Team work

[John Dirks Jr]

This is a serious question and I bring it here for a reason.

I've been doing home inspections part time for 8 years. I'm slated to retire from my full time job within the next 5 years or so. My wife Kym and I are contemplating a joint venture in this business.

What do you know about ideas like this? What are your opinions of common problems that might be associated with a venture like this?

Shadow that with the any positive aspects you can think of.

Thanks friends.

[Marc]

At the risk of sounding stupid - what business? This?

[John Dirks Jr]

At the risk of sounding stupid - what business? This?

Home inspection

[Marc]

My spouse is an excellent typist, has a minor in linguistics and a calming voice on the phone. If she joined me I could do near twice as many inspections and I wouldn't be splitting the income with another inspector.

Every couple is going to be different.

Marc

[Steven Hockstein]

i used to have my home inspection office in my house. My wife took care of the office. My wife was thrilled when I moved the office out of the house. She was busy enough with her own ballet career. If I even suggested that I bring the office into my house now I would probably be asking who has a couch for me.

[kurt]

It could be fine. Or, a divorce.

My initial recommendation would be a serious talk with a good counselor. Business is business. Mixing it up with marriage can work great sometimes. Sometimes not.

[John Dirks Jr]

Kym is very smart, a great people person and she types 10 times better and faster than me.

But I'm wondering how two chiefs might be a challenge.

[Marc]

The inspector is the chief, since the business is about inspections.

One must lead. Case in point - my spouse cannot follow when it comes to dancing and despite my many years in ballroom dancing, I cannot lead her. We sit a lot.

Marc

[Steven Hockstein]

Kym is very smart, a great people person and she types 10 times better and faster than me.

But I'm wondering how two chiefs might be a challenge.

From my experience I can tell you to make sure your relationship takes priority over the business. I did not have two nickels but I knew that i would rather have her as a wife than a business partner and in the long run I am glad that we are not running a company together. Sometime it was tough when I asked her to do something that she said made her feel more my employee. It is hard to run a family business without ruffling feathers. Good luck with your decision.

By the way please send a copy of your health insurance card and the deductible for counseling services. []

[Mark P]

Mike O works with his wife. I don't see him on the board much anymore, but I'm sure you could call him.

[ghentjr]

My wife ran the office side and I ran the inspection side. We ran the business side by side for 25 years, some of them in a loft over the garage. As long as she gets paid and has authority over what her duties are it should work great. It also helps to like each other. As to payroll, I took the bulk of income for a number of years and then she took the bulk. This helped build our pensions and SS payments. Keep things equal.

[Scottpat]

It can work.. I know a few couples that work together but only one where the wife is actually an inspector as well. They tag team inspections and do 3-4 jobs a day. As for me, my wife has hinted many times she would like to run the office end of the business but then I look at the salary she makes now at her job. In short, I can't afford to hire my wife without me doubling my production and I just don't want to work like that. If we hired two more inspectors then it might be feasible.

[Les]

My advice is to "nip it in the bud"!

My wife is a real estate broker. I am a home inspector. I had a desk in our house for a very short time several decades ago. I moved out, added couple of inspectors, and never, never bring the business home. I go to office at 6:30am every week day and try to be home at 6pm every day. no nights or week-ends. She really does not have any idea who I work with on a daily basis. For us, it has to be this way.

I never wanted to work with her. I did not marry her to be her business partner. I know several successful teams of husband and wife. I also know several teams that did not make it.

I do not understand why you want to share your work load. Why spend all that time together? What will you do with your girlfriend?

[Welmoed]

When Bob started his inspecting business, I told him he'd never get me interested. Well, I had to eat my words seven years later because I joined him first as an office/marketing person, then took the training and became an inspector in my own right. I now do my own solo inspections, but sometimes we do team up on the monster houses so they'll go faster.

It is certainly a challenge to separate work from our relationship, but we work at it. We do a lot of shop talk even when we're out to dinner; sharing ideas, etc. And of course, we show each other the pictures of the day's inspections. It is great to have someone around to bounce ideas off of.

I am very lucky to have a spouse who recognizes that my contributions to the business mean I have less time to spend on household stuff. He is happy to do the cooking, and does his part with cleaning and other household chores. We're currently in the process of downsizing, and are looking forward to that.

My only advice is to keep the lines of communication way open. Don't assume ANYTHING about how the relationship is going. It took us a year or two to iron out the details of separating our work and our personal lives, and to develop the "language" needed to communicate about both.

[Les]

When Bob started his inspecting business, I told him he'd never get me interested. Well, I had to eat my words seven years later because I joined him first as an office/marketing person, then took the training and became an inspector in my own right. I now do my own solo inspections, but sometimes we do team up on the monster houses so they'll go faster.

It is certainly a challenge to separate work from our relationship, but we work at it. We do a lot of shop talk even when we're out to dinner; sharing ideas, etc. And of course, we show each other the pictures of the day's inspections. It is great to have someone around to bounce ideas off of.

I am very lucky to have a spouse who recognizes that my contributions to the business mean I have less time to spend on household stuff. He is happy to do the cooking, and does his part with cleaning and other household chores. We're currently in the process of downsizing, and are looking forward to that.

My only advice is to keep the lines of communication way open. Don't assume ANYTHING about how the relationship is going. It took us a year or two to iron out the details of separating our work and our personal lives, and to develop the "language" needed to communicate about both.

John, I have worked with Welmoed (and Bob) and have a good bit of respect for her. Especially Bob's patience. They likely are an exception 'tho, because of their background(s) etc. I really am serious about trying to keep it separate. There are unique challenges in this business as there are in others.

Good luck if you choose to pair up.

[Jerry Simon]

It could be fine. Or, a divorce.

Happily married now for 37+ years, all but 2 weeks though. The first two weeks after I opened shop, my wife worked for me. Then, we decided to stay married and happy.

Your mileage may vary.

[Trent Tarter]

I think it can work quite well for some people. If it were me I would have my wife inspect interior rooms, kitchen, bathrooms etc. I would focus my time on core structure and main systems like plumbing , electrical , hvac. I would do the dirty work like attics and crawlspaces, walk roofs etc. Some software programs will allow you to both gather data on separate devises and then merge reports together.

[John Dirks Jr]

I think it can work quite well for some people. If it were me I would have my wife inspect interior rooms, kitchen, bathrooms etc. I would focus my time on core structure and main systems like plumbing , electrical , hvac. I would do the dirty work like attics and crawlspaces, walk roofs etc. Some software programs will allow you to both gather data on separate devises and then merge reports together.

Out thoughts exactly.

Actually, the real work part of it I feel confident we can do pretty well together. It's the driving around and dithering between jobs that might be more of a challenge.

[Charlie R]

Think about getting her certified and up to speed to handle the radon tests first. May save you from having to do a set up/pick up which may free you up to do another inspection. That way she gets a feel for what it would be like to actually work with you.

[gtblum]

Don't you married people already run a business with your spouses? Your home?

[John Kogel]

Wives can help with phones and bookings, but you have to be so diplomatic and you can't fire them. I know some inspectors that have wives running the office. It works for them. One guy would bring his wife in the van. She sat in the van and typed a printed report while he relayed info to her. That was then, and it wasn't for long either. [] But he produced a bunch of onsite reports and got established, and is still married.

I've invited my wife to help me on vacant houses, run around with a circuit tester and check out the kitchen, but she's not comfortable with me as her boss. I like going home to something other than boring inspection stories.