As your home inspection business continues to thrive, you might consider hiring full-time employees to manage the workload. Although hiring extra hands can be a daunting process, it is a crucial part of building your home inspection business. Otherwise, you run the risk of your company being understaffed, which can result in missed opportunities and burnout. Understanding how your business operates can determine when and how to hire help, and the type of individuals that are needed for your company.
When Should You Hire Employees vs. Outsource to Contractors?
Choosing to hire an employee instead of an independent contractor is based on the growth of your business. If your number of projects continues to increase, hiring a full-time employee will ensure that you’re always ready to send a home inspector to a location and will also avoid the risk of your company being understaffed.
On the other hand, independent contracts come with their own qualifications and specialized skills whereas employees tend to need job training. If you have a gap in your service offering, an independent contract might be the best option in the short term to expand and build your home inspection business.
Another factor that determines whether or not you should hire an employee or independent contractor is how much control you maintain. This includes how many hours they work, quality of their work, and schedule availability.
Regardless of whether you choose to hire an employee or contractor, you will need to have the proper agreements in place and update your workers’ compensation insurance to protect your business.
Should You Hire Fully Trained and Certified Home Inspectors or Teach Them On The Job?
If you have an immediate need, then choosing a certified home inspector will allow you to send them on jobs immediately, increasing your top line overnight. However, certified home inspectors can be difficult to hire and you might want to choose a lower-cost employee and invest in training them to become an inspector.
Although it’s not required, most home inspectors prefer to hire individuals with a strong background in building trades. When hiring a new home inspector, it is important to go through the on-boarding process and training for risk management concerns, especially for those inexperienced in the industry. This ensures that your new employee carries out the role according to business’ requirements and protects you from claims and lawsuits.
Where To Find Employees For Your Home Inspection Business?
The most convenient way to find employees when building your home inspection business is by advertising a position on job board websites. This includes Indeed, Monster and ZipRecruiter.
There’s also the option of finding employees through word of mouth. This can be done by reaching out to your professional network with the open position. Your network could include other home inspectors, real estate agents, and the broader community of contractors and home builders.
Additionally, social media platforms can also be a useful tool to reach your professional community. You can post the open position to local Facebook groups, LinkedIn followers, and other platforms.
How To Set Up Your Business For Managing Employees?
When hiring employees to build your home inspection business, there are a variety of tasks that need to be taken care of to maintain a smooth operation. Some examples include tracking your employees time and offering them a benefits package. Below are three key factors you need to have in place when managing employees.
- Payroll
- Benefits
- Insurance
- Project Management System
At EliteMGA, we have helped many inspectors with building their home inspection businesses. We can advise you on the best risk management practices when hiring employees for the first time including agreements, workers compensation, and updates to your existing home inspection insurance. Contact our claims and risk management team of lawyers with all your questions!
