The Course

Our course is the only one available for people with no background in surveying to achieve such comprehensive qualifications – Commercial and Domestic Energy Assessor, Home Inspector and Flood Risk Assessor. It has been designed in modular form and includes both classroom and practical on-site training. We have been delivering Home Inspector training since July 2006. Our own team of trainers spent over a year creating this unique, complete and rewarding course of around 42 days instructor-led classroom training most of which is scheduled in 8 separately bookable one-week modules. This is to maximise the opportunity to train around existing commitments and lifestyle and to qualify without necessarily giving up an existing job and income. The 8 training modules can be taken over a period of up to a year, if this long is needed (or even longer for a small fee per module). The varying length breaks between modules can be used productively for spare-time home-study to prepare for each end-of-module exam which ensures sufficient knowledge has been gained before moving on to the next module, and for compiling the ‘Portfolios of Evidence’.

Valuable practical knowledge and experience is gained during the latter modules of the Course when our Trainers take classes out to both domestic and commercial properties. There is also a separate day for RdSAP training, learning how to calculate the energy ratings of properties, plus 2 one-to-one Guidance Sessions of 2 hours each with a trainer when trainees are producing their 9 Home Condition Reports for inclusion in their Home Inspector ‘Portfolio of Evidence’. This is required by ABBE for the Diploma in Home Inspection. Similar Portfolios enable the awarding of the Diplomas in Commercial Energy Assessment and Flood Risk Assessment.

All modules are fully trainer-led with a maximum class size of 12 and are classroom-based except during the fifth, sixth and seventh modules when a Trainer takes the class out for practical training sessions to gain valuable experience observing different types of properties and defects and to carry out an assessed Home Inspection at a domestic property and a Commercial Assessment at a commercial property. An extra separate day after Module 4 covers RdSAP training in which trainees learn how to calculate the energy ratings of properties in order to issue Energy Performance Certificates.

Following this, trainees can opt to qualify early as a Domestic Energy Assessor (DEA) and then jump to Module 7 to become a Commercial Energy Assessor early. However, we do not necessarily recommend this option as there is an additional cost to qualify as just a DEA, 5 additional Assessments are required, the Course is designed for trainees to become Home Inspectors (who are qualified to do all a DEA can do and more) and it will be harder to qualify as a Commercial Assessor without first becoming a Home Inspector.

If doing the training in the order we recommend, after completing the RdSAP training day, Modules 5 and 6 are taken and then the trainee individually prepares 9 Home Condition Reports for varying types of property sourced by them, in accordance with ABBE requirements. Two invaluable one-to-one Guidance Sessions of 2 hours each with a Trainer are available after completing the third and sixth Reports. An exam for the ABBE Diploma is taken at the Centre and finally the trainee submits their Portfolio for assessment. This includes the 9 Reports and is a record of the ‘knowledge, understanding and competence’ gained during the Course and upon being successfully assessed the trainee becomes a fully qualified Home Inspector.

Trainees then take Module 7 and qualify as a Commercial Energy Assessor by passing the ABBE exam, completing 3 Commercial Assessments and submitting another Portfolio for successful assessment.

The Flood Risk Assessor training, Module 8, followed by passing the exam etc completes the Course and the trainee becomes a Flood Risk Assessor as well as a Home Inspector and a Commercial Energy Assessor. A Home Inspector is qualified to do all that a lesser-qualified Domestic Energy Assessor can do and more.

The Course will be challenging even for trainees who pass the aptitude test and selection interview because of the high standards of the qualifications. Therefore a sufficient level of intelligence, determination and sustained effort is required and trainees need to allocate enough time for home-study, the classroom training within the Centre’s scheduling and the practical Inspections and Assessments in order to complete the Course successfully.