A few basic questions

[jthalmann]

I worked for an inspection company so all I did was show up in the past. Now that I want to do this on my own...........................

1 - What's the proper procedure for getting access to a home ? Call the selling or listing agent ? Let the client get access ?

2 - What should I wear for an inspection ? Sounds like a silly question but we used to have a uniform service at the other company. I can't afford a uniform service now. I was thinking about getting some tee shirts with our logo or maybe even a NACHI tee but now I'm thinking that teeshirts might be a little unprofessional.

3 - aaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh !!! I had a whole list of things to ask while I was laying in bed last night but now I forgot. I'm sure I'll come up with more later.

[Claude Lawrenson]

Q#1 - depends on the circumstance - possibly any one of those. There is no set one way procedure. I believe remain flexible.

Q#2 - I invested in "golf" styled shirts and long sleeve semi-dress shirts, with a logo and name imprinted on it. I always wear clean and presentable looking "denim" jeans. As long as you look somewhere between semi-casual and work casual - and clean; you cannot go too far wrong. I would never wear tee-shirt or other short legged pants - especially for areas such as crawlspaces or attics. Than again coveralls also could work. Too me tee-shirts seems a little too casual. Remember part of the job is the image we portray.

Q#3 There is always more to know. Remain open to all "reasonable" suggestions.

[Jae Williams]

There is a thread in the archives that covered everyone's wear--and demeanor...

but I think Claude pretty well covered the prevailing idea of how to dress.

[Jae Williams]

[quote=jthalmann]I worked for an inspection company so all I did was show up in the past. Now that I want to do this on my own...........................

1 - What's the proper procedure for getting access to a home ? Call the selling or listing agent ? Let the client get access ?quote]

The homeowner hasn't a clue as to who you are. Just saying that you've been hired to do an inspection may not mean a thing to the HO. Today's atmosphere is one of uncertainty and can easily put-off the HO.

For this reason I leave it to the Client to make the arrangements through the Realtor. It's easier for me and if anything doesn't work out right--
it ain't my fault.

[rglenn]

I agree with Jae.

I've always asked that the buyer or Real Estate Agent arrange for access to the house. The buyer usually goes to the Agent. I've had Real Estate Agents arrive to a vacant house. Let me in, then leave saying they'll be back in a couple hours. I don't care. I get to do my job in peace and quiet. Plus I get curious and sometimes a little carried away during an inspection. Like to see how things work.
I'll ask again though....How are things in Punta Gorda James ? The world forgot about you guys since Katrina. Three hours out Charlie makes a right turn......Had that turn not been made.....St Pete and Tampa would still be digging out today...Making Katrina look like a cakewalk.

[tmantsch]

1. Have the client agent make sure utilities are on and access is granted. Tell the client to double check this of the agent as well...

2.Check here for logo shirts...free logo set-up
>$100 will get you started...

Queensboro

3. Get a Daily dose of NACHI!

[jthalmann]

Thanks for all of the info !
And Ray, I'm new to the area so I wasn't here during Charlie ( or Charley? ), but this place looks like it was devistated. Many of the buildings look like they did right after the hurricane. They're still demolishing as we speak. It's weird going down the street and seeing a McDonalds with the roof gone or a supermarket with all of the windows blown out. There are still alot of FEMA trailers around also. People have been living in those little boxes for a year and a half. It's one thing seeing the damage on the news but when you come here and see what it still looks like after all this time has passed it makes you think. If another one comes anywhere near I'm runnin' for the hills !! ...................... oh wait, there are no hills in Florida. Bummer.

[rwand1]

1 - What's the proper procedure for getting access to a home ? Call the selling or listing agent ? Let the client get access ?

My clients call me, and we arrange a time between us then I have them call their agent. Occassionally I deal directly with the agents as the client maybe too busy to attend or other reason.

2 - What should I wear for an inspection ? Sounds like a silly question but we used to have a uniform service at the other company. I can't afford a uniform service now. I was thinking about getting some tee shirts with our logo or maybe even a NACHI tee but now I'm thinking that teeshirts might be a little unprofessional.

My attire is usually cargo pants, casual shirt, shoes. In my opinion you should be comfortable to be able to move about, but you shouldn't show up like your not prepared to work by wearing a jacket and tie, in my opinion. You send a message by your appearance I think.

But I also don't think I should be a walking billboard either by having my logo all over my clothing. Do you want to look like an Orkin Man?

As to company hats or otherwise, wouldn't wear one in the house.

3 - aaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh !!! I had a whole list of things to ask while I was laying in bed last night but now I forgot. I'm sure I'll come up with more later.

Be Personable! Have a sense of humour. Have fun.

Always show up early!

[Jae Williams]

Originally Posted by rwand1

My attire is usually cargo pants, casual shirt, shoes. In my opinion you should be comfortable to be able to move about, but you shouldn't show up like your not prepared to work by wearing a jacket and tie, in my opinion. You send a message by your appearance I think.

Be Personable! Have a sense of humour. Have fun.

Always show up early!

I also wear socks and underwear (clean, just in case my mother was right).

[Erby Crofutt]

1. Let the client or agents speak to the seller first with your name. Then do what's necessary to get the job done. As said above, be flexible.

2. Go down to the local store that does embroidery or screen print for the local kids teams, little league, etc.

Get three polo shirts with your name and company name on them embroidered on them or screen printed.

Shouldn't cost but about $15.00 a shirt, at the most.

Clean black jeans, khakis, etc are cheap at the discount store.

DON'T do T-shirts.

Magnetic signs fro the vehicle are only about $40.00.

If you don't at least have that much, you're really hurting.

Good luck.

[rglenn]

You'll find a lot of good information here. The more experienced and less experienced with fresh ideas.

I took a nap with Charlie three hours from St Pete. Figured I'd be awake for the next few days trying to survive if the predictions had come true. They expected Charlie to be Cat 5 if it had continued North.

[Russel Ray]

Originally Posted by jthalmann

3 - aaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh !!! I had a whole list of things to ask while I was laying in bed last night but now I forgot. I'm sure I'll come up with more later.

I do some of my best work in bed.
Hmmmmmmmmmm.
That might not sound right.
But let's go on.
Ever since I can remember, I've always kept a notepad and pen by the bed to write down my thoughts whenever they occurred and it was simply too warm under those covers to get up.

[Russel Ray]

Originally Posted by jthalmann

2 - What should I wear for an inspection ? Sounds like a silly question but we used to have a uniform service at the other company. I can't afford a uniform service now. I was thinking about getting some tee shirts with our logo or maybe even a NACHI tee but now I'm thinking that teeshirts might be a little unprofessional.

My company does T-shirts. We put a small logo on the front above the left, uh, breast, can I say breast or will it get censored? Then we put a huge, monster, gigantic, really big logo on the back. The reason, of course, is that everyone will see our backs much more than they see our fronts.

Anything with a logo on it will make you "official," so just make sure that the material is nice and the logo is high quality. Silk? Maybe not, though.

Slacks and steel-toed rubber shoes.

HomeTeam umbrellas for everyone for when it rains (it's been doing waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much of that in the past couple of weeks).

[Russel Ray]

Originally Posted by rwand1

But I also don't think I should be a walking billboard either by having my logo all over my clothing. Do you want to look like an Orkin Man?

Uh-oh.
But yes.
The Orkin Man has a very good reputation and I don't mind his uniform at all.

[Russel Ray]

Originally Posted by rwand1

Be Personable! Have a sense of humour. Have fun.

Originally Posted by rwand1

Always show up early!

Well, use your own judgment on that one.

I try never to show up early. My goal is to get there exactly on time, plus or minus 5 minutes. I want everyone to see me arrive, to see me having fund with my employees, to see us get allllllllllllllllllll of our tools out of the vehicles, etc. I want them to see how much stuff I have in order to work for them.

I did show up about 30 minutes early one time, with the Realtor and Client since we had been told that we could show up any time between 5:30 and 6:30. So we showed up at 6:00 (this is a.m., by the way). The guy outside was working on his truck and told us to go right in. When we went right in, there was his nake wife standing in the kitchen cooking. We delayed the inspection until she ate, got dressed, and left. That was about 6:30, so we should have just shown up at the scheduled inspection time anyway.

Inevitably new employees always think it would be good to get started early on the exterior if they can. Nope. Sellers aren't ready. The pit bulls are still running around. No one told them we were coming anyway so they called the cops. Nope. Just waaaaaaaaay too many problems with showing up early in my neck of the woods.

Additionally, I schedule many inspections per day so it's rare that we actually could show up early even if we wanted to. My time is valuable, so I use all of it for the good of my company. So if a Client schedules an 11:30 inspection, that's what they get, an 11:30 inspection.