paul burrell Posted October 30, 2005 Report Posted October 30, 2005 I have people calling me on a regular basis wanting an HI job. Some have no experience but still want me to pay them to work and learn? Some have no experience and want to know how to get started. This week one called that capped them all. He had no experience at all when I told him where to go to get it (ASHI) he said he did not want that because his contract has "disclaimers" to protect him from lawsuits. I had no more time to waste with this idiot so I told him good luck and hung up. I would like to comment more on this subject but I am so flabbergasted with these uninformed idiots I just do not know what to say. Paul Burrell
Jim Katen Posted October 31, 2005 Report Posted October 31, 2005 Originally posted by paul burrell I have people calling me on a regular basis wanting an HI job. Some have no experience but still want me to pay them to work and learn? Some have no experience and want to know how to get started. This week one called that capped them all. He had no experience at all when I told him where to go to get it (ASHI) he said he did not want that because his contract has "disclaimers" to protect him from lawsuits. I had no more time to waste with this idiot so I told him good luck and hung up. I would like to comment more on this subject but I am so flabbergasted with these uninformed idiots I just do not know what to say. Paul Burrell Tell them to hold up a bank and get caught. While they're in the pen, they can get free training to become a home inspector and free room & board at the same time. That's kind of like being paid to work and learn isn't it? - Jim in Oregon
Scottpat Posted October 31, 2005 Report Posted October 31, 2005 As I'm on our state board, I get calls like this every day of the week. I can't get anyone to believe me that this is a business and it takes time and money to make it. I'm to the point that I want to tell everyone that they can make $5,000 a week if they work from 9-5 Monday thru Friday!
Brian G Posted October 31, 2005 Report Posted October 31, 2005 I get these calls here and there. I just tell them I work alone and refer them to the state's website. I also make sure to warn them about the cost of E&O, the high liability, and possiblity of being sued by any given client whether you did a good job or not. They usually have no clue about that stuff. Brian G. I Can Get Started for a Few Hundred Bucks, Right? [:-dopey]
chrisprickett Posted October 31, 2005 Report Posted October 31, 2005 It's tough to be treated as pros, when the real estate world is always trying to refer their clientle to the lowest bidder, or the softest inspector.
Jim Morrison Posted October 31, 2005 Report Posted October 31, 2005 Hey Mike, We've had a few threads about what it takes to start an HI outfit properly over the years. Why not cull the best responses and assemble a page or two of the brethren's best advice and post it on the site somewhere conspicuous? Then when people ask us how to do it, we can say, just surf on over to TIJ and click on the "So, you want to be a home inspector?" button. I'll even pitch in and do some editing if you want.
Brian G Posted October 31, 2005 Report Posted October 31, 2005 Yeah, and Jimmy, get me a burger while you're up. I'm hungry. Brian G. No Onions, No Pickles []
paul burrell Posted November 1, 2005 Author Report Posted November 1, 2005 Originally posted by chrisprickett It's tough to be treated as pros, when the real estate world is always trying to refer their clientle to the lowest bidder, or the softest inspector. Chris, I had a Realtor that hired me to inspect a spec home She purchased and was selling. The home had bad LP siding, EIFS installed below grade with the grade sloping toward the foundation. She said if I put this in report I would kill the deal. I told Her I had no choice but to put it in report. At that point She said how much do I owe you to quit the job and She would get another inspector. She wanted to tell me what to put in the report and I would not work that way. Anyway I charged Her $150 for the trip and left. She hired a newbie that needed money and experience and got what She wanted. If I had been hired by the purchaser who lived in California it would have been different. I would nave completed the report my way and faxed it to my out of State buyer. Paul Burrell "For every unscrupulous Realtor there is an unscrupulous home inspector".
Brian G Posted November 1, 2005 Report Posted November 1, 2005 Originally posted by paul burrell She wanted to tell me what to put in the report and I would not work that way. Tisk-tisk. Another hard-headed home inspector who just isn't a team player. No wonder so many of those nice realtors don't like us. [][:-dev3][] Brian G. My Personal Team Concept: Me, My Client, My Business, My Family, My Clients' Family, Ethical Realtors Who Stay in My Corner When It Isn't Conveinient, Etc. [^]
Scottpat Posted November 1, 2005 Report Posted November 1, 2005 I am doing one of the largest homes (19,450 sf) in my carrier in a couple of days at the protest of the agent. This will be a solid two day inspection. The transaction is being handled by the buyers business manager who hired me over the listing/selling agents protest. This agent stands to make around $370,000+ in commission as it is an in-house sale. The twist! The house is vacant and everyone is out of state, so the agent has already informed me that she has hired her own inspector to do another inspection while I am doing the one for the buyer. She has also commented that she will compare the inspection reports and that she will decide what repairs are needed based on the comparison of the two reports. The twist of the knife! I have specific written instructions from the buyers business manager that I am not to say one thing to the agent about my findings. The report is to be emailed and then a copy sent FedEx to the buyers manager. When I asked what I should tell the agent I was told that the agent will receive a phone call about an hour after the scheduled time of the inspection. If needed I could tell the agent that they will be receiving a call. The reward! I know who the other inspector is going to be, in fact he/she called me for help on pricing his/her bid as they have been in business for about 9 months. I helped them![] I already have a retainer payment in hand from the buyer. This other inspector has no idea that I will be the one hired by the buyer to do the real inspection. They think that they were hired by the buyer, from what I can tell. This will be fun! Updates to come!
kurt Posted November 1, 2005 Report Posted November 1, 2005 Scott, that is beautiful. I wanna know what flies on this one. The agent sounds like a total ditz; you're gonna have fun on this. [:-dev3]
homnspector Posted November 2, 2005 Report Posted November 2, 2005 Whoa! Lets get a whole team down there, get the inspection and report done in about 2 hours while the newbee struggles for a few days.
Brian G Posted November 2, 2005 Report Posted November 2, 2005 Sounds like there's gonna be a train / car arguement at an upcoming intersection, with Scott supplying coal to the train. I predict the car will lose. [:-splat] Brian G. I Can Be There in 3 Hours [:-magnify [:-dev3]
Richard Moore Posted November 2, 2005 Report Posted November 2, 2005 Here's a thought Scott... The Newbie (everyone has to start somewhere) would benefit from your experience. Take him aside once you both get there and suggest he follows you around. Be sure to explain everything you find. I'm sure the agent would enjoy paying for the other HI's education! [:-dev3]
Scottpat Posted November 4, 2005 Report Posted November 4, 2005 UPDATE on da Big House!! I arrived at 8:00 AM and left at 4:00 PM. I'm about 70% done, all I have to do is the 2,500sf 3br/2bth pool house, and the third floor game room and gym. Each have full baths. Inspector "B" arrived at 9:30 AM and left at 3:00 PM and even had time for a trip to Subway for lunch(she/he bought my lunch for me! 6" BMT on wheat) Inspector "B" just about shadowed me the entire time but, she/he finished the inspection! I don't know how but they did. The house has 8 HVAC units, 8 water heaters, 13 bathrooms, and a 100,000 KW Kohler natural gas backup generator! I should finish around mid afternoon tomorrow. This is a picture of a unique spiral stair case, it might give you an idea as to the homeowners occupation. Download Attachment: IMG_6157.JPG 109.32 KB This is the backup generator: Download Attachment: IMG_6115.JPG 156.73 KB
Richard Moore Posted November 4, 2005 Report Posted November 4, 2005 A pitcher with only a .118 career batting average. The staircase is probably the best thing his bats have been used for!
Erby Posted November 4, 2005 Report Posted November 4, 2005 Given the nominal diameter of a baseball bat barrel is 2 5/8" perhaps his bats are more widely spaced than appropriate! I wonder if the staircase leads to his bat collection in the belfry!
Paul MacLean Posted November 4, 2005 Report Posted November 4, 2005 Originally posted by Scottpat UPDATE on da Big House!! I arrived at 8:00 AM and left at 4:00 PM. I'm about 70% done, all I have to do is the 2,500sf 3br/2bth pool house, and the third floor game room and gym. Each have full baths. Inspector "B" arrived at 9:30 AM and left at 3:00 PM and even had time for a trip to Subway for lunch(she/he bought my lunch for me! 6" BMT on wheat) Inspector "B" just about shadowed me the entire time but, she/he finished the inspection! I don't know how but they did. The house has 8 HVAC units, 8 water heaters, 13 bathrooms, and a 100,000 KW Kohler natural gas backup generator! I should finish around mid afternoon tomorrow. Scott, I'm impressed! I did a 4300 sq. ft. 1980's house this week. It had a P&B/slab foundation, a 3-car garage w/ apartment, pool & spa and lawn sprinklers. I started at 9am and left at 5:30pm with no lunch break. The house beat me up and I was wiped out by the time I finished up at home about 7pm. It appears you work faster than I do. And as far as inspector B is concerned, it sounds like he just walked through the place. I would think it would take the agent more than 6 hours to just show the house to a potential buyer. I guess some of us earn our money and some just take it.
Scottpat Posted November 4, 2005 Report Posted November 4, 2005 Well I am done. It really wasn't that bad of a job. Really nice custom built house with really, really big rooms. The third floor of the home was around 6,000sf and all it had in it was one bathroom, a gym area and a 10 seat theater room. I find big homes fairly easy as long as you take your time and take plenty of pictures and notes as you go. The hardest thing for me was to concentrate on the inspection and not all of the items in the home. The report will go out tonight, I have already been called and informed that the other inspector delivered their report this morning.
DonTx Posted November 5, 2005 Report Posted November 5, 2005 This must be celebrity month or something. Last week I had a 6600 sf home in a gated - gated subdivision in Houston. The seller is a NBA player who had been traded from the Rockets quite a while back (the one who refused to play for the Hornets) I was told this was his third or fourth home he owned and didn't visit much anymore so it was on the selling block. The home was about 4 years old and the Buyers had been leasing it for about 6 months. The inspection was rather easy. 4 HUGE bedrooms took up a lot of the sf. I actually find big homes a drain on the cranium juice. I'd rather do two smaller homes than one larger one. The crazy options people put in these homes, built in's such as wine coolers, humidors, hidden safe rooms, etc. just drive me nuts! It's also my belief that the code goes right out the window when these huge homes are being built. Although a structurally sound home, the above home had a lot of code issues that were left out during construction. Seems everyone thinks that big ole mansions just couldn't have anything wrong with them. Scott, glad to hear that you finished with the mansion! I'd love to be a fly on the wall when the agent see's your report. Heck, I'd pay money for that!
Bradd Judd Posted November 6, 2005 Report Posted November 6, 2005 I have enough companies asking me if I want a job, that I just file the letters and then refer the new HI's to these companies. It allows me to be helpful and at the same time send them to someone who has the time and the vacancy for someone new. As far as the mega homes, my largest was 8500sq.ft. and turn of the century to boot. All day and some of the night, everthing from asbestos, mold, lead, rodent and insect infestation. Not to mention the structural hack jobs that happened to it over the last century.
Scottpat Posted November 6, 2005 Report Posted November 6, 2005 Bradd, How many inspectors do you have working for you? It sounds like you have a good number of inspectors.
Bradd Judd Posted November 7, 2005 Report Posted November 7, 2005 Dear Scott, I wish that was the case. I have two great guys "on call" should I be confronted with a commercial property or somthing on your scale. They are employed by a mega insurance company and perform ASTM inspections all over the state for commercial properties only. They have been a godsent and good friends over the years. The day I can hire permanant full-time employees' will hopefully be a happy one. I really appreciated the gravity of your story and your pictures. Thanks. Brad
mcramer Posted November 8, 2005 Report Posted November 8, 2005 Originally posted by hausdok Why isn't all "grandfathering" tossed and why isn't every inspector, regardless of how long he/she has been in this business or the number of inspections done, forced to submit to a peer evaluation to prove he/she even belongs here? Why indeed. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike Because politicians don't put voters out of work.
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