Continuing EducationPE Home Inspection

Home › Courses › Structural

Elective · Structural Self-paced online

Common Structural Defects and How to Report Them

Focused 2-hour course on crack types, differential settlement, bowing walls, crawlspace defects, and defensible reporting language for each structural defect category. Taught by a licensed forensic & structural Professional Engineer.

2Credit units
$22Flat rate ($11/unit)
Self-pacedStart right after purchase
EmailedCertificate on completion

⚖ How this course fits your NJ license renewal

New Jersey requires 40 continuing education units per biennial renewal period. Eight of those are the mandatory in-person Report Writing and Ethics & Rules units; the remaining 32 may be electives like this one, including distance learning. This course provides 2 elective units.

Authority: N.J.S.A. 45:8-78. Inspectors first licensed in the second year of a biennial period complete a prorated 20 units — the same 8 in-person units still apply.

Requirements met: elective — Structural (2 of 32 elective units)

This is an elective course. It does not replace the mandatory core: pair your electives with the Report Writing and Ethics & Rules classes (4 units each, in person) to cover all 8 mandatory units.

Course topic

Common Structural Defects and How to Report Them

Focused 2-hour course on crack types, differential settlement, bowing walls, crawlspace defects, and defensible reporting language for each structural defect category.

What's included

  • Certificate of completion, emailed when you finish — signed, with your name, NJ license number, course title, date, format or location, and credit units, ready for your renewal records.
  • Sponsor attendance record — we keep a copy of your attendance record.
  • Instruction by a licensed P.E. — forensic and structural engineering perspective on why defects matter structurally and legally, not just what to write.
  • Group scheduling available — sessions for 5+ inspectors at your office or a venue of your choice.

Your instructor — Zoey (S.Y.) Tham, P.E.

Zoey is a licensed Professional Engineer specializing in forensic and structural engineering, with hands-on experience inspecting residential and commercial properties throughout New Jersey. Her courses bridge the gap between field inspection and engineering reality — helping inspectors understand why defects matter structurally and legally, not just what to write down.

Common questions

How many CEU hours do NJ home inspectors need?
40 continuing education units each biennial licensure renewal period (N.J.S.A. 45:8-78). Four units must be on report writing and four on ethics and the rules governing the practice of home inspection in New Jersey — these eight units must be taken in person through a Committee-approved program. The other 32 may be electives, including distance learning. Inspectors first licensed in the second year of a period need a prorated 20 units (including the same eight in-person units). Inspectors first licensed within 90 days of the next renewal period are not required to complete the current period's units.
Does this course count toward the mandatory units?
No — this is an elective course. The 8 mandatory units come only from the in-person Report Writing and Ethics & Rules classes. This course counts toward the remaining 32 elective units.
Can I take this course online?
Yes. This course is self-paced distance learning: you study the slides on your own schedule, any time after purchase. Distance-learning credit is capped at 32 units per renewal period, counting all distance learning you complete from any provider.
What documentation do I receive for my renewal records?
When you complete the course (or, for in-person classes, after your attendance is verified), we email a signed certificate of completion showing your name, NJ license number, course title, date, location or format, and credit hours. Under N.J.A.C. 13:40-15.14(g), you must keep it for five years after completion and give it to the Committee if audited. We also keep a sponsor copy of your attendance record.
Can extra CEU hours carry over to my next renewal period?
Yes, with limits. If you complete more than 40 units in a period, you may carry over up to 10 additional units into the next period — but only if those units were earned in the last six months of the preceding period. Units completed under a Committee order or directive cannot be used toward the minimum.
How does this course classify crack severity?
Cracks are grouped by width, pattern (vertical, diagonal, stair-step, horizontal), and whether displacement is present — horizontal cracking in a foundation wall, for example, is treated as a higher-priority finding than a hairline vertical crack.
Is bowing wall movement always a foundation replacement issue?
Not necessarily — the course distinguishes minor bowing within tolerance from active lateral movement requiring engineering evaluation, and gives reporting language appropriate to each severity level.
$22Structural · 2 units
Add to my plan