Gibsonguy

It doesn't appear "he" will be doing any of the inspecting. Maybe he will market, but those who call up asking for Mike Holmes will get a certified "Joe Schmoe" who will probably be litigated against and cut loose from the program, without any harm to Mike. Anybody can be a genius if they inspect a home with a sledgehammer...

I got a call today to do an inspection for a home sold by succession (death of owner). This property is of course sold without a legal warranty of quality, meaning the buyer has no legal recourse on the seller unless they prove there was something purposely hidden from them. I am being hired by the agent as he will represent the buyer who is out of the country. I've met this agent many times and he knows I am new to the biz just like him, and he is trying to push me as an inspector. I have had no contact with the buyer who I am told will sign my service agreement via fax and resend it back to me. How concerned should I be here? This is the first time inspecting a property without legal warranty for me. The agent says it's a quick little bungalow (they all hope it's quick!) however, a little scratching the surface and I am told by the real estate authority around here to "...make sure the home inspector is informed the property has no warranty as he should do a much more in depth inspection being that there is no legal recourse for the buyer..." except maybe from me.[:-wiltel]

Quote: Chocolate is for real estate agent or neighbor's dog. Depends on who is nicer. Not to sway too much, but chocolate is toxic for dogs... I'm not sure about RE agents, I'll have to try it.

My ears are burning...

Hi guys, Well I sure hope this thread doesn't turn out like the last one I started [:-crazy] I read this morning that it is indeed official: The island of Montreal has banned the use of residential wood burning stoves and fireplaces due to smog levels. Off island suburbs are still OK as the population there is more sparse, however I can't believe everything being said about this topic. Here is a link to one of yesterday's articles. Read more...

I guess "going brown" is the new "going green"

What is it? It looks like white, threaded PVC.

I am not really looking to do anything except inspections coinciding with CAHPI SOP. I'm not diversifying my product line, I'm just thinking of a way to increase my customer base. When I was taking my HI courses there was a guy in my class who was always thinking of the next get rich quick scheme. Every week he has a different idea of how to use the teachings in class to make money without really putting in any work. I just want to inspect more homes and be a better inspector.

Wow, thanks guys! Great insight so far, and I'm taking it all in. I am aware that most agents will probably shun this idea however I decided to throw it up here anyways and see if anyone else has tried or has thought of trying. I have thought about maybe an extra "orientation" charge for the new buyers to give them a better understanding of the report and of their new home. I have thought about giving the homeowner the reduction in price which the orientation should recover. (it would also cover subsequent revisits by different interested parties trying to make an informed offer) The idea of having a HI go through a poorly maintained home is not very appealing to some sellers, but then again, neither is having the deal fall through after the pre purchase inspection or after how the negotiated price always seems to make it's way down to the absolute minimum they told their agents they would accept, and are now forced to fix or pay for repairs they weren' aware of.

Hi guys, I am brainstorming an idea with my wife about approaching RE agents with the intent to offer their listing clients with a pre-sale inspection. Having people pre-inspect their house before they list provides an "open book" for potential buyers to see. It stops haggling after the price has been agreed, it allows the seller to know what a qualified inspector will find at the last second, and it allows RE agents to list their house as pre-inspected not to mention hanging around during the inspection and deadline worries. I feel with proper marketing this idea could just catch on. In a buyers market, not paying for the inspection may present a plus for the potential buyer. There are drawbacks of course such as assuring potential clients that you are independant and do not represent the seller or agent and of course making potential buyers understand that it is not a guarantee of any kind. I know there is a wealth of information on this site and would like you to ring in with any thoughts you might have. Please don't hold back. I'm really looking for subjective input. Thanks

There really isn't a lot of information to go on. Taran, if it were me, my brain would be trying to piece together the puzzle in the order of easiest to hardest things to check for. Be analytical. How old is the house? Is the kitchen in the middle of the house? How many exterior walls does it have? How big are they? What about windows? Is the kitchen renovated? Is the tile floor heated? Any upgrades to the windows and doors? How is the insulation? All I am saying is before running all over trying to check for register temperatures and possible leaks of the HVAC system, you should have some hypothesis of what the problem might be. What do you think it is?

Does it get hot or only warm? Have you checked the dip tube?(For the electric tank) Corrosion of the heating elements is possible if the dip tube is eroded. Check the temperature of the hot water at the tap compared to the settings at the tank. How long is it before the water cools?.. and more importantly how long is it before the tank heats up again? An electric 50 gal tank should take 1 hr to heat from ground water temp. (I beleive gas fired tank should be 10-15 min. I have to check my notes on that as I seem to switch the gas and oil fired times up)

Yes it can be. It is used doubled up on the garage wall and ceiling as a fire retardant, but nothing is "fireproof".

When are you going to change it into art? LOL (Just kidding! It looks pretty c[:-hspin][:-hspin]l)

Wow, lots of POV's here, Coming from being a father of 3 girls (all very young) I'd have to side with sepefrio on this one. Laying down the law and expecting her to fall in line after raising her to expect a certain level of "caretaking" could be a rift maker. Are you willing to butt heads for $20 a week? What if it's a stand-off? Do you really want to play chicken with your daughter? I feel that it's not about being right or wrong at this point. Are you justified to ask for rent? Possibly. Should she have already been taught to accept personal responsibility by the time she turned 21 ? Absolutely.

I agree, junction boxes should be accessible, and this one is not. To change the receptacle, do you dig out the plaster with a plastic scraper? All the wiring and boxes should have been upgraded simultaneously, if they weren't, then the renovation wasn't a thorough one. I guess the owner was just saving some ca$h. I would also mention that having 2 prong receptacles (that aren't mudded in) isn't an inherent danger but could be damaging to sensitive equipment.

It kind of goes with the territory up here. As I sit down to the computer, the thermometer outside my kitchen window reads: -29 degrees C (-20 degrees Fahrenheit), man... it's freezing. It's rare you can get on a roof from November to April. Inspect what you can and just write your limitations. (BTW, the deep snow holds the ladder great!)

I too was invited to a BNI meeting. I liked it, but the group seemed completely starved for a new network. My wife mused that BNI stood for: "Breakfast Not Included". I still laugh at that one...

Like Austin1980? Tu voyages pas mal mon ami!

Well that amount would let you buy into being a part owner/inspector of his company, allow for profit sharing and stuff mailboxes with his flyers or... give him $2000 to be just an employee and stuff mailboxes with his flyers. I said to myself: "Self... you could do your own start-up for that"

Wow, Both excellent insights. I cannot say how much this post is relevant to me, a young, "green" inspector fresh out of a 250 hour course and starting my own business on the little amount I can't really afford. I was approached by my professor to come and work for him, but decided to got it alone, citing the reason this career enticed me in the first place; being my own boss... that and a $5000 cost to join his "team" Today up in Montreal we had a bit of a snowstorm (6cm and blowing gusting winds) and are predicting -33 degrees C with the wind chill factor tonight, and I have just returned this evening from going to an empty real estate office to hand out some business cards...

That's what I thought, just wanted to see.

Alabama1984, Family up in Montréal? I can see the Hydro Québec sticker... where was this pic taken?

Here's a question: What about gauge? Is it 14/2 for 15 amp like copper or is it upsized 12/2 like AL?

I would just write it up as something you don't like seeing, and leave it at that. It shouldn't be a stretch to explain why.