Certification Course Length: 90-Hours

Welcome to PHII's Illinois Home Inspection School—Your Gateway to a Rewarding Career. Our expert instructors bring real-world experience and a singular focus: helping you build a thriving career in home inspection. Through nationally certified coursework, online modules, testing, and hands-on field study, you'll gain the essential skills and knowledge required to become a licensed or compliant Illinois home inspector. Our curriculum aligns with national standards of practice, ensuring you're fully prepared to meet professional expectations.

At PHII, we make mastering home inspection straightforward and accessible through a structured, step-by-step training process. Whether you choose our online or classroom format in Illinois, you'll receive the same comprehensive curriculum—including field inspection assignments, report writing exercises, and hands-on activities. Plus, we provide free home inspection report software so you can practice creating professional reports as you learn.

Our experienced, on-site instructors are always available to guide you. You'll also gain specialized knowledge in mold and allergens, radon detection, and commercial inspections—valuable skills that can help you expand your services and grow your business in Illinois. PHII's Illinois online home inspection course offers all the benefits of our classroom training at a significantly lower price. Our proven interactive learning system includes:

• Lesson pre-tests and post-tests
• Flash cards and practice quizzes
• Audio and video instruction
• Real-time feedback
• Personalized support from instructors
• Self-Paced Learning—With Real-World Application

Each lesson includes interactive flash cards and quizzes that reinforce your understanding, offer instant feedback, and help you correct mistakes. Our system tracks your progress, allowing you to pause and resume anytime. For hands-on experience, you can complete field activities on your own home or any residential property in Illinois—bringing your learning into the real world.

Each lesson in the Illinois Home Inspection Certification course is designed to help you master essential subjects that align with nationally recognized standards of practice for professional home inspectors. Upon successfully completing PHII's home inspection exam—and fulfilling any additional state requirements—you'll be fully equipped to conduct thorough, compliant residential inspections throughout Illinois with confidence and credibility.

• Introduction to Home Inspection Terminology -Overview of the common language used throughout the home inspection industry by licensed home inspectors
• Limits and Exclusions for Home Inspection - Pre-inspection agreements and liability during a home inspection, understanding home inspector responsibilities
• Site, Grounds and Grading - Components outside the home including paving, vegetation, ground slope and drainage, decks, steps and porches that apply to a home inspection
• Exterior and Structure - Foundation, chimneys, trim and siding, doors and windows, eaves, soffits, and down spouts
• Roof Components - Types and styles, roof materials and home inspection methods, flashing and gutters, skylights for a typical home inspection
• Plumbing Systems - Water and fuel service type, size and location, waste and vent pipes, kitchen and bathroom faucets and fixtures, water heaters
• Electrical Systems - Service entrance location and capacity, inspecting panels and branch circuits, wire gauges, determining grounding and bonding, ground fault interrupters (GFIs), outlets, fixtures, switches and smoke detectors
• Attic Inspection - Attic access methods, roof framing and sheathing, insulation types, ventilation methods, roof vent pipes, defects and moisture issues
• Insulation & Ventilation - R Factor, vapor retarders, crawl space and below-grade ventilation, theory of exhaust and plumbing ventilation as it applies to home inspection
• Interior Components - Home inspection methods and standards for walls and rooms, bedroom egress, windows, types of doors, stairs and railing, defects, fire places.
• Bathrooms and Kitchens - Toilets, sinks, ventilation, bathtubs, showers, flooring, GCFI protection, defects and moisture damage, cabinets, counters, flooring, built-in appliances following home inspection industry standards
• Basement & Crawlspace - Type and entry methods, evaluating foundation and supports, stairs, flooring, walls, ceiling, exposed insulation, vapor barriers, evaluating joists, trusses, sub floors, floor drains and sump pumps
• Heating and Air Conditioning - Location(s), fuel type(s), age, capacity, distribution methods, heat exchangers, combustion venting, humidifiers, air filters, evaporator and condenser coils, supplemental heat, electrical disconnect home inspection standards
• Garage and Carport - Home inspection standards for identifying structure type, attached, detached, door openers, floors ceiling walls, ventilation, safety features, separation wall, door to a living space, ventilation, GFI protection
• Conducting a Home Inspection - Pre home inspection agreements, professional behavior, procedures with clients, home inspection methodology, home inspection tools, written report, follow-up
• Home Inspection Business Start-Up - Registration for home inspection business, website set-up, payment processing, pricing services, business vehicle, ladders and basic tools, electronic tools, sales tax and write-offs, filing requirements, state tax I.D. number, records, profit, cash flow, advertising, brochures, tracking ads, customer service
• Mold and Allergens - Mycotoxins and pathogenic molds, sources and outbreaks, collecting samples during home inspection, client agreements, findings, common allergens, health effects, mitigation procedures, how to become a mold certified home inspector
• Radon in Air and Water - Properties of radon, health effects, how radon enters buildings and water supplies, measurement, elevated/unsafe levels, seasonal effects, mitigation methods, how to become a radon certified home inspector
• Commercial Inspections - Types of commercial home inspections, challenges, ASST. E2018-01 guidelines, property condition assessment (CPA) reports, walk-through survey, home inspector vs. a field observer, entering the market, referrals, liability, how to become a home inspector with commercial certification
• Report Writing, Agreements and More - How to complete and present a professional home inspection inspection using a pre-inspection agreement, checklist, and tools of the trade. How to market your services and expand your business in Illinois

How long does your home inspection course for Illinois take?
PHII's Illinois home inspection course can be completed in 1-2 weeks based on your past level of experience. However, you can take as much time as needed, and there are no limits on re-taking the certification exam. The total course time for training in Illinois is broken up into hours for course instruction, field assignments, report writing and testing. PHII's Illinois course allows you to take your time or push yourself through quickly.

How much money do Illinois home inspectors make?
Professional home inspectors in Illinois earn a solid income, with salaries varying based on experience, location, and certifications. The cost of a single home inspection typically ranges from $400 to $600, depending on the location and property size. Most homes sold this year in Illinois are expected to undergo a pre-closing home inspection, reflecting strong demand for qualified home inspectors.

What is home inspection errors and omissions insurance?
Home inspectors in Illinois should consider getting Errors and Omissions (E&O) insurance, which is a professional liability policy covering the policyholder for negligent acts and omissions that occur during an inspection. A good Errors and Omissions liability policy can help limit your out-of-pocket expenses if you are named in a lawsuit resulting from a home inspection. Our coursework is approved for Illinois home inspector errors and omissions insurance by major insurance underwriters.

Why Choose PHII for Home Inspection Training in Illinois?
PHII offers Illinois residents affordable, expert-backed training to become certified home inspectors. Our interactive program includes hands-on practice, instructor support, and a satisfaction guarantee. You'll learn what to inspect, how to report it professionally, and meet Illinois's standards—all on your schedule, from any device. After graduation, we continue to support you with a complete system to launch and grow your inspection business with confidence. With PHII, you get the tools, training, and ongoing support to succeed.

What is Included in the Illinois Home Inspector Package?
The Professional Package includes the online Home Inspector Course for Illinois with online library of inspection documents and videos. The training is 100% online, no materials are shipped. Optional back-up materials and courses/videos on USB stick are available for an extra fee. Bonuses include Home Inspection Report Creator, Advanced Home Inspection Course, InspectHost business website and 1-year AHI National Association membership for Illinois home inspector graduates.