Online Building Inspector Schools: How to Choose

Building inspectors check that buildings are constructed safely and according to appropriate local, state and national building codes. Online education programs for building inspectors are available at the certificate and associate degree levels.

How to Choose an Online School for Building Inspectors

Curriculum and Career Plan

A variety of online building inspection programs are available; the most common programs are a home inspector certificate and building inspection technology associate degree. The curriculum of a home inspector certificate program is typically centered on the inspection needs of residential buildings, while building inspection technology programs include instruction on a wider variety of inspection jobs, such as commercial or industrial buildings. Students may want to consider their desired career when selecting an online building inspector education program.

Program Format

Not all online building inspection programs have the same format. Some programs are intended for working adults who have prior time commitments and cannot attend class at any particular time. These flexible programs may have a single due date at the end of the class by which all material must be submitted or no due date at all - these students work at their own pace. Other program formats have a traditional class schedule, with strict assignment due dates and online attendance requirements for lectures or class discussions; often times these programs can be completed faster than a flexible program. Online associate degree programs in building inspection may also require field trips or on-campus attendance for hands-on training or testing. Prospective building inspector students may wish to review the program structure at the schools under consideration and choose the online format that best fits their availability.

Online Program Options for Building Inspectors

Online Home Inspector Certificate

A home inspector certificate program is often intended as an entry-level or preparatory program for those who wish to begin a career as building inspectors for residential settings. Commonly offered courses include soils and foundations, building codes, inspection planning and building code administration. Students in this fully online program often complete and submit assignments over the Internet and communicate with their professor via e-mail and online chat rooms.

Online Associate of Applied Science in Building Inspection Technology

Associate's degree programs in building inspection technology are often found as hybrid programs that include some courses offered online form and others that require students to attend campus or complete field work experience. This program includes extra coursework that prepare students to work with commercial and industrial buildings, as well as residential homes. Some courses common to this degree program are plumbing codes, electrical codes, energy conservation, fire suppression, plumbing and field inspection.