The career
Thinking about becoming a building inspector?
Inspectors come from the field: the typical path runs through five or more years in a trade before the certification. If that is you, the exams are the gate, and the gate is a speed test.
- Pay
- $74,690
- Source
- median, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025
Explore it honestly
Should you become one? The honest decision guide
A working day as an inspector
What inspectors actually earn
The path in, step by step
The exams, verified
Your state's licensing structure
The companion books
The open-book speed method for the B1: fast code lookups, tabbing, timed drills, and passing on the first attempt.
The open-book speed method for the E1: fast code lookups, tabbing, timed drills, and passing on the first attempt.
The open-book speed method for the M1: fast code lookups, tabbing, timed drills, and passing on the first attempt.
The open-book speed method for the P1: fast code lookups, tabbing, timed drills, and passing on the first attempt.
One volume covering the B1, E1, M1 and P1 exams, with tabbing, timed drills, and a study order that works.
The open-book speed method for the B2 commercial exam: lookups, tabbing, timed drills, first-attempt pass.
The open-book speed method for the E2 commercial exam: lookups, tabbing, timed drills, first-attempt pass.
The open-book speed method for the M2 commercial exam: lookups, tabbing, timed drills, first-attempt pass.
The open-book speed method for the P2 commercial exam: lookups, tabbing, timed drills, first-attempt pass.
Exploring this as a career?
Take the free starter sheet: the verified requirements, the honest pros and cons, and the first three steps, on one page.
No spam. One useful sheet and occasional notes.