DonTx

I have several sites on different host. Just make sure the package you get is a Dedicated IP. www.acehost.com www.ev1.net/english/hosting/index.asp www.xiwebhosting.com www.globat.com This should get you started.

You can find them here: www.americascallcenter.com

Like the others above stated, I believe this MIGHT work if you had a large educated, web savy, Client base. I tried an online schedule a few years ago and found that people wanted to talk to someone live or they did not fill out all the information properly. You'd get to the inspection and find they didn't tell you about the crawlspace or EIFS thinking they'd save a few bucks (which is kinda true, I never go up on a Client at the inspection). However, I did find something about a month and a half ago that I wish I had from day one. It's Americas Call Center. I've always been against call centers because the people sounded like they were reading from a script or strung out on drugs. With all the calls my wife was taking, plus filling out the contact sheets and emailing the Agreements, she'd be working as late as 8 or 9 at night. She (and I) needed a break (if Moma's not happy, no ones happy). This business was running our lives. I chose ACC because they only answer phones for home inspectors and because they have a performance based pay system. I hired them so I could lighten my wifes work load. I secretly hoped we wouldn't lose too much business (because my wife or I were not answering the phones). We had some wrinkles to work out, but I could not be any happier with them. It's been one of the best decisions I've ever made business wise, plus they cost a helluva lot less than an assistant (we've went through 3 this year). If they've cost me any business, they've made up for it by getting the calls that would have rolled to voice mail while my wife was on another line. If anything, they've helped streamline our business and most importantly, gave us or lives back! For example, while typing this I'm eating a bowl of fresh Peach Cobbler my wife just made. She hasn't had time to cook like this in a long, long time! Another huge bonus is that they upsell all of our services. They take away the emotion of booking an inspection. When my wife or myself would book a home, there'd be many times we wouldn't charge for the add ons because we were afraid we'd lose the inspection. Not ACC. They charge what we tell them to and have a list of all our add-ons. For example, they booked my first 4 figured fee for a residential inspection on a home this week! When I looked down the list of our add-ons, they sold every one that was applicable for that home. I know that if I had booked that inspection, I wouldn't have charged for half of those add-ons! They have defineatly added to our bank account! It's nice to do the $600 2000sf homes! I've had a few inspector friends call in and "test" them (none from my area though!). They've received great grades from all those who've called. We've been keeping track of Customer Satisfaction since we've been using them. Everyone except one person has been extremely happy. (the one person has a very strong accent and is hard to understand, she was a little miffed at them when they didn't understand her) If you try online scheduling and find it's not for you, give Paul at ACC a try.

These were for small lights that outlined cabinet openings and to backlight glass faced cabinet doors. This was new construction and it did look like a DIY job. The Electrician used a 1/2" hole saw where a much smaller hole could have been used to run the Romex through the cabinet.

Can anyone ID these transformers? I found them installed in cabinets. There's a sticker on them that says "General Transformer Type I Enclosure" There's also a sticker on them that says something to the effect of "Do not install where the enclosure can entrap heat" Download Attachment: IMG_2587.jpg 50.6 KB Download Attachment: IMG_2584.jpg 42.96 KB I'd like to have the installation instructions. The Romex was not in conduit, there were no grommets or strain relief where the Romex entered the transformer. I'd also like to know if they can be installed inside wood cabinets.

Wiggy I find a handfull each year that are wired wrong.

I've seen this before. The night lite has a dim light on the far right side. The SureTest indicates a non-grounded outlet. (If you only go by the three light tester, it's telling you everything is okay because the two yellow lights are lit) So why is the right light dim? Leakage? (it looks like the red light on the tester is lit, but I believe it's coming from the middle light, not the bulb itself) Edit: You know, the more I look at this photo, the more the red light does look like it's lit...hmmm Didn't seem that way in the home....go figure... Download Attachment: IMG_2955.jpg 19.4 KB Now this is an outlet on the other side of the room. Perfectly normal. Download Attachment: IMG_2956.jpg 20.6 KB Comments?

We have a PayPal merchant account. If our account totals over 10k per month, our fees are 2.2% + .30 per transaction. Ken, nice move with the affiliate link!

ROFLMAO! []

George, I sometimes believe that Inspectors think it's cheaper to market to Agents (which, in the short run it probably is). For a lot of new inspectors, being a home inspector is their first business. Many have no idea how to market or don't want to spend the $$$ it takes to market directly to the consumers. They just don't understand that marketing is a long term investment. It doesn't cost money to advertise, it pays. We've all thrown money at marketing ideas that didn't pay. That's just business. It happens. I suppose for many HI's who rely on Agents to feed them, it's like Crack, they just don't want to kick the habit bad enough. By the way, the avatar is annoying! It's also out of focus....lol Is there suppose to be subliminal message in that?

I can't find it either. However, my guide says that Snyder General is now Mcquay International. Their phone is 800-377-2787

Here's my take on it George, (by the way, thanks for bringing it up, Marketing is one of my favorite things about this biz) 1. I actually started off with the same mind set you have and had to change it over time. I had to define who my Clients were and then design ads that would target them. 2. I've tried most of those except TV, Radio, Mall displays (Mall ads here are too expensive for the return) and Billboards. -Billboards located in good to prime areas will cost you $1200 to $2100 per month. Small billboards out in the boondocks average around $800 per month. -Cable TV and Radiio. Haven't tried it, but it's next on my agenda. -Truck lettering. Had little response to it when I tried it, plus my insurance guy wanted a lot more $$$ for have a "commercial" vehicle. -Lions Club, Rotary and the COC was a decent source of referrals. However, making the meetings became a chore and interfered with my inspection schedule when I was a one man show. Now that I have a few guys working, I'm considering picking that up again. -Sponsorship of Little League team. Tried it once. Don't know if I ever got an inspection from it, but it gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling watching those kids play ball and seeing my companies name on the jersey's. The Sponsorhip fees are getting ridiculous though. I might as well buy a minor league ball club! -I've tried newspaper ads including ads in the local Thrifty Nickel and Penny Shopper. Wasted advertising but you have to try. I believe that if you're going to be independent of the Agents, you'd better know your Clientele and know how to target them. For example, it took a while, but I realized that the Penny Shopper/Thrifty Nickel was reaching the wrong clients. The general readership of those papers (at least in this area) are not the ones buying $500k homes and willing to pay $500 for an inspection. Now if I was advertising brush hogging or dozer work or $125 inspections, that would be a great readership to target. Just look at the other advertisers in those papers. You don't see high end landscapers advertising in them, but you will see the guy charging $20 for a lawn mow. I've had very little success with print advertising. I've tried the RE rags and newspapers plus a couple of HOA newsletters. I do get some return with a couple high end magazines in Houston (again, know who your Clientele is), but it's nothing to write home about. The web and direct mail marketing works wonders for us as well as referals. However, now that more and more web savy inspectors are coming along, it's getting a little crowded at the top. They keep me on my toes trying to stay near the top. Yellow Pages and BBB book suck and are too expensive. George, you ought to have some T-Shirts made up. "Women want me, Real Estate Agents Fear Me" [:-scared] I'd be interested in seeing how other inspectors in smaller markets market their business.

Oh, there are some Committe papers here also; http://www.foundationperformance.org/co ... apers.html

In our area, trees next to the foundation either means there is bad news, or there will be. Check out this site and browse through their PDF's. This is a think tank of Engineers located here in Houston. This association specializes in slab on grade foundations. One of the papers had some good pictures of trees vs. foundations, driveways, sidewalks and a garage. http://www.foundationperformance.org/te ... apers.html

It's a trick question. What a homes "worth" and what it's priced at are generally two different things. Just look at the 900 sf homes out on the West coast that sell for 700k to over a million bucks. Those homes are not "worth" that, but people will give that kind of money for them. They're paying for the dirt the home is setting on. Who chooses the inspector? The show or the contestants?

Marks got it. Most of our "tile" roofs are actually concrete tile. This is one of the few clay tile roof I've seen lately. Thanks everyone,

Funny that question should pop up. I surfed over to NACHI last night to see how much 'tougher' the entrance exam was, that question was on the first page.

Sometime back there was a discussion on tile roofs. (at least I believe it was on this forum) Someone (Kurt, Mark or Chris I think) mentioned about the corners being chipped off and they gave a reason why this happens. Can someone refresh my memory as to why this occurs? Download Attachment: IMG_2613.jpg 29.12 KB Download Attachment: IMG_2614.jpg 32.73 KB

Geeez Steve, you ever think about moving to somewhere where you're not taxed as much? You know, there are states that have no State Income tax....... By the time the Gov. gets done...do they give ya'll a kiss?? [:-eyebrow

I'd say a 2000 model. Normally when a York starts with 4 letters, the third one indicates the year. York does not use I,O,Q and U in their serial numbers (or they didn't). The last year that the Technical Reference Guide shows for York is 1998, which is a "G". Following this order, "H" would be 1999 and since "I's" are not used, the next letter used for the year 2000 is a "J". Donald "I need a life" Lawson

I got to go with Chris on this one. If the bored hole was a fraction larger than the PEX line, I might buy it. However, the plumbers use a 5/8ths to 3/4" bit to bore the holes in the studs. These leaves the PEX plenty of room to hammer. I'm seeing more and more bathrooms where you get a nice "thump" when you turn the water on/off. Almost every time it's due to the lack of clamps on the lines. I run into the same thing with electricians. The install the Service Panel indoors, the top plate is bored/sawzall'd out and the Romex is ran through the resulting hole then laid across the joist. They consider this securing the Romex properly. By the way, FWIW, I wrote the valve up for not being secured to blocking and failing to secure the PEX line properly at the studs. I also stated that the Builder and Plumber should verify with written documentation from the valve manufacturer that the the fitting on the valve body were approved for PEX lines. I guess they decided it would be easier to come off the valve body with copper lines after all. Thanks everyone,

My first thought was "1970", then I saw that it was a Janitrol and had to double check with Prestons. That model was made from 1965 to 1970. I guess stranger things happened other than a Janitrol lasting 36 years. Bring on the Leprechauns and Flying Pigs!

1970

I normally see plumbers come off of shower controls and then connect the PEX lines. This plumber connected the PEX lines directly to the shower control. Anything wrong with this setup? thanks, Download Attachment: PEXShower.jpg 54.33 KB

This one's about 45 minutes away from where I used to live. Pretty neat....any one care to give to the "Buy Donald a Castle and Send Him Back to Oklahoma" fund? http://www.historicproperties.com/detai ... y=sccam002