The Holmes Effect Hits Home

[Mike Lamb]

I have never seen this show because I pretty much don't watch TV other than occasional sports. I guess I will have to start watching because I got my first taste of the Holmes effect today.

I follow up my inspections a month or two later asking my clients if they were happy with my inspection and if so, please refer me to friends, etc. A reply I got today started, “Even though it wasn't exactly a Holmes on Homes house inspection, my wife and I were pleased with the inspection.â€

[John Kogel]

A reply I got today started, “Even though it wasn't exactly a Holmes on Homes house inspection, my wife and I were pleased with the inspection.â€

[gtblum]

I’m glad they were pleased but apparently I did not meet their expectations. Unfortunately, client expectations are all important and now I have to consider a Holmes disclaimer like Kurt mentioned in another thread

Why should you?

Before I go any further with this, I want to make sure it's understood that my post on the other thread wasn't meant as a personal attack on Kevin. If it was taken that way, I apologize.

It was meant to attack the idea that any of us should alter a single thing we do now because a school yard bully has managed to sell a few toques and a line of bullshit to the general public.

The idea that folks are going to start to seek out better inspectors because of him is a nice thought. Problem is, how are they going to find these "good" inspectors? Same place they always do. The other elephant in the room. Does this Mercedes make me look fat?

Sorry, but I'll be damned if I'll back pedal and change a thing I'm doing because Holmes, Mickey Mouse, Deputy Dog, or any other cartoon character suggests we should.

Changing what you do lends this asshole credibility he doesn't deserve.

We all have an SOP. He didn't write mine or yours either.

Backing down from a school yard bully and allowing them to continue, does nothing.

Ganging up on one usually puts an end to this kind of crap.

Turn on the news. There's a perfect example of what I'm talking about, taking place across the pond.

Again. Not meant as a personal attack.

[randynavarro]

I think I'll add something about a Holmes inspection from now on. Something like, "You guarantee to hire the plumber, electrician, demo screw, engineer, and others and I'll promise to guide them."

Actually, I do have something like that in my contract I've been using for years. I believe I lifted it from Mr. Jowers: "Do you want the building inspected by a team of experts at at cost of $8,500? _____Yes/Initials _____No/Initials"

[kurt]

Randy, I agree. The revolution noted in the other post, not so much.

Folks on TV that continue to be wrong and insist they are right don't see the sword of Damocles dangling.

Let him go; when it gets completely strange, the boat will right itself.

Until then, I just keep educating folks one at a time. With the right approach, everyone understands just fine.

[Mike Lamb]

Until then, I just keep educating folks one at a time. With the right approach, everyone understands just fine.

Good advice.

And I, for one, now need to educate myself about this fella and his show.

[Marc]

Kurt said it best.

I just answer to inquiring clients that The Holmes show is just that...a television show...an entertainment progam. Me? I'm not about entertainment. I'm the real thing.

Marc

[mthomas1]

This "demo screw" Randy mentions. Is this a good thing, or a bad thing?

[Marc]

This "demo screw" Randy mentions. Is this a good thing, or a bad thing?

I think he meant to say 'demolition crew', but he'll correct me later.

Marc

[John Kogel]

This "demo screw" Randy mentions. Is this a good thing, or a bad thing?

I think he meant to say 'demolition crew', but he'll correct me later.

Marc

That would be Big Mike's crew - lots of demo followed by lots of screws. []

[Bain]

A few days ago, I checked out a two- or three-week-old episode that was on my DVR. The grunts sprayed counter-flashing above a porch with a garden house and, of course, the guy in the attic looking for leaks got soaked and laughed as if to say, "Yeah, we knew the flashing wouldn't keep the water out."

In the same house, the grunts were "concerned" that water was entering a wall because of a bad rowlock. They sliced out the drywall beneath the window and, sure enough, there was a circle of (slightly) water-damaged OSB. All the brick rowlocks were replaced with stone ones.

Then there was the drain beneath a basement exterior door that wasn't quite up to snuff, so all the concrete got jackhammered up, the drain was reworked, and the concrete was repoured. At a cost that would have likely exceeded 10K.

The show is mildly entertaining, but it has little to do with what we contend with every day.

[Jim Katen]

A few days ago, I checked out a two- or three-week-old episode that was on my DVR. The grunts sprayed counter-flashing above a porch with a garden house and, of course, the guy in the attic looking for leaks got soaked and laughed as if to say, "Yeah, we knew the flashing wouldn't keep the water out."

And how did they fix it? By stuffing the gaps full of caulk.

In the same house, the grunts were "concerned" that water was entering a wall because of a bad rowlock. They sliced out the drywall beneath the window and, sure enough, there was a circle of (slightly) water-damaged OSB. All the brick rowlocks were replaced with stone ones.

And caulked in place.

Then there was the drain beneath a basement exterior door that wasn't quite up to snuff, so all the concrete got jackhammered up, the drain was reworked, and the concrete was repoured. At a cost that would have likely exceeded 10K.

Worse, they routed the water to an new indoor sump pump and deposited the discharge water *right next to the foundation wall.*

The show is mildly entertaining, but it has little to do with what we contend with every day.

It wouldn't be so bad if they actually rooted out bad inspectors and made high-quality repairs. But they don't.

Every time someone on the show talks about "making it right" I want to barf.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[AHI in AR]

I’m glad they were pleased but apparently I did not meet their expectations. Unfortunately, client expectations are all important and now I have to consider a Holmes disclaimer like Kurt mentioned in another thread

Why should you?

Before I go any further with this, I want to make sure it's understood that my post on the other thread wasn't meant as a personal attack on Kevin. If it was taken that way, I apologize.

It was meant to attack the idea that any of us should alter a single thing we do now because a school yard bully has managed to sell a few toques and a line of bullshit to the general public.

The idea that folks are going to start to seek out better inspectors because of him is a nice thought. Problem is, how are they going to find these "good" inspectors? Same place they always do. The other elephant in the room. Does this Mercedes make me look fat?

Sorry, but I'll be damned if I'll back pedal and change a thing I'm doing because Holmes, Mickey Mouse, Deputy Dog, or any other cartoon character suggests we should.

Changing what you do lends this asshole credibility he doesn't deserve.

We all have an SOP. He didn't write mine or yours either.

Backing down from a school yard bully and allowing them to continue, does nothing.

Ganging up on one usually puts an end to this kind of crap.

Turn on the news. There's a perfect example of what I'm talking about, taking place across the pond.

Again. Not meant as a personal attack.

Gary--I didn't take your comments in the other thread as any sort of attack on me. I'm not that thin-skinned! But at the same time, I'm not sure you understood what I was trying to convey. I was not suggesting that we bow down before King Mike. Nothing of the sort. I was suggesting that we take the opportunity to inform our clients and prospective clients that Holmes' show isn't really about home inspection. We all know he goes way beyond what can be done in a home inspection; our clients don't necessarily know that. I haven't changed anything I do except to use the opportunity to inform my clients of this fact when his name comes up. Done properly, I think they are grateful. I sure haven't gotten into any arguments or lost jobs due to it. The funny thing is that it seems to be the guys who are more enamored of him; the women seem to enjoy pointing out that their guys are addicted to the show. Most often, the guys seem a bit embarrassed by the release of that information. Maybe the women are better at seeing through the BS. Maybe the guys just want an excuse to buy more tools to be like Mike. I don't know.

Am I wringing my hands and worrying about the sky falling when Holmes badmouths (some) inspectors? Hell no. I hope he continues doing so. Why? Simple. That shoe doesn't fit me. And keep in mind that he's not advising them to forgo an inspection. All but the most cerebrally-challenged buyers will ultimately realize that a home inspection is even more important than they may have thought previously -- if they had even given it any thought before. I think they will be that much more motivated to search out a competent inspector instead of blindly taking the advice of their agent. How can that be anything but a good thing for all inspectors except the toadies? If anything, I have noticed a slight uptick in clients who volunteer the information that their agent recommended a different inspector, but they chose to select their own after doing some research. Obviously, I see that as a positive thing.

Furthermore, I suspect that if there were to be any sort of unified challenge to Holmes by true inspectors (and I don't see that happening) it would be perceived as an attack on a popular media presence AND a defense of incompetent inspectors. Not what we want. My unsolicited advice is to handle it one-on-one appropriately with your clients and use it to your benefit.

[kurt]

If you really want to understand the Holmes experience, get his magazine and read it.

It is to home repair information what Huffington Post is to "news". It's a rehash of every generic blather there is, written by associate editors with journalism degrees that gather the stuff from the internet and advertisers, and repackage it in beautifully printed heavy stock paper units.

The entire staff is a cult of personalities. Everyone is working @ being a cartoon of someone they imagine is a construction guy.

So, he'll have his day for a long time near as I can tell. People like cartoon caricatures.

[Brad Manor]

So, he'll have his day for a long time near as I can tell. People like cartoon caricatures.

Yep - they also want Dr. Phil to sort out their personal issues and Bobby Flay to make them burgers with ancho chili mayonnaise. Sometimes I think there are too many TV channels.

-B

[randynavarro]

This "demo screw" Randy mentions. Is this a good thing, or a bad thing?

I think he meant to say 'demolition crew', but he'll correct me later.

Marc

That would be Big Mike's crew - lots of demo followed by lots of screws. []

Yea that's funny. I did mean "crew" but I kind of like the imagination that can be triggered by using "screw."