PE Home Inspection · Continuing Education

Course Catalog › Structural

Elective · Structural · 4 CEU Hours

Advanced Structural Inspection: Systems, Defects, and Risk Indicators

Complete structural inspection course: load paths, foundation types, crack classification, differential settlement, lateral movement, crawlspace assessment, and PE referral decisions. Taught by a licensed forensic & structural Professional Engineer.

4CEU Hours
$44Flat Rate ($11/hr)
LiveIn-Person or Remote
Same DayCertificate Issued

⚖ How This Course Fits Your NJ License Renewal

New Jersey requires 40 continuing education units per biennial renewal period. Eight of those must be the mandatory in-person Report Writing and Ethics & Rules units; the remaining 32 may be elective courses like this one. This course provides 4 elective CEUs toward your 40-unit requirement.

Authority: N.J.A.C. 13:40-15.14(a) and 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 mandatory in-person units still apply.

Requirements Met: Elective — Structural (4 of 32 Elective CEUs)

This is an elective course — it counts toward the 32 elective units of your biennial requirement. It does not replace the mandatory core: pair your electives with our Report Writing and Ethics & Rules courses (4 CEUs each, in-person) to cover all 8 mandatory units.

What This Course Covers

Complete structural inspection course: load paths, foundation types, crack classification, differential settlement, lateral movement, crawlspace assessment, and PE referral decisions.

Curriculum below is organized in 15-minute Advisory Committee filing blocks; a detailed session agenda is available on request.

Module 1: Load paths

60 MIN
  1. Lateral movement

Module 2: Foundation types

60 MIN
  1. Crawlspace assessment

Module 3: Crack classification

60 MIN
  1. PE referral decisions

Module 4: Differential settlement

60 MIN
  1. Applied field identification and NJ-compliant reporting language for this topic

What's Included

  • Signed attendance verification certificate, issued same day — with your name, NJ license number, course title and date, and CEU hours, ready for your renewal records and any CE audit.
  • Sponsor record retention — we keep copies of your attendance per NJ regulations, so your proof of completion is never lost.
  • 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 license renewal period, under N.J.A.C. 13:40-15.14(a). Of those, 4 units must be Report Writing and 4 units Ethics & Rules — taken in-person through a Committee-approved course. Inspectors first licensed in the second year of a biennial period complete a prorated minimum of 20 units (the 8 mandatory in-person units still apply).
Does this course count toward the mandatory units?
No — this is an elective course. The 8 mandatory units come only from in-person Report Writing and Ethics & Rules courses. This course counts toward the remaining 32 elective units of your 40-unit biennial requirement.
Can I take this course via live remote?
Elective courses may be offered via live remote where scheduling allows; distance-learning credit is capped at 32 units per biennial period. Note your preference in the booking request and we'll confirm the format.
What documentation do I receive for my renewal records?
Same day as the course, you receive a signed attendance verification certificate listing your name, NJ license number, course title, date, and number of CEUs. Keep it for five years — the Committee performs random CE audits. We also retain sponsor copies as required by NJ regulations.
Can extra CEU hours carry over to my next renewal period?
Yes, with limits. If you complete more than the 40 required units, you may carry over up to 10 additional units into the next biennial period — but only if those units were earned in the last six months of the preceding period.
How do I decide when a structural condition needs a PE referral?
The course covers specific trigger conditions — active cracking with displacement, out-of-plane bowing beyond tolerance, sagging framing members, or foundation settlement patterns consistent with ongoing movement — that warrant referring the client to a licensed structural engineer rather than a general contractor.
What's the difference between differential and uniform settlement?
Uniform settlement affects the whole foundation evenly and is usually cosmetic; differential settlement affects one area more than another and produces diagonal cracking, door/window binding, and sloping floors — a much higher-risk finding covered in detail in this course.
$44 Structural · 4 CEUs
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