TV Show Holmes Inspection

[loconnor]

Has anyone watched this fairly new show on HGTV?
I understand that there are bad and marginal home inspectors out there. And I understand most of these inspections on this show, take place in Canada. But it bothers me that this international show may be giving the impression that very few inspectors are capable to perform their job without a work crew behind them.

Any comments?

[James E. Braun, CMI]

Go in the Canadian sections of this message board. There are several posts about this.

[Jerry Bosak]

The bottom line is that it is entertainment.
It wasn't that something was done wrong, it was that the homeowner failed to recognize known flaws in the structure and bought the house anyways.
I'm sorry if I sound sexist - but when a woman wants something more times then not - they just jump right into it with both eyes closed and when it doesn't work out - they point fingers.

The problem with Mikes show is that it is like a Christmas in July type scenario where all you have to do is call him and he will fix everything for free.

In the real world - it is more like - sorry about your luck chuck. If you were that stupid to buy this dump - then you can afford to pay to fix it.

Where I live 95% of all houses sold is not inspected before the purchaser buys it.

[KEVIN WOOD]

What happens here is worse. They have a contractor that has built homes as the Inspector. They trust him because he has built homes in one subdivision after another. Cannot till you the name of the company.
I can say there homes have allot of problems already.
By the way they are less than 5 years old.

[David K. Lee]

The show does not help our business very much. Most home inspectors take pride in their work. Some of the things he finds after he opens up the walls. Many things he finds are beyond the scope of a standard home inspection. The problem is people that watch the show think we are going to open walls and dismantle things to do the inspection.

[Robert W. Jude]

pretty sure anything called "reality TV" has very little to do with anything REAL.

[Mark S. Elliott]

This show has little do with home inspection and I doubt many home buyers watch it and if they do and they call me I'll explain what I do, what I am not allowed to do and what the real limitations of a home inspection are. The host (Mike) likes the throw away line “the inspector should not have missed this” However he was not there during the inspection and over time things change, furniture is moved for example. So I take most of what he says with a pinch of salt.

That said it does inform us all as inspectors how someone following us into a house throws us under the bus and makes it clear that we should be as direct and forceful about the conditions we found and list the smallest defect. This of course brings us into conflict with realtors but that is of little concern to me. My concern is the plumber that follows me in, jack hammers the bathroom floor to find a broken drain and then tells the home owner the inspector should have found this.

Which brings me back to the show which is true reality, this is how contractors behave and Mike Holmes just confirms this while entertaining us all. I for one will continue to watch so I can learn the tricks of “throw the inspector under bus" trade secrets.

What certification levels are required to be a contractor? In Texas, none!

[Marc-Andre Beauchemin]

I don't take it personally, I believe he must get more tax incentive to film

in Canada.

Personally, I like the show Mike Holmes gives, it is entertaining, a little

educative for the public that is all. Some of my clients actually know of

him but hire me.

Mike seems to attract those who are victims of Murphy's law!

Good for him, at least he gives a positive turn to things.

I'M sure you would agree that we all could make a show here and there on

what we discover, but he is an actor and he can kiss and tell!

We are the real thing!

Salut,

Beauchemin Marc-Andre from Brossard-Quebec Canada.

[ctasker]

Take Mike Holmes with a grain of salt,he is 2 people at the same time,he acts a certain way when the camera is rolling,he likes to pass the buck to the home inspector,but there is a hidden agenda,he is attempting to go coast to coast with his inspection company in Canada,I recently read an article of bad reviews for his inspection company,the one that comes to mind is an older man buying a modular home,he is on a fixed income so decided to pay the high inspection price of 725.00 for piece of mind,the property was given a good report,after the purchase the owner was bombarded with issues,the client trying to contact mike holmes inspection company was given the brush off,one example was a big hole between the garage and laundry room,the office told him there guys are not expected to move things,the client told them the inspector did not have to,you could see it from passing the garage door on both sides,anyways, the list was long from front door to exit ,and he was brushed off on every problem,basically told to get lost,as far as his other show I met a guy who worked on one of his jobs and said it was all about getting it done and out of there,and that he would not work on his jobs again,one final note,the trades doing the repairs on the inspection show are not paid,they do it for local advertising,he takes the credit,I also seem to remember a law suit against him for some homes built in Okotoks Alberta,I have said enough,thanks

[Gary Farnsworth]

Any attorney would love a stab at that.

[Jeff Merritt]

The Chicago chapter just finished a large home show to weeks ago, I had two people ask me what I thought,
I stated that I have not had the time to watch the TV show about an inspector in Canada, and that the laws and regulations are different here in Illinois.

[John M. Murray]

Holmes inspection is the ultimate Monday morning QB program. Holmey works for the buyers after the sale is completed (at least in all the episodes i've seen) and all the furniture and storage is in place. I love it when he has a hissy fit about some concealed electricaL WIRING or something underneath a carpet. Imagine us pulling up sections of carpet when the enemy home seller still has possesion.

I watched one show where the old owner had 7 outlets on a small wall space. Mikey called in the electrician who later implied it was OK but, they removed them all anyway for cosmetic purposes. Oh the spectacle of tearing out some drywall for entertainment purposes.

Another time the buyers home inspector was criticized after Mikey moved some items from a packed garage and found a defect.

All in all Mikey looks a bit lost as a holmes inspector. You can tell he simply is not as confident at his new postion yet.


Cincinnati Home Inspectors

[Russell J. Hensel]

Originally Posted by dlee2

The show does not help our business very much. Most home inspectors take pride in their work. Some of the things he finds after he opens up the walls. Many things he finds are beyond the scope of a standard home inspection. The problem is people that watch the show think we are going to open walls and dismantle things to do the inspection.

David I would hope to agree with you, but I think far more are in it for the perceived money, then they are for the love of the profession.

Too many they "think" they have the knowledge it takes. What, maybe $1000 to get started a few business cards from online, maybe a license if needed and then WHAMO, your a home inspector.

Only to find out all the ins and outs of business the headaches, the fees the taxes, the equipment to progress. THen because of the slow business they have to cut corners to increase the net revenue and it gets worse from there.

I would hope that the majority of the inspectors actually care. Hell about 1% of NACHI uses this message board and you only see another 5% when Nick is giving stuff away.

David, I hope your right and more care than I think. But from the stuff I see, its not that way. Look at some peoples sample report. You almost wonder if they are joking...

[Joe Farsetta]

I have challenged Mr. Holmes many times. He and his production company are ball-less.

[Brian E. Kelly]

Originally Posted by jfarsetta

I have challenged Mr. Holmes many times. He and his production company are ball-less.

That is a shame Joe, because that would definitely be a Show to see.