Home inspectors, building inspectors, electrical, plumbing inspectors earnings

Construction and Building Inspectors

About 45 percent of inspectors worked for local governments, primarily municipal or county building departments.
Many home inspectors are self-employed.
Opportunities should be best for experienced construction supervisors and craftworkers who have some college education, engineering or architectural training, or certification as construction inspectors or plan examiners.
Home inspection has become a standard practice in the home-purchasing process, creating more opportunities for home inspectors.

Job Outlook

Job opportunities in construction and building inspection should be best for those highly experienced supervisors and construction craft workers who have some college education, engineering or architectural training, or certification as inspectors or plan examiners. Thorough knowledge of construction practices and skills in areas such as reading and evaluating blueprints and plans is essential.

Employment of construction and building inspectors is expected to grow faster than average for most occupations through 2014.

Concern for public safety and a desire for improvement in the quality of construction should continue to stimulate demand for construction and building inspectors in government as well as in firms specializing in architectural, engineering, and related services.

Inspectors are involved in all phases of construction, including maintenance and repair work, and are therefore less likely to lose their jobs when new construction slows during recessions. In addition to openings stemming from the expected employment growth, some job openings will arise from the need to replace inspectors who transfer to other occupations or leave the labor force.

The routine practice of obtaining home inspections is a relatively recent development, causing employment of home inspectors to increase rapidly. Although employment of home inspectors is expected to continue to increase, the attention given to this specialty, combined with the desire of some construction workers to move into less strenuous and potentially higher paying work, may result in competition in some areas. In addition, increasing State regulations are starting to limit entry into the specialty only to those who have a given level of previous experience and are certified.

Source:

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2006-07 Edition, Construction and Building Inspectors, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos004.htm (visited August 22, 2006).