ABC Puts Arizona Inspectors Under the Microscope

[hausdok]

In this ABC News piece, an investigative news team in Phoenix uses hidden cameras and a previously inspected home to compare the thoroughness of 5 different home inspection companies.

To watch the video click here.

[cguffin]

Like any other profession be on your toe's. I did hear the ASHI rep... recommend some questions to ask when interviewing an HI which leads me to a question. Are you gaurenteed a quality inspection if the HI has been doing HI's for a certain amount of time? All the guy's that did the inspections on the video must have been fairly new except one or two.

I am sure thats just a newbe question but it does bug the hell out of me.[:-dunce]

OH Well

Craig

[hausdok]

That's easy to answer........No.

There are guys who've been in the business for years who can't string twelve words together into a coherent sentence. Still others, just as experienced, who fill their reports with inspection folklore. Still others who have less than a rudimentary understanding of building science issues.

Your odds of getting a better inspection, if you pick from a pool of inspectors who have more experience, are increased, but without true verification of education, experience, peer review and written testimony from happy past clients, you're simply playing the odds and it's still possible to find a great inspector among the less experienced.

It's not just about tests and number of inspections. It's about the whole person, type of background, total secondary and primary education, college if any, training, experience, attitude, ability to interact with others, ability to impart what one knows to others, ability to recall what you see and describe it succinctly in writing, what past customers say, etc..

Many have well-honed answers designed to deflect all of these loaded questions.

At this point, probably the best discriminator is past customers. Consumers should demand a list of references who've granted the inspector permission to use them as references, and they should randomly choose some of these to talk to before deciding on who to hire.

Call around sometime and pose as a prospective customer. You'd be amazed at the number of excuses that inspectors will give you for not providing a detailed list of past customers.

Still, though it's good practice few potential customers do it. Providing references isn't that hard, you just have to keep in mind that people often change addresses and phone numbers shortly after we meet them. I've found that it's best if I get the caller's first name and number and promise to call him/her back. Then I'll get on the phone and dial up the last 10 to 20 people that I've done work for and ask their permission to use them as references. I'll usually be able to reach about half that number within minutes. I've never had anyone deny me permission. Then I'll call the party back, give him/her the list and hang up without further comment. They call back shortly thereafter.

OT - OF!!!

M.

[swarga]

I can tell you that the house inspected was the home from hell.

There were 78 different issues that should have been reported (that I know of).

No one got more that 65 of them.

There were 6 inspectors total that went through the home.The Guy that evaluated the reports is a friend of mine that lives two hours away from the property so he would not be evaluating his competition, and his comments were edited big time. They interviewed him for almost 3 hours and used about 25 seconds of his comments.

The home belongs to a friend of mine. I was not one of the inspectors and did not have anything to do with the inspector selection or review.

[cguffin]

comments were edited big time. They interviewed him for almost 3 hours and used about 25 seconds of his comments.

Sounds typical of todays media HYPE!![:-crazy]

Thanks,

Craig

[allspec33351]

Read the spin bottom left.

http://abc15.com/news/investigators/ind ... ?did=31457

Captain

[n/a30]

The film helps the public bust as all things human it has some fear, hype, spin and flaws.

The video that should be seen by all our clients before hiring. There is also so much more that is omitted in the short film. IMHO Too many inspectors are lazy and short sighted in reation to public service.

Let the cameras roll.

I treat every place in the public as if I am being filmed constantly with hidden cameras.

Privacy rights is an government issue that is actually rare in the U.S public areas. Some could be watching you right now. Smile you are on candid camera.