Take a look at my website!

[homecheckfl]

So I just updated my website and I wanted to provide a link so you guys could check it and and tell me what you think. Thanks. Constructive criticism only.

www.homecheckfl.com

[Inspectorjoe]

I saw many issues in just the 30 seconds I was on your site. I don't want to have to frame what I say as 'constructive criticism', so I'll keep it to myself.

[Chad Fabry]

Don't pander.

[Jim Katen]

I found the presentation to be way too active. There's a chat box in front of another box, with a video box next to it and all of them cover up the page that I'm trying to look at. The video box starts the video without me asking it to do so, the middle box wants me to "learn more," and the chat box wants me to enter a message. All of this before I've even had a chance to look at your page to see what's going on. This is a huge turn off. I click away from sites like this as fast as I can.

At the top of the page it says "voted best inspection service in Tampa in 2015." That should be a link taking people to the site that voted you best inspection service. Without a link, and with no attribution, it looks fake.

Is the unshaven lad at the bottom right you? If that's not you, get rid of the picture. If that is your picture then, damn, man, put it up at the top and make it bigger. You'll get business just for looking good.

The same goes for the video. Is that you? If so, great. If not, put up a video of you.

The bullet points under "why choose us" are underwhelming. It's like a burger joint boasting that they have "100% beef" or "fresh buns." Whether realistic or not, most people *expect* you to provide the stuff that you have in those bullet points. They don't make you seem special or different.

Throughout the site, there's no hook or reason why a homebuyer would choose you over a competitor. Almost everything on the site is bland and reads exactly the same as most everything on all of your competitor's sites - except that they're going to be boasting about their experience, which (I'm guessing) you're light on so far. Give the reader something that's interesting and useful to him or her. Give them a reason to think, "I have *got* to get Cristhian to do my inspection. No one else will do."

If there's only one of you say so. Don't say "our inspectors" when there's only one of you. If there's more than one of you, list who you are. A home inspector's stock and trade is honesty.

Your prices nearly gave me a heart attack. Double them. Get rid of your "price match guarantee." Position yourself as an exclusive consultant, not a bargain basement grunt.

People like to know the people they're hiring. Include your picture and bio on the site and be proud of it. Put personal stuff in the bio, not just technical stuff.

Your last name is Perez. Do you speak Spanish? If so, then definitely put that on the site. There's a shortage of bilingual inspectors out there.

On the good side, the reviews a great (put in more of them as you receive them), and the "request more information" box is nice and uncomplicated.

[Scottpat]

I'm viewing it on a Mac and I can not see the left side of the screen with the section that I think says, "Home Inspections Tampa". Fix it so it works on all browsers. I had to scroll to the side to see your entire phone number?. Did you check to make sure it is Mobile friendly?

I don't like the pop-up video! I click off sites when things like this pop up. Get rid of it or make it where it is not an auto pop-up.

Sell yourself and not all of that Free Stuff that you load onto the inspection. It looks like you are begging for anyone by offering all the freebies. Jim, gave you a ton of good advice.

Yes, get rid of the price match guarantee! You have priced your self into the bargain basement?.. Add a 1 in front of all of those fees! Tampa is not an inexpensive market and you need to raise those fees?

Make you contact phone number larger!

[kurt]

The layout doesn't translate in mobile format consistently. I got about 7 different overlapping issues when viewing it on my iPhone.

Is this a Wix template?

[Les]

I am with Joe. There are several comments I would offer, if not intimidated by your admonishment.

We inspectors look at sites differently than the public. I think we tend to be a little more comparative. We compare the info with "our" info. That said, I was struck by the internachi stuff and lack of personal information. I dislike sites that pretend to be representative of a multi person company.

Your prices seem very low. Your enthusiasm seems high. I could not find anything about your past experience or your present qualifications. How many houses are you prepared to buy back?

[tim5055]

Well Cristhian , I'm the "token" homeowner here who likes to read what all these smart folks are talking about. Every once in a while I'm able to add a little something to the discussion. Most of this I wrote last year for another inspector in your situation.

The wife & I worked for the US government and moved every 4 - 6 years, so we have experience with inspectors.

The key to us hiring an inspector was a good web site that fully explained the services and a little about you. A single photo with the wife & kids somewhere on the site is fine, but the rest I want to look professional. Photos of you, not stock photos or clip art graphics. Keep it up to date with current phone numbers and email addresses. You can't believe how many disconnected phone numbers I have called trying to find an inspector.

Define your service area. You know the areas you serve, but I'm sitting in a hotel room on day number two of a house hunting trip in a city I have never lived in. Do you go to Lakeland? How about down to Manatee County? I like the way Scott has it on his web site: "Our normal service area is a 100 mile radius of Nashville, TN, but we often accommodate our clients in locations outside of this area as needed"

Talking about email, how about an auto responder. When I send you an email automatically reply that you will reply within X hours. Whatever you decide for X, make sure you meet the goal.

Your website has to be optimized for mobile phones. Non-optomized websites don't make the cut in Google searches anymore. Many times I'm surfing on the iPhone while the Realtor is driving to the next house. On our last search we looked at 55 houses, the move before that was 70 houses. That's a lot of driving time to fill with research.

Be wary of the Realtors and their recommendations. While I have used a Realtor recommended inspector in the past, I always wonder who the inspector is looking out for. I see one in your list of recommendations and wonder why?

Look around your area for companies/agencies that regularly relocate employees. Large companies and government agencies. Tampa has a huge military presence including SouthCom. An inroad there could set you up with inspections for life. They generally use a single relocation company per company/agency to assist employees. You may be able to make inroads with a relo company and get business that way.

If you are working out of your house don't advertise your home address on your website, and that includes your website registration. I can already see where you live from the address you registered the web site to. There are too many nuts in this world. The last thing you want is for someone to show up at your house when they have scheduled for you to be miles away. Get a box at the UPS store. It's $120 a year for insurance to cut down on the nuts a little.

I agree with the others, the video needs to be started with a click, not automatic. If I was in the car working off my iPhone as soon as that started I would move on to another inspector.

I would get rid of the links in the upper right corner. Right now the Google+ and YouTube links go to a generic Wix page which makes you look unprofessional. The Facebook link works, but you are "Liked" by too many Realtors for my comfort level. Plus the Facebook "People also like" section on your page is feeding me info on other home inspectors in Tampa, probably because some of the Realtors who have liked you also Like them.

Your "Code of Ethics" needs work

Home Check follows a strict code of ethics ensuring that you will receive an unbiased home inspection. Our intension with a home inspection is to give you the facts pertaining to the home you are interested in buying. We are in no way interested in whether or not you buy the house, we are simply there you provide you with the information you need to make your informed decision.

We work independently from realtors, brokers, and home sellers ensuring no conflicts of interest.

Is this your personal code, the code of your association or state? It just makes me uncomfortable when I read it.

OK, that's it for now... Good luck with the new business!

[Greg Booth]

.........carefully proof your product - there's more than one misspelled word and like a CV or resume, your website needs to be letter perfect.........Greg

[mjr6550]

Personally, I like to know something about a company. What is the owners name? What are his qualifications? Seems like every business wants to sound big and talk about our inspectors, etc. I want to deal with a person that is qualified. I don't see that on your site.

p.s. Probably everyone in advertising would tell me I'm wrong.

[Marc]

There's little metric for 'qualified' in this gig.

If you checked my credentials, I'd be near the bottom. I don't chase paper, so I've not much of it.

Checking HI prospects for 'qualifications' is just a piece of boilerplate that's floating all across this country.

Marc

[Scottpat]

Christian, any comments on all of the suggestions that have been made so far?

I just looked at your site, and apparently you have listened to some of the comments and made changes to your site?. I see you turned off the "auto play" on the video and that you added that you speak Spanish to the site?. All good changes..

[Erby]

Doesn't come up well on my browsers. Margins to wide or something.

Chrome:

Click to Enlarge

30.97 KB

Firefox:

Click to Enlarge

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[mjr6550]

There's little metric for 'qualified' in this gig.

If you checked my credentials, I'd be near the bottom. I don't chase paper, so I've not much of it.

Checking HI prospects for 'qualifications' is just a piece of boilerplate that's floating all across this country.

Marc

Marc, I can tell from your posts that you have a great deal of knowledge in HVAC and electrical. Qualifications can be experience, training, whatever. It does not have to be a piece of paper.

Personally, if someone will not tell me how long they have been in business or what makes them qualified to be a home inspector, I would not hire them.

I also would not hire anyone who will match or beat other HI's fees. Not a sign of quality.

[Marc]

Thanks.

When I look at inspector qualifications (other than TIJ membership) I look at one thing, one thing only...sample report. I see the house in the report but I see the inspector in it too. Usually more inspector than house.

Marc