Tag Archives: Home Inspection

McKissock Offers Considerations for Licensed Professionals Seeking Continuing Education

Land Surveyors, Home Inspectors and Engineers Weigh In on Important Criteria

Warren, PA, December 17, 2012 – McKissock, a leader in continuing education, has compiled the top criteria that land surveying, home inspection and engineer professionals consider when selecting continuing education courses required by states and industry associations.

“We invite everyone to use these criteria to scrutinize their education choices,” says Annie Creek, Market Research and Compliance Specialist at McKissock. “The licensed professionals we work with are required to take courses, but have the freedom to select their education partners. Hopefully we can help shed some light on how continuing education can be enjoyable.”

According to ongoing research among licensed professionals, the following criteria top the list.

1. Price – The cost of courses is clearly a top priority. Take the time to compare courses, look into discounted course packages and ask about price matching.

2. Relevance – Review home inspection, engineering and land surveying courses with a lens of relevancy. In addition to what’s required, select courses that will make your job easier or better. Education providers should strive to offer classes, webinars and resources that apply directly to your daily tasks.

3. Acceptance – Most of the time, professionals seeking continuing education need to meet strict requirements for their state or industry associations. It’s critical to ensure that the courses you take meet their standards and requirements.

4. Access – Busy professionals require extra coursework to be quick and easy to find and complete. Consider courses that can be taken on-the-fly at any time.

5. Expertise – Don’t be afraid to ask about instructors’ and course authors’ experience in their respective industries. The best courses are almost always written and taught by subject matter experts who have real-world experience.

McKissock is a trusted resource for state-specific, state-approved home inspector, engineer and land surveying courses, regulation information and compliance.

McKissock also serves as a resource to stay on top of license renewals. To help remove the potential of license lapse or expiration, McKissock offers a free reminder service that will notify you when your license renewal date is pending. Visit http://reminder.mckedu.com to sign up.

Visit www.mckissock.com and select a state for information on approved land surveying, engineering and home inspection courses. McKissock offers customizable packages, individual courses and affordable webinars.

About McKissock:
McKissock is an education company that educates, empowers and enriches professionals in real estate, appraisal, home inspection, land surveying and engineering. McKissock gives specialists a place to go to access relevant, easy-to-use and high-quality courses that provide the hours and information necessary to meet state compliance and regulation requirements. Founded in 1990, McKissock offers more than 100 courses and serves thousands of professionals daily. The company is focused on providing a superior customer experience that will help professionals move their career forward. To learn more, visit www.mckissock.com.

Contact:
Alicia Hassinger
Communications Strategy Group
3225 East 2nd Avenue
Denver, CO 80206
720-933-8119
ahassinger@csg-pr.com
http://www.csg-pr.com

McKissock Addresses Top Issues in Home Inspection

Continuing Education Courses Cover Hot Topics for Home Inspectors

Warren, PA, December 12, 2012 – McKissock, a leader in continuing education for home inspectors, has highlighted three courses focused on today’s hot topics in the home inspection industry. McKissock is a trusted resource for state-specific, state-approved land surveyor, engineer and home inspector courses, regulation information and compliance.

“Our course catalogue is built to meet the needs of continuing education requirements, but certain courses stand out to professionals for their ability to address critical topics,” says Annie Creek, Market Research and Compliance Specialist at McKissock.

According to industry leaders and the popularity of the courses, the following three topics are gaining importance in the field.

1. Radon Detection and Mitigation
This course will provide a basic look at radon for residential properties in order to give the home inspector a better understanding of how radon affects the air quality of a home. Home inspectors need to be aware of the dangers of radon, as well as what mitigation techniques should be used to protect homeowners. The course will define radon gas and explain where it comes from and review common mitigation methods.

2. Energy Efficiency
This home inspector course provides an in-depth look into energy usage, design and building for residential structures. Though home inspectors are not intended to be energy auditors, understanding energy efficiency and energy efficient construction can be very important for home inspectors. The course addresses how to look at multiple components of residential construction and discuss ways to make homes more energy efficient.

3. Reactive Chinese Drywall
This course discusses important aspects of home inspection associated with identification and remediation methods for reactive drywall manufactured in China and imported into the United States between 2001 and 2009. Commonly referred to as corrosive, reactive or defective Chinese drywall, its chemical composition has been shown to have negative effects on human health as well as metal components in the home. Not all drywall originating in China is defective, however. This course will provide recently revised guidelines for addressing the problem of defective drywall, as well as website resources that will keep you current on this rapidly evolving issue.

McKissock also serves as a resource to stay on top of license renewals. To help remove the potential of license lapse or expiration, McKissock offers a free reminder service that will notify you when your license renewal date is pending. Visit http://reminder.mckedu.com to sign up.

Visit www.mckissock.com and select a state for a list of approved continuing education (CE) for land surveying, engineering and home inspection courses. McKissock offers customizable packages, individual courses and affordable webinars.

About McKissock
McKissock is an education company that educates, empowers and enriches professionals in real estate, appraisal, home inspection, land surveying and engineering. McKissock gives specialists a place to go to access relevant, easy-to-use and high-quality courses that provide the hours and information necessary to meet state compliance and regulation requirements. Founded in 1990, McKissock offers more than 100 courses and serves thousands of professionals daily. The company is focused on providing a superior customer experience that will help professionals move their career forward. To learn more, visit www.mckissock.com.

Contact:
Alicia Hassinger
Communications Strategy Group
3225 East 2nd Avenue
Denver, CO 80206
720-933-8119
ahassinger@csg-pr.com
http://www.csg-pr.com

McKissock Highlights Five Things Home Inspectors Must do to Stay Working

McKissock Offers Continuing Education for Home Inspectors

Warren, PA, October 30, 2012 – McKissock, a leader in continuing education for real estate-related professionals, has outlined five ways to keep home inspectors on the job. Rookies and veterans alike have the same things to consider as the industry changes; this list is applicable for anyone who needs to keep their income flowing. McKissock is a trusted resource for state-specific, state-approved home inspection courses, regulation information and compliance.

The following tips are important home inspector requirements:

1. Don’t Compromise Safety. Although obvious, there are safety precautions that every home inspector should never ignore. It may be as simple as ensuring that you have the correct safety clothing and equipment, but this is the foundation of the home inspection profession.

2. Make sure your license and insurances are up to date. It’s absolutely critical to have a current license and insurance. Even if your state does not require licensing, insurance should be a “must have.” Know your renewal date and schedule continuing education classes early enough so you are not in fear of a license lapse.

3. Know Local Laws and Legislation. Each state and local jurisdiction has their own laws that pertain to the home inspection industry and they do tend to change. Make it your responsibility to understand local laws and ensure you are not putting your license and career in jeopardy.

4. Practice Practical and Successful Reporting. How home inspectors take notes, document findings and present results to clients is of paramount importance. There are always ways to improve these reports and increase the potential for repeat business. In addition, all records need to be maintained as required by state regulations.

5. Stay on Top of New Trends. Whether it is the increase in green building practices, the usage of dangerous construction practices or materials, or any other new construction trends, it’s a home inspector’s duty to know about the latest-and-greatest materials and techniques.

“Home inspectors are busy professionals who provide an important service,” says Annie Creek, New Market and Compliance Specialist at McKissock. “We are committed to helping home inspectors deliver up-to-date knowledge to their customers and have the confidence that they are complying with their state or association’s regulations.”

Some areas that McKissock’s Home Inspection courses cover include:

* Attic Ventilation

* Codes of Ethics and Standards of Practice

* Construction Details and Trends

* Electrical Systems

* Exterior: Walls, Windows, Roof and Foundation

* FHA 203K Inspections

* Foundation and Footing

* Home Energy Inspection

* Home Inspection Safety

* HVAC Ductwork

* Plumbing Cross Connections

* Pools and Spas

* Pre-Drywall and Drywall

* Radon Detection and Mitigation

* Reactive Chinese Drywall

* Reporting

* Residential Cooling Systems and Heating Pumps

From the McKissock website, home inspectors have access to all they need to fulfill state requirements, including governing agency information, and can begin taking required coursework immediately. McKissock offers customizable packages, individual courses and affordable webinars. For more information visit, http://www.mckissock.com.

About McKissock
McKissock is an education company that educates, empowers and enriches professionals in real estate, appraisal, home inspection, land surveying and engineering. McKissock gives specialists a place to go to access relevant, easy-to-use and high-quality courses that provide the hours and information necessary to meet state compliance and regulation requirements. Founded in 1990, McKissock offers more than 100 courses and serves thousands of professionals daily. The company is focused on providing a superior customer experience that will help professionals move their career forward. To learn more, visit www.mckissock.com.

Contact:
Alicia Hassinger
Communications Strategy Group
3225 East 2nd Avenue
Denver, CO 80206
720-933-8119
ahassinger@csg-pr.com
http://www.csg-pr.com

Pillar To Post Announces New VP of Franchise Sales

Franchising Veteran Will be Instrumental in Company’s Aggressive Growth.

Tampa, FL (USA), Thursday – April 19th, 2012 — Pillar To Post ( http://www.pillartopost.com ) is pleased to announce Brian K. Wieters’ addition to the corporate team as Vice President of Franchise Sales.

Wieters has spent more than two decades working in various capacities for some of the biggest names in franchising including Steak ‘n Shake Enterprises, Inc., FASTSIGNS International, Inc., Schlotzskys, Inc. and Allied Domecq Retailing, USA (now Dunkin’Brands, Inc.). Over the course of his career, Wieters has been responsible for more than 500 franchise sales.

Pillar To Post added 20 new franchises in 2011. Wieters has lofty plans for 2012, aiming to more than double that number. Wieters will be instrumental in Pillar To Post’s long-term plans to add 500-600 new franchisees over the next five years.

“Brian comes to Pillar To Post with a proven track record of franchisee recruiting within a number of industries,” said Dan Steward, president and CEO of Pillar To Post ( http://www.pillartopost.com ). “We welcome Brian’s leadership and innovation in the recruiting process and believe he will be a great asset to growing the brand.”

Founded in 1994, Pillar To Post ( http://www.pillartopost.com ) is now the largest home inspection company in North America, located in 44 states and 8 Canadian providences, with over 400 franchisees. In 2012 Pillar To Post ranked 215 on Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500 rankings

PILLAR TO POST:

Contact:
Dan Steward
416-620-3560

14502 N. Dale Mabry Hwy., Suite 200
Tampa, FL 33618 – USA
877-604-8584

5399 Eglinton Ave. West, Suite 110
Toronto, Ontario M9C 5K6
416-620-3960

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Press & Media Contact:
Courtney Thomas
Sanderson & Associates, Ltd
14502 N. Dale Mabry Hwy., Suite 200
Tampa, FL 33618 – USA
312-829-4350
courtney@sandersonpr.com
http://www.pillartopost.com