Nolan Kienitz

Be cautious of IPSICO They are now "excluding" cement board siding, manufactured stone siding and a couple of other things. Not clear in their information and I learned today that they are backpeddling with some HIs (in Texas) who are pushing back on them for not being "up front" of such exclusions.

I love the various "regional" and "world-wide" ... ummm ... 'terms of endearment'.

Mike ... you have a link for that document/website?

Phillip, My best wishes to you and thank goodness you will still be about. Your HI adventure images are priceless. I'm very glad to be able to have met you on TIJ and ASHI and look forward to more. Mr. Saunders, We can do without your crass comments.

The User Friendly Home by Larry Reavis

Nope. Doing inspections/reports yesterday and today I'm prepping for testimony at a legal event in the Dallas court system. I was asked to offer opinions in a case between a couple of upset buyers/sellers. NO ... I'm not a target. [:-party]

JL and I have a similar approach (first we're both "very fussy" HIs) and like Jim my comments are typically short/sweet. I'm into "bullets" for my comments. Easy to ID, easy to read and I add narrative as necessary as there are no two properties the same. Like Kurt M. I use a fair number of images. Kind of hard to create too much discussion when the image just shows what is there! I've considered putting one of my reports up for review like Katen, but have not yet mustered the courage to do so. []

TM - It was a test !!! [] And NO I don't know how the serial numbers work on those. [:-dunce]

I think the layout works very well and I like the simple, direct language. I don't like the red text. That might be just me though. For as long as I can remember, I've had a hard time reading red text. My eyeballs bouce off it like the wrong end of a magnet. If the text is going to be a different color, my eyes like blue or green. - Jim Katen, Oregon I completed a peer review of an inspection report this weekend and that fellow also used a lot of red text. I understood where he was coming from (focus being on items needing attention), but red tends to "alert" me to a dangerous situation. From my view red text would be a "danger" flag about something, but I might also be calling people to let them know as well. Of course the report was in our mandated Texas TREC template.

Mike, Which brand/make/model of respirator are you using?

Especially after we convinced them to pay our exorbitant fee for the inspection. [:-crazy] Their checkbook is now barren.

Have the meter re-installed by the local water utility.

Fellow HI friend of mine sent me this link today. It is for the 2010 edition of the Wood Handbook: Wood as an Engineering Material. Large PDF, free download and there are more to review. FPLaboratory - Wood Handbook - 2010

Erby, Had to be East TX. Where-a-bouts? My wife and I have some land (~25 acres) over near Sulphur Springs.

Many HIs are indicating a good success of booking inspections via their Facebook accounts. I'm just trying to understand the value of this social networking element and how the ROI pans out? Granted the $$ are not the issue ... it's the 'time' involved. One Hi said it is his way of keeping his name in front of 'zoids' so they will remember him for referrals. Seeing as how I don't market to that crowd I just don't see the value. Just like Active Rain is nothing more than an "atta-boy" bunch of folks bragging about how they have PhotoShopped a property's image as it just doesn't look 'good' in reality. I've not been at the Active Rain site in some time, but when I did surf through it I certainly didn't see very many (if any) non-RE folks there. I also don't think that hooking up with my 'growing up' friends would do me much good as most are still farmers/ranchers in Montana. [] Anyway ... just looking for input from others as it relates to marketing HI work on the new social networking products.

Usually such puck lights come with a "touch sensitive" pad that provides a few light levels and on/off. If you are using a transformer you are stepping down/changing power from wall receptacle to an acceptable voltage for the puck lights. Link below is one such package from a big box store. Below cabinet puck lights w/switch

My "bought and paid for" software application does not cost me anything per report to generate. I don't even need to have another 90-gizmo product to try and sell to clients to get something for nothing.

An intermittent short circuit would be great for me as a starting point. [^]

E-mail PIA to client and have them sign, scan and e-mail back to you. Or if you have old-style FAX or if you spend $$ on virtual FAX they can FAX the signed PIA back to you. You can set up a payment account via PayPal. You can send an invoice/bill to the client and they reply with payment, it shows up in your account at PayPal and then you can move it to your business bank account at your convenience. Many HIs do that fundamental procedure.

Phillip, Congratulations. Always some changes and change is usually always good. Helps each of us grow. Take good care of her!!

I booked one for tomorrow that is .6 of one mile away from my home. Go figure! Absolutely NOT complaining.

They just forgot to take the manual out of the sleeve and read the installation instructions. [?]

IF there was/is any type of code/guideline blanket from somewhere it should be what was in effect the day the construction 'started'. That has been my experience of our state or local adopted code cycles. The rule in place the day the construction started is the guiding element. If there is a change during the current construction it does not impact that project underway. Only affects 'new' construction started after the adoption of the new rules.

George, Here's a cut/paste of what I replied with to you over at IN. What point does that serve? Customers searching for good inspectors and inspections can see that such is a blatant setup ... even though you mean very well as does the client it is such a hype that can turn many folks off. I've checked with many, many folks (some clients and some not) and almost all of them have laughed such videos off. Again ... I know you mean well as does your client, but bottom line is such (even if professionally produced for good audio/video quality) going to sway a future client? Now ... that is MY input from many years of dealing with public, media, marketing, construction (~ 20+ years) and 20 years of commercial inspections and 7 years of residential inspections. Just food for thought. I'm sure others will have other observations and they will all be well intentioned. As I noted I spent many years in the media world and that is part of my background and view of many of the "home-grown" marketing items that folks (including inspectors) come up with.

Phillip, Here's one to start with !! [] Click to Enlarge 7.53 KB