Cant please everybody

[NJinspector]

Did an inspection for a couple on friday, and they seemed very pleased with the thoroughness of the inspection. Then I got this email yesterday:

"Jason,

I ain't bitch'n, BUT ...... now I have to get a General Contractor to give me cost estimates on all the 'faults' you noticed. The General Contracor's estimate is FREE. And, he say's "he" could have given the same inspection, with the same findings .... WITH actual cost estimates. Something 'I' need/require. Guess I won't see "this" comment on you web site.""

Anybody get something like this before? What was your response?

[gtblum]

It's nice he had a field goal kicker come in for the extra point after you took the ball down the field.

I'd send something back like; I'll be happy to come back at no charge to ensure the proper repairs are made under the guidelines of current best building practices with the proper materials, and according to the manufacturers installation instructions for those materials.

Please feel free to forward this to your contractor.

[Ben H]

Then tell the GC "he" should get a HI licence and give "FREE" Home Inspections.

Don't know about NJ, but in KY, a HI can't make any repairs on a home within 12 months of the inspection (if said repair is in the report).

[Marc]

Only once. Client had confided in the Realtor and followed her lead on insisting that I quote repair prices for everything. I referred the client to our SOP which says inspectors are not required to offer such prices and also that companies that sell state required E&O insurance have policies which exclude any incident or case involving a repair price that the inspector has included in the report.

An unethical, unbridled yet persuasive agent combined with a naive client is just something that will ruin not just the agent's profession but others too, and there is little that the inspector alone can do about it.

Keep your chin up and move on.

Marc

EDIT: BTW, nice sample report at your website.

[Inspectorjoe]

I haven't received feedback even remotely similar.

Response? I wouldn't waste my time. It would only fall on deaf ears anyway.

[John Ghent]

The General Contracor's estimate is FREE. And, he say's "he" could have given the same inspection, with the same findings .... WITH actual cost estimates. Something 'I' need/require. Guess I won't see "this" comment on you web site.""

Well, I can understand your chagrin. No insult intended, but without seeing what you said in the report it is hard to comment. Did you do one of those reports that had fifty items and each item was marked for "further evaluation"? Or did you give him a range of estimates on the severity of the conditions, leaving only the major and important one's for the contractor?

My view is that the profession had gone from Professional inspectors with knowledge of all aspects of home construction who were/are able to give informed objective viewpoints on the "stuff" we find, to people with peripheral knowledge who point to things and say "that's wrong, get a further evaluation." Unfortunately that is an evolution that had to happen with so many people graduating "inspection schools" and not having the ability to learn in depth by OJT.

[Jim Katen]

Did an inspection for a couple on friday, and they seemed very pleased with the thoroughness of the inspection. Then I got this email yesterday:

"Jason,

I ain't bitch'n, BUT ...... now I have to get a General Contractor to give me cost estimates on all the 'faults' you noticed. The General Contracor's estimate is FREE. And, he say's "he" could have given the same inspection, with the same findings .... WITH actual cost estimates. Something 'I' need/require. Guess I won't see "this" comment on you web site.""

Anybody get something like this before? What was your response?

Put the comment up on your web site, along with the general contractor's phone number.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[Steven Hockstein]

Did an inspection for a couple on friday, and they seemed very pleased with the thoroughness of the inspection. Then I got this email yesterday:

"Jason,

I ain't bitch'n, BUT ...... now I have to get a General Contractor to give me cost estimates on all the 'faults' you noticed. The General Contracor's estimate is FREE. And, he say's "he" could have given the same inspection, with the same findings .... WITH actual cost estimates. Something 'I' need/require. Guess I won't see "this" comment on you web site.""

Anybody get something like this before? What was your response?

I would just tell them that it is illegal in NJ to do repair work on homes that you inspect.

I would also tell the client that all the good contractors you know are busy getting paid for their work and there has to be something wrong if a contractor is available to do free home inspections and estimates.

Things have changed around here in the last few months. Last year there were many contractors sitting home doing nothing. Now every contractor I know has work.

[mthomas1]

I would suggest that since the contractor (according to your client, anyway) has expressed his willingness to do so without charge, that the client request that he perform such an inspection - including a full, written report of his findings - and accept responsibility for its accuracy and completeness in writing.

And if he won't do so, ask him to explain why...

[Jim Morrison]

Remove beer from refrigerator, open beer, enjoy beer. Repeat as necessary.

If the moon paid attention to every little dog that barked at it, it would never shine.

[NJinspector]

Thanks for all the replies, I'm gonna leave it alone and enjoy the beer under Jimmy's advisement.

[Tim Maxwell]

BEER......!

and sorry...but they are bitchn....

[John Kogel]

I might set my beer down for a min to send a reply to the client, such as...

OK, if he can do my job better than I can, why is he still banging nails?

Furthermore, if all GC's did equally good work for equally fair prices, I would have no trouble publishing a sheet of their prices on my website.[]