The American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), the National Association of Home Inspectors (NAHI), the California Real Estate Inspectors Associations (CREIA), and 15 governmental agencies and other organizations have approved NIBI^® Online courses for membership renewal credits or continuing education credits.

The NIBI Online Home Inspection Course currently consists of an Introductory Lesson and 11 Technical Lessons bundled in a subscription series as one Course. The Course covers the major elements of a house and the principal issues and components of a home inspection. All Lessons start with detailed information on residential construction, including basic building design and construction materials and practices. The focus of all courses, however, is on home inspection-including: standards of practice, defects recognition, inspection guidelines, and reporting methodologies. Each core course also includes appendices containing extensive glossaries, reference articles, inspection procedure lists, and common defect lists.

Each learning unit is independently formatted, so students can take the course in any order desired, or switch between units; however, the suggested format is to either complete the units as listed above, or alternate between a structure/building components course and a mechanical systems course.

With the NIBI Online Learning Program Courses, students learn in part through extensive questioning. There are hundreds of review questions in each individual course. Assessments-graded exams-are included at the end of each major segment of each course, with typically 6-10 graded assessment per core course. Each exam consists of 20 to 30 or more "multiple choice" or "select all that apply" questions. An aggregate grade of 75% is required for course completion credit.

The testing structure is flexible and can be revised to meet most specified criteria, including proctored exams when necessary. Five other standard question formats can be also used. Exams are graded instantaneously with scores supplied directly to the student.

The program monitors test results to weed out problematic questions. Exam questions are added/rotated regularly to ensure testing program integrity. A "final" 200-question exam covering all topics is used with the subscription series; final exams can be added to any course, as required.

The NIBI Online^® Learning Program also provides student tracking, which monitors access times, sections reviewed, tests taken, and other administrative functions to ensure that all key components of each course are completed by each student. In addition to passing assessments, all core sections of a course must be completed to receive full credit.

The National Institute of Building Inspectors and NIBI are registered trademarks of ProTeam, Inc., a N.J. Corporation. NIBI is affiliated with HouseMaster^®, a network of home inspection franchises throughout North America. NIBI administrative offices and training center are located in Central New Jersey, approximately 45 miles west of New York City and 20 miles north of Princeton, N.J

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FEATURES

The nationally recognized online certification training program covers the principal components of home inspection procedures and processes. You'll learn how to create a home inspection report that will detail the home's condition including the heating and cooling systems, the plumbing and electrical systems, the roof and siding, as well as the framing and foundation. This online program is only offered in partnership with major colleges and universities.

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TOPIC HIGHLIGHTS

The following are the twelve segments or learning units of the course.

1. Introduction
2. Roof Systems
3. Exterior Elements
4. Structural Systems
5. Insulation & Ventilation
6. Interior Elements
7. Electric Systems Lesson
8. Plumbing Systems
9. Heating Systems
10. Cooling Systems
11. Hot-water Supply Systems
12. Inspection Materials, Equipment and Reporting

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CERTIFICATE REQUIREMENTS

A 70% or better must be achieved in order to receive a Certificate of Completion.

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COURSE OBJECTIVES

The NIBI Online Home Inspection Course will:

• Provide an introduction to the home inspection industry.
• Review home inspection standards of practice.
• Provide background information on residential construction, materials, and installation practices.
• Address special concerns and issues related to house components.
• Cover resources, tools, and equipment used for home inspections.
• Review common safety concerns and personal protection issues.
• Provide general guidelines on inspection procedures.
• Address common communication issues, perspectives, and reporting formats.
• Compliment local field training work or programs.

Upon successful completion of the NIBI Online Home Inspection Course, students will be able to:

• Understand the purpose and scope of home inspection standards.
• Recognize and describe basic residential construction materials and techniques.
• Inspect a home pursuant to general industry standards.
• Utilize basic inspection equipment and personal protective gear.
• Recognize common defects found in residential construction.
• Know the appropriate remedial action to recommend.
• Report on inspection findings in the appropriate manner.
• Know how to locate technical resources and reference materials.
• Sit for home inspection exams with reasonable expectation of success.
• Earn continuing education credits, where applicable.

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PDF BROCHURE

Please click here to download the PDF brochure for the Gatlin online courses offered by OCPE.

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WHO SHOULD ATTEND

There are no specific pre-requisites for the Course. The more knowledge of residential construction that a student has the more proficient he/she will be at moving through the Course in a reasonable time period. Any recognized text on residential construction of home inspections will provide reasonable background for the Home Inspection Course.

The intended audience for this Course is the student contemplating a career in home inspections. It also is beneficial for those involved in residential appraisals or other residential construction or consumer businesses.

Access to the program is through a standard web browser. Navigation through the program only requires basic computer skills. All instructions for the using the program are provided.

The following minimum hardware and software specification must be met to run the program:

• PC (133 Mhz or better) 16 MB RAM (32 MB recommended) Windows 95/98/NT/Me/2000/XP
• Web browser - Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0+ or Netscape Navigator 3.0+

Some features of the program may not work properly on a Macintosh/Apple Computer system.

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Joseph P. Cummins. Joe is a graduate of the New Jersey Institute of Technology where he majored in civil engineering, and he is a part-time George Mason University, OCPE, Gatlin instructor. He began performing home inspections twenty-eight years ago and has personally inspected thousands of houses, multiple dwelling units and commercial properties. As Director of Engineering Services for an established home inspection business, he was instrumental in developing a commercial inspection program. He also coordinated all training aspects related to the inspection of condominiums, multiple dwellings and commercial properties including staff supervision, physical inspection, report presentations and expert witness testimony. Joe also has 10 years experience as the technical director of a nationwide relocation inspection services program. For the past 15 years, Joe has provided educational programs and technical publications for the home inspection industry. He has served as an instructor for NIBI's home inspection training programs and seminars. Joe's responsibilities also include the development and implementation of new technical training programs, report writing forms and programs, and inspector support materials. He is the principal author and instructor for the NIBI Online Learning Program. He has been a member of the American Society of Home Inspectors since 1977 and has been licensed as a New Jersey Building Inspectors and WDI Inspector.

Associate Instructors:

John Hendricks. John is a graduate of Trenton State College earning a bachelor of science degree in industrial arts education with a major in power mechanics and a minor in electronics, and he is a part-time George Mason University, OCPE, Gatlin instructor.. He earned a second bachelor of science degree in industrial engineering. The last 20 years John's work experience has been in the home inspection field. During that time he performed thousands of home inspections on residential and light commercial buildings and served as an instructor for NIBI's home inspection training programs and seminars. He also developed and managed all facets of ancillary/environmental services, including but not limited to inspector Quality Control, Worker Health and Safety programs, and federal/state licensing requirements for one of the largest home inspection firms in New Jersey. John is a member of the American Society of Home Inspectors. He is currently certified/licensed as a Radon Mitigation Specialist, Radon Measurement Specialist, Commercial Certified Pesticide Applicator, Lead-based Paint Inspector/Risk Assessor, and Buried Fuel Tank Technician.

Joseph J. Tangradi. Prior to entering the home inspection field, Joe studied architectural drafting at the American Institute of Design in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Joe also has extensive experience in the residential construction field, particularly in home remodeling and renovating. Since 1993, Joe has performed thousands of inspections on residential homes and light commercial properties and has served as an instructor for NIBI's home inspector training programs and seminars. He is a NIBI Certified Inspector, member of the American Society of Home Inspectors, a licensed Radon Measurement Technician, a licensed Lead-based Paint Inspector/ Risk Assessor, and a Certified Exterior Insulation Finish Systems Inspector.

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1. How do I register for a Gatlin online course?

Gatlin does not offer courses directly to the public. It offers courses through George Mason University and other colleges and universities. Please contact our office at 703-993-2113 or click here for more information or to register for a course.

2. How much do Gatlin online courses cost?

To view the prices for all Gatlin courses that are offered by George Mason University, please click here.

3. Why do I have to take Gatlin courses through a participating school?

That is the only way Gatlin Education Services offers its courses. They do not deal directly with the public.

4. Do I have to travel to register for or to attend a Gatlin online course?

All Gatlin courses are delivered entirely online, so you do not have to go to a class or travel to a school. Please contact our office at 703-993-2113 or click here for more information or to register for a course.

5. How long does it take to complete a Gatlin course?

All of our Gatlin courses are asynchronous. You can start and finish the course at your own pace. Most courses are designed to be completed within 180 days. You may request an extension if you think you will need more time to complete a course. Please contact us at 703-993-2113 or click here if you have any questions or if you would like to register for a course.

6. Do I have to buy additional materials?

Please refer to the green Included Materials box located on the upper right hand side of this page. If materials are included in this course, they will be shipped by Gatlin to you via UPS ground service after you have registered for a course.

7. Can I get financial aid for Gatlin courses?

George Mason University offers financial assistance through the Sallie Mae Training Loan Program for qualifying students. Call 703-993-2113 for more information. GES also provides a loan opportunity for students (www.collegeloanapplication.com).

8. What happens when I complete the course?

If you obtain a final passing grade of 70% or greater in a course, we will award you a George Mason University certificate of completion.

9. Who will be my instructor?

Each student is paired up with a George Mason University, OCPE, Gatlin facilitator for one-on-one interaction. The facilitator will be available (by e-mail or by telephone) to answer any questions you may have and to provide feedback on your performance. All of our facilitators are successful working professionals in the fields in which they teach.

10. What are the system requirements in order to take an online course?

Please see the "PC requirements" section listed for individual courses.

11. When can I start the course?

You can register for a course at any time.

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