buyers Hiring Contractors to do Home Inspections

[Larry N. Lake]

I wasn't sure how to title this, but am having problems with people hiring individual contractors such as plumber, electricians, etc to do their home inspection. This doesn't happen real ofter but it happened to me again the other day.

A young woman called me the other day and wanted to know what I charge to do a structural inspection. I said I normally do complete home inspections. she said she did need strutural only she was already hiring an electrician and a plumber. I said what about your roof, she said oh it is new it doesn't need to be inspected. I said how new, did you know we had hail damage all over town recently, she said no. I said well you had better get the roof checked! I also tried to tell her that hiring separate contractors that many things can fall through the cracks. But I said if you want structural only I can do it for $100 she said she would talk to her husband. OK later she called and told me to do the inspection Monday morning, I said OK. Well a few hours later I was taking my car to the mechanic to get the a/c checked out and her lawyer called me and started interrogating me on my qualifications and wanted to know if I was licensed and bonded, etc. I said I am licensed by the state of Oklahoma and have insurance but not bonded. I told him I normally do complete home inspections. He told me he has bought several homes and only hired electricians, plumbers, etc and never had any problems. I explained that was not normal and that things could fall through the cracks. he bluntly told me he would tell her the message....whatever I thought. When I got home I called NACHI and they told me that was a red flag for her lawyer to call me. I called her back and was nice to her but told her my concerns, she said do you think you have something to worry about? long story short we talked a little she said bye. OK later on she called and said there was a change of plans and they would no longer need my services. I told her I was expecting that! we said bye and that was it.

This kind of got to me, the ignorance of some people and their attitude really sucks. I was trying to help her and give her advice but it turned against me, and her lawyer calling me really bothered me. Anyone else out there have any similar experiences?

[Larry N. Lake]

I havent been in here for a while but wondering why is it showing me as a non-member? I am a member of NACHI

[Larry N. Lake]

I think it would be good if NACHI would address this issue of various contractors doing homow inspections for some buyers instead of home inspectors doing the job. How can we educated the clients? For some reason these people think that by going to specialists they will get beter inspections.

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

If they're hiring specialists (electricians, plumbers, roofers, etc.) to inspect specific systems, they will get a "better" inspection. They will also get a much larger bill.

That is the point of a "generalist" inspection (as compared to a specialists inspection).

We give a "general," overall opinion, based on visual observations made during our short visit. A specialists inspection, one would assume, would be "technically-exhaustive" and would require more time to complete in most cases.

[dharris]

Originally Posted by llake

I think it would be good if NACHI would address this issue of various contractors doing homow inspections for some buyers instead of home inspectors doing the job. How can we educated the clients? For some reason these people think that by going to specialists they will get beter inspections.

The 1st thing inspectors have to do is quit using boiler plate report systems that are only designed to cover your butt opposed to giving the customer your professional opinion, even if there is no defect identified these reporting systems gives the customer a boiler plate disclaimer stating, if you really want to know the condition of any given component you may want to have a qualified contractor check it out again, just to cover your butt..
Why would or should the customer waste additional dollars and time on an uneducated inspector using this type of reporting system??

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[Larry N. Lake]

If I am reading what you said correctly it sounds like you are on the side of the contractors is that correct? I thought this was a home inspector forum. OK where did the boiler plate come from? Are you saying I use boiler plate? That is not true, as a matter of fact I create custom reports with a lot of digital photos, a narrative and a summary which is a lot of work but looks great when I am done. My clients sometime go WOW! when they see my report. But if I were a betting man I bet I would find things the contrators will miss, because they have tunnel vision and only know one profession well. She was only hiring a plumber and an electrician do you see the gaps? I have inspected brand new homes that contractors screwed up and they and the realtor got mad at me when I found the defects ha ha h ha. A lot of contractors are crooked and in the realtors pocket and so are many home inspection what a shame.

[Larry N. Lake]

Another thing if you think about it contractors will have an interest in doing the repairs so they may be tempted to do extra work needed or not just to make money. We home inspectors are not supposed to be biased we just report the facts only and have not insterest and are not allowed to make repairs on the home we inspect. One more thing it is my understandikng that contractors are not trained to do inspections and will not give a detailed report.

[dharris]

Originally Posted by llake

If I am reading what you said correctly it sounds like you are on the side of the contractors is that correct? I thought this was a home inspector forum. OK where did the boiler plate come from? Are you saying I use boiler plate? That is not true, as a matter of fact I create custom reports with a lot of digital photos, a narrative and a summary which is a lot of work but looks great when I am done. My clients sometime go WOW! when they see my report. But if I were a betting man I bet I would find things the contrators will miss, because they have tunnel vision and only know one profession well. She was only hiring a plumber and an electrician do you see the gaps? I have inspected brand new homes that contractors screwed up and they and the realtor got mad at me when I found the defects ha ha h ha. A lot of contractors are crooked and in the realtors pocket and so are many home inspection what a shame.

NO, on me saying what type of report that YOU provide.
I'm just stating facts on one reporting system that I've seen many times.

No I am not siding with the contractor, inspectors that disclaim everthing by referring everthing after they inspected the componet are the ones creating the customer to ask , [ and on more than one occasion decide not to do anything listed on the report, due to being over whelmed ] why should I hire an inspector when all the inspector does is refer everything to a contractor anyways??

[Larry N. Lake]

Originally Posted by jpope

If they're hiring specialists (electricians, plumbers, roofers, etc.) to inspect specific systems, they will get a "better" inspection. They will also get a much larger bill.

That is the point of a "generalist" inspection (as compared to a specialists inspection).

We give a "general," overall opinion, based on visual observations made during our short visit. A specialists inspection, one would assume, would be "technically-exhaustive" and would require more time to complete in most cases.

I just thought of something else. I remember a few years ago a Realtor said to me "why do we need you, the buyer can just hire an electrician, plumber, etc" (Realtors do not like me because I am labled deal killer) I tried to explain that for one thing it would cost more. The Realtor really was not interested in a better inspection from contractors she was giving me a hard time. Plus I imagine many of the local contractors in this small town are in the Realtors pocket.

[Erby Crofutt]

First, expand your market. All of these are within an hour or so of you.
OK CITY
Tulsa
Wichita
Enid
And I'll bet that people in Ponca are working in those areas.

GENERIC TO ALL ADVICE:
There is a service and cost difference between home inspection and technically exhaustive inspections.

Set yourself up to do both. Offer your customer choices.

Home inspection with just you.

Technically exhaustive with subs and you compile and report. (Home Team Style)

You need to get a marketing line together for both of these and sell them on the one you want to provide.

You need to be able to identify the gaps that this customer is leaving open and explain to her (and her lawyer) why she should hire you to fill those gaps.

You can be the best inspector in the world but if you can't make the phone ring and sell yourself when it does, you're going hungry.

Learn to sell yourself. (NO, not for that, for home inspection services!)

NACHI is a great resource for that. USE IT!

[jmichalski]

Good advice, Erby. RR's TECH inspections are an excellent example of how this is done. Liability is reduced by using trade pros (who have their own insurance), income is increased by subbing out the work and increasing rates accordingly (price often is not an issue for those interested in this kind of expert evaluation), and buyers (like the one in this example) can get all the assurance they need and come to you to handle it all.

[Brian A. MacNeish]

"because I am labled deal killer"

In my area we have a long serving inspector (an engineer) who is labelled a deal killer (and really is). I have been called quite a few times to offer my advice and help save a deal. The guy apparently gets excited over some pretty small items, calls every little crack and spooks the buyers. At this point, the buyers want out and thank him for saving their *** and "we'll call you again when we find another prospective house!!"

By killing the deal, he usually gets another inspection. May be the way he wants to operate. My philosophy is "I'm part of a team- lawyer, lender, realtor and maybe surveyor that are all trying to make the deal work." The house or some other item will break it; no one in the team is trying to break the sale.

Realtors (except the one who sold me my house 15 years ago) don't recommend me because I take between 2.5 and 4.5 hrs on most average houses from 1000-3,000 sq ft while others take about half that. That is inspection time, not including report writing and delivery which takes me another 2-3 hours. The realtors don't like to spend that time on site. I find a lot of things that have been missed by others (couple of $10,000 items last year). The deals went through so I'm not labelled a deal killer. The realtors had to go back to the negotiating table though (They don't like that). Its how you present the situations.

I think that if you're labelled a deal killer but are truly a thorough and accurate inspector (how I like to describe myself), have a look at how you operate.

[Larry N. Lake]

Originally Posted by Brian A. MacNeish

"because I am labled deal killer"

In my area we have a long serving inspector (an engineer) who is labelled a deal killer (and really is). I have been called quite a few times to offer my advice and help save a deal. The guy apparently gets excited over some pretty small items, calls every little crack and spooks the buyers. At this point, the buyers want out and thank him for saving their *** and "we'll call you again when we find another prospective house!!"

By killing the deal, he usually gets another inspection. Maybe the way he wants to operate. My philosophy is "I'm part of a team- lawyer, lender, realtor and maybe surveyor that are all trying to make the deal work." The house or some other item will break it; no one in the team is trying to break the sale.


<I guess you can view a deal killer several ways, and I am sure there are some inspectors that will call out every tiny crack. I am not one of those people. I explain to my clients not to worry about hairline cracks and such on a foundtaion or even wall, but if they are larger and say diagonal above a doorway or window then you have settling and maybe structural problems, it really depends. So I try not to be alarmist and have tried to explain things better and what can be done. But still buyers will choose not to buy a house cometimes just because my inspections are good and they make that choice. This does not happen all the time, it happens sometimes. So I have come to the conclusion it is not me, it is the greedy Realtors that want to make the sale and they do not care about the buyer. I have been yelled at threatened, you name it by Realtors over the years. I now have very little respect for them. My clients on the other hand love me and some have hired me twice, they love my reports and I have saved a couple of clients $10,000 which does not happen very often. One was when I found record levels of radon here in Ponca City, OK. I was yelled at by a Realtor over that, even the buyer did not believe my findings but it was verified later on. The old saying do not shoot the messager applies. I feel if you are doing a good job for your clients you will not be liked very well by most Realtors, if you are liked by Realtors then you need and think maybe you are getting to cozy with them. Go to IHINA and read the philosophy on that web site about Realtors.>

Realtors (except the one who sold me my house 15 years ago) don't recommend me because I take between 2.5 and 4.5 hrs on most average houses from 1000-3,000 sq ft while others take about half that. That is inspection time, not including report writing and delivery which takes me another 2-3 hours. The realtors don't like to spend that time on site. I find a lot of things that have been missed by others (couple of $10,000 items last year). The deals went through so I/m not labelled a deal killer. The realtors had to go back to the negotiating table though (They don't like that). Its how you present the situations.

I think that if you're labelled a deal killer, have a look at how you operate.

<Sorry I am trying to get used to this forum, I tried to cut and paste what I have just written and it will not let me. I think it would help if we could copy, cut, and paste>

[rcooke]

Originally Posted by llake

<Sorry I am trying to get used to this forum, I tried to cut and paste what I have just written and it will not let me. I think it would help if we could copy, cut, and paste>

To cut and paste High lite it like you normally do then go to the top right of your screen and click edit then copy you now can paste it like this ..

( Sorry I am trying to get used to this forum, I tried to cut and paste what I have just written and it will not let me. I think it would help if we could copy, cut, and paste )

[Larry N. Lake]

Originally Posted by jmichalski

Good advice, Erby. RR's TECH inspections are an excellent example of how this is done. Liability is reduced by using trade pros (who have their own insurance), income is increased by subbing out the work and increasing rates accordingly (price often is not an issue for those interested in this kind of expert evaluation), and buyers (like the one in this example) can get all the assurance they need and come to you to handle it all.

<I guess I don't understand what you are saying. Is RR's Tech inspections a company? Does can company sub out plumbers, electricians and so on to do complete home inspections? I thought the issue was that yes maybe electricians will know their job well but are not traded to look at a house from an inspection point of view and their reports are not well written. You could have a house full of contractors and many things would get missed. Whats the old saying cannot see the forest for the trees? A good inspector will look at the house as a whole and see the big picture, were contrators will only focus on their area of expertise. An electrician will not see the trip hazard, the lost seal in the windows, dry rot on the eaves, poor drainage around the house, safety hazards especially for children, etc. Also how many electricians will check for voltage drops with a SureTest Circuit Analyzer? It has been my experience when I show an electrician my SureTest they don't know what it is. So bottom line are we doing a good job for our clients or should we go back to the old school and just let the contractorstors do the inspections?