Talking Business: Former Longview police officer opens home inspection service

Vance Lile relied on his keen attention to detail and sharp situational awareness to stay safe every day during a decade-long career in law enforcement. Now he uses those same skills to inspect Longview homes.

You have to know whats going on around you at all time, Lile, 44, described working in law enforcement. You have to know exactly what youre looking at.

Lile began working as a reserve Longview police officer in 1997 but quit law enforcement in 2007 to pursue a career in building science. In April, he began assessing homes for Pillar to Post, a nationwide home inspection franchise. Within the last month, Lile says, he has become one of the fewif not the onlyLongview home inspectors certified to examine pools, spas, four-plexes and log homes. Hell soon be certified to inspect septic systems and check for radon.

Lile describes himself as mellow and said he liked working with the public during his law enforcement career. But working with buildings affords him the chance to interact with people without having to watch his back all day long.

In 1999, while still working in law enforcement as a juvenile corrections officer, Lile started a side business Aftermath renovation and cleaning. He later left his corrections job to become an operations manager at General Growth Properties.

Inspections became the most enjoyable part of Liles job at General Growth Properties, he said, and he always dreamed of owning his own business. So the former cop closed Aftermath and left General Growth earlier this year. Since then, hes spent about six months and tens of thousands of dollars setting up his new franchise.

Lile says he enjoys the freedom of making his own schedule and the art of running a small business.

Youve got to keep coming up with ways to promote it, and to keep it going, and to feed it, Lile said. Its almost like a living creature.

Lile lives in Vancouver but hopes to move to the Longview area soon. His business serves Cowlitz and Wahkiakum counties.

Lile cant keep his business afloat with just specialty inspectionslike examinations of pools and spashe says. Regular home inspections still make up about 90 percent of his business, but his new certifications allow him to offer more hard to find inspection options to potential customers.

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Talking Business: Former Longview police officer opens home inspection service