RV inspectors - Are any of you actively working in that capacity?

[Peaceful Page]

Hub is 30 year+ ASE Master Mechanic and is planning to take the 10 week course in Florida. He figures that will help increase his "value" if we try to get seasonal jobs in the national parks. He will probably take additional courses in the future, as well, if he feels he needs more education to fix the problems that come up.

[rlaubert]

I am a certified RV Inspector. I have completed the two classes and well, stopped the process for now. Why? There isn't a great need yet as the organization hasn't hit the sales road per say. When I started my training last year, the sales pitch was they were working with banks, insurance agencies, warranty companies etc but needed at least 500 inspectors to get things rolling. Now it appears they are only training inspectors and still are short of the required number (I may be wrong, but I am not finding many that are working the business). Also to work with them you must be willing to only do work for them, turn over any leads and only work through them. Which means you are really building their business and they are helping to build yours, unless you have leads for them. Just not working for me. Why give them 50% of the fee when all they are doing is paperwork and payment processing. My PayPal and credit card reader takes care of that.

 

Now don't get me wrong, I think the idea is great. I think we need to have this type of process in place especially for higher end used units. I also believe that in the future this will be just like the home inspection business and be required on RV purchases by the banks. But in order to build an industry like this from the ground up, it cannot be one sided. Everyone has to help build this for everyone else. The industry needs the inspectors, we need the industry to build the brand and the processes. But we (the inspectors) cannot fund the whole process, do all the work and get little in return.

 

So I have taken to writing books (ebooks) on how to perform your own inspections, writing articles on Facebook and my websites on what to look for when buying a used RV and in general educating the new RV buyer about the recreational vehicles they are looking to buy. I will still do inspections when they come to me, but I won't be promoting the certification process until the playing field is level and activity is generated to a point that the expenses can be recovered quickly.

[Kirk W]

I am a certified RV Inspector. I have completed the two classes and well, stopped the process for now. Why? There isn't a great need yet as the organization hasn't hit the sales road per say.

Welcome to the Escapee forums! I hope that you find a home here and will become a regular contributor.

 

I very much appreciate your report on the progress of this business. I agree with you that it is a needed service, but there seems to be too few people willing to pay a reasonable price for a through inspection of a used RV for it to be a very profitable way to live at this point in time. I believe that it is mostly an educational process for the prospective buyer and it likely will come a time to be feasible but for now I too think that it would be very difficult to stay busy as one who only does inspections. I'd think that it would be a good addition to the offered services of a mobile RV tech and your writing approach also makes a lot of sense. Even in the larger used RV markets there are not that many who will pay for a complete inspection with most expecting to pay $100 or less, ignoring the travel time and training expenses involved in offering the service. It might go a long way to improve the market for your services if people such as yourself were to do some writing for RV publications such as Escapee's Magazine, FMCA, and Good Sam.

 

Let me also suggest that you go to your profile and create yourself a signature line for posts here that has a very short line of what you do, such as "Certified RV Inspector" and also a link to your website that can be clicked upon to visit that website, such as I and many others have in ours. I am very happy that you have joined us.

[BrianT]

I am a certified RV Inspector. I have completed the two classes and well, stopped the process for now. Why? There isn't a great need yet as the organization hasn't hit the sales road per say. When I started my training last year, the sales pitch was they were working with banks, insurance agencies, warranty companies etc but needed at least 500 inspectors to get things rolling. Now it appears they are only training inspectors and still are short of the required number (I may be wrong, but I am not finding many that are working the business). Also to work with them you must be willing to only do work for them, turn over any leads and only work through them. Which means you are really building their business and they are helping to build yours, unless you have leads for them. Just not working for me. Why give them 50% of the fee when all they are doing is paperwork and payment processing. My PayPal and credit card reader takes care of that.

 

Now don't get me wrong, I think the idea is great. I think we need to have this type of process in place especially for higher end used units. I also believe that in the future this will be just like the home inspection business and be required on RV purchases by the banks. But in order to build an industry like this from the ground up, it cannot be one sided. Everyone has to help build this for everyone else. The industry needs the inspectors, we need the industry to build the brand and the processes. But we (the inspectors) cannot fund the whole process, do all the work and get little in return.

 

So I have taken to writing books (ebooks) on how to perform your own inspections, writing articles on Facebook and my websites on what to look for when buying a used RV and in general educating the new RV buyer about the recreational vehicles they are looking to buy. I will still do inspections when they come to me, but I won't be promoting the certification process until the playing field is level and activity is generated to a point that the expenses can be recovered quickly.

Thanks for your perspective!!

[NJTroy]

I know, continuing on an old topic. Today, I looked up the three different levels of inspection and it occurred to me that I might want to do a basic inspection first and if that went well, go to the full inspection. Does anyone know if there is a way to do something like that? Would there be some discount on the full inspection?

[swchord]

 

NJTroy

Posted Today, 01:56 PM

I know, continuing on an old topic. Today, I looked up the three different levels of inspection and it occurred to me that I might want to do a basic inspection first and if that went well, go to the full inspection. Does anyone know if there is a way to do something like that? Would there be some discount on the full inspection?

 

Hi NJTroy,

Yes, you can do that with RV Inspection Connection. We can send an inspector out to do the Essential level inspection on the unit and then call you to provide a verbal report. If you want to upgrade to the Essential Plus or Premier level immediately, we can just charge you the difference and the inspector can finish the full inspection.

 

If you wanted someone to go back out and re-inspect the unit for the additional items, we can discuss what the difference in charges would be (i.e. if it is the same inspector, different inspector, mileage costs, etc.).

 

Feel free to give us a call at 1-800-628-1455 and we can put together quotes for you!

Thanks,

Stephanie

[Kirk W]

Feel free to give us a call at 1-800-628-1455 and we can put together quotes for you!

How many actively participating inspection techs do you have now and in how many different locations?

[swchord]

How many actively participating inspection techs do you have now and in how many different locations?

 

Hi Kirk,

As of today, we have 57 inspectors who work within 32 different states. Some of these inspectors are within traveling distance to cover other states so we can technically cover most states for inspections. Some of our inspectors are willing to travel up to 200 miles one way before charging a mileage fee so we do have some flexibility with charges.

-Stephanie

[Kirk W]

As of today, we have 57 inspectors who work within 32 different states. Some of these inspectors are within traveling distance to cover other states so we can technically cover most states for inspections.

Sounds like real progress. Now to publicize the availability of inspectors and educate the RV buying public. Publicity to the new RV buyer is critical to the success of the program.

[NJTroy]

Stephanie,

 

Thanks! That's exactly what I was hoping was possible.

[Travelforever]

I was wondering what the responses about this program would be from this group of SKPS and it seems like we are a pretty savvy group. I have taken the RV tech course offered by the people who started NRVIA. It was supposed to be a comprehensive course that would teach you how to work on your own RV and many others in the campground you are staying at. It is advertised as an RV Campground technician. We were told we would get 40 hours of training and we were lucky to get 30 at the most. I learned very little from the course and after paying almost $1700.00 for it I felt very cheated. Terry Cooper who taught the course was very knowledgable but there just wasn't enough time to learn anything. The owner of Workamper News was there and kept promoting his new RV inspector positions and we were lucky enough to get in on the ground floor. This promotion took sometimes 2 hours away from the regular scheduled classes and whether you wanted to be a part of it or not you still missed the time for the RV Technician instruction.

Some of the people who I know signed up for this new company NRVIA. I know they had been accepted and were going to go on for training. I would not want some of these people to have anything to do with inspecting my RV. They just weren't qualified. I don't feel this organization is going to go anywhere because the NRVIA is just an organization that collects money from several individuals who all must start their own businesses as an LLC. NRVIA will not be responsible for any mistakes one of their inspectors makes, it is up to the inspector to have his own insurance. After being very misled taking their RV tech course I would never trust this organization to provide the opportunity to start my own RV inspection business.

And as far as taking an RV tech course don't waste your money on the one Workamper news offers if they still do offer it. I would highly recommend a one day course from the best RV tech school in the country. It is in Largo Fl. It is called the RV training center and Sam Alsop is the owner. Now if you want to be a paid technician you can take the 10 week course. But I took the one day course taught by Michael and we spent the whole day going through my RV and went over how to maintain my A/c's, water heater, refrigerator, water heater, tires and numerous other items. It was a long day but I got more out of that course in one day than I did out of the whole course from Workamper News and at 1/4 the price. I would be very cautious before contracting with this organization!

[rpsinc]

Your observations are quite pointed and accurate. I too, took the RV Campground Tech course and was pitched the Inspector opportunities by Steve using the same script.

That was 2 years ago!!!! I also invested ALOT of my time and resources into helping them to develop their business. After I put pencil to paper and did some basic math on how long it would take me to recoup my investment, and that was before I made any money, I decided to abandon this. I did learn some things through this experience though. Terry Cooper offered some of his experience through the course and I learned that Steve Anderson is a VERY GOOD salesman. But for me, it wasnt worth continuing to help them grow THEIR business especially after they introduced the pricing structure for their inspections. Many working in the offices in the NRVIA are family members and associated with Workamper News or Texas TV Professor. So, it seems from the outside that there is an ulterior motive to develop this business. I wasnt included in this circle although I was offered "management" opportunities. Those opportunities caused my income potential to be diluted to the point that instead of my investment being potentially returned with some inspections, it was going to be a longer return on investment, as I would have had to train inspectors and review their inspections for a MODEST fee. It would have made it ever more difficult to make any money doing this.

I did try to reach out to Steve and Terry, but my efforts were pretty much ignored. I can only conclude that since I wasnt putting any money into their income stream, my value had been used up. They clearly are moving on to the next willing customers who are forking over the requried fees for those classes and believing the hype of the opportunities that are presented.

Steve is a VERY GOOD salesman. Let the buyer use discernment in the consideration of these opportunities.

BTW-Sam Alsop's classes would be my choice if I was to do it again.

[Coleen]

Thank you for sharing your perspectives. I, too, had been wondering about personal experiences.

[BrianT]

It is indeed an old thread by now but I thought it appropriate to thank those who have kept it going and revived it from time to time with different points of interest and perspectives. It has been quite informative.

 

As for me personally, I doubt I will be pursuing it any further, at least for the time being. It will be interesting to see how the future unfolds, though.

[travelinbob]

After talking to one that had taken the course I asked what training was given on pulling the wheels and checking brakes and wheel bearings and the reply was "they don't do that".

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I for one would think that the "safety aspect" of an inspection would be the most important factor but it is ignored.

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Yes, they can tell you that the fridge works and can tell you that the date code on the tires is 1209 and they should be replaced, but what good are new tires if the brakes fail or you lose a wheel bearing and that wheel and new tire and you see that tire rolling down the road as your RV comes to a stop.

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I for one, if I wanted an inspection, I would go to one with a "mechanical mind" and not one that passes a course.

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For the money spent for the inspection, one could pay for many hours for a qualified inspection from one that has many hours of hands on experience,

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This is just my opinion and a FYI post and not intended to start a argument with others that have posted.

[DuffMan]

After talking to one that had taken the course I asked what training was given on pulling the wheels and checking brakes and wheel bearings and the reply was "they don't do that".

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I for one would think that the "safety aspect" of an inspection would be the most important factor but it is ignored.

 

Notice that the certifying agency is a separate corporate entity from the training entity which is a separate corporate entity from the individual inspectors. If they got into the mechanical & safety areas (Brakes, etc) or high cost mechanical areas (Transmission, Engine, A/C mechanical, etc) the liability of the inspector would be horrendous and any lawyer would go after the deepest pockets available in the up-line - i.e. the training entity for failure to properly train.

 

I doubt many inspectors can afford Errors & Omissions insurance and depend on their lack of assets to protect them (No Blood out of a Turnip insurance). I also bet the training entity is kept perpetually in debt to keep assets from a litigious public. The certifying agency is too far removed to have much liability.

 

By limiting their effort to essentially low cost (and consequently low potential liability) items, they can prolong their lifespan in a high risk service industry.

 

If you want to change this - push for Tort Reform!

[redcrzr]

I am a former subscriber to Workkamper news. I don't want to start a personal attack on Steve Anderson but I canceled my subscription because, as stated in some of the above, Steve seemed to me to be a salesman interested in lining he and his relatives pockets. I am getting that same vibe from much of what I read here. Buyer beware.

Todd