot nosed guy maybe in his early 20's.....I really wonder how much piratical, theoretical and code knowledge he has........I guess I was spoiled by a great inspector!!...
 
Okie Dokie. I'm an inspector. Never performed electrical work; however I was in the construction industry for 15 years. The last eight of those were working with industrialized buildings. No not mobile homes! Industrialized buildings are built according to the ICC codes and the most recent NEC.

I was the plant manager and was the person responsible for compliance of all the codes. This is where I learned what, when, where, and how things were supposed to be done. I spent many hours reading the codes.

If you older guys remember the hard times of the early to mid 80's then you will know where I am coming from. I was tired of the manufacturing business, getting slow at the plant, a complete year went by that I just had to come to work and SIT! I was about to go crazy so I decided to become an inspector. I figured crazy and inspectors go hand in hand.

I applied for and was blessed in getting a job with a medium sized city as the assistant building official because of my prior experience in the field of plan review and supervising all aspects of the construction industry. There were four field inspectors so there I was, new to municipal inspecting with four very experienced inspectors. The chief electrical inspector came from contracting. He was tired of chasing jobs and his money. Same with the plumbing and mechanical inspectors.

This is how I became an inspector. The money isn't all that bad...not near as much as you can make in the private business but the benefits outweigh the money that you don't make. The insurance and retirement is what I was interested in. I was 35 years young when I started in the inspecting world and I knew there was more in life than trying to chase down work in a bad economy.

My retirement is better than any electrical contractor out there. If your city is a member of the state retirement system, the state mandates that a percentage of your salary goes for retirement. The cities I have worked for (three over the last 25 years) all provided a match to the amount of money set aside for retirement. Two to one. I don't think any electrical contractor or as far as that goes any contracting business out there where you can have the money you put back matched at two dollars for every dollar you put in PLUS interest on top of that!

That is one of the reasons why I am an inspector. The other is I love what I do! I feel good that I have provided a service to the citizens of my jurisdiction and know that they have received what they deserve. A safe, structurally sound, and healthy place to live.
 
mdshunk said:
My observation, you need to be one of two types of guy. 1) a retired electrician. 2) a washout in the field.
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I simply love this quote...... uneducated response by this poster, as I throw a few colorful metaphors out there to this one.....IMO. Now that we have dug this thread out of the dirt. After wiring for 20 years and still in good shape. I chose to take a different route as in 40 hours a week, (love my weekends and fed holidays off... paid), great fed benefits, retirement, all paid for.... Yes I give back study every night and attend my IAEI chapter meetings as I am a chair person.
 
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dcspector said:
I simply love this quote...... uneducated response by this poster, as I throw a few colorful metaphors out there to this one.....IMO. Now that we have dug this thread out of the dirt. After wiring for 20 years and still in good shape. I chose to take a different route as in 40 hours a week, (love my weekends and fed holidays off... paid), great fed benefits, retirement, all paid for.... Yes I give back study every night and attend my IAEI chapter meetings as I am a chair person.
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Thanks, couldn't have said it better myself. I taught apprentices part time for 3 years to try and give back but gave up because "the times, they are a changin", meaning these guys are not what they used to be; drugs, lack of ethic, math skills etc.....
Now I inspect for all of your reasons- sounds like they are jealous huh???
So, now after 35 years with tools, I have to read several arrogant posts about both instructors and inspectors.
 
I taught apprentices part time for 3 years to try and give back but gave up because "the times, they are a changin", meaning these guys are not what they used to be; drugs, lack of ethic, math skills etc.....
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Are you saying that there were no problems with drugs, lack of ethics, and math skills 20 years ago?

I currently teach 3rd and 4th year apprentices and have some very bright and hard working students in my classes. There are also the occasional slackers, but I don't see any difference from when I went through the program 18 years ago.

Chris
 
Don't worry masterelect1 you get used to it. I've been called washed up, used up, and worthless and that was by my wife. :D

Most of us got into it for the same reasons that Greg, my best good friend, and Gray stated.
 
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