You offer other services such as radon, water, energy audits, mold testing and so on?
What happens if you offer additional services like those above and they total over 25% of your gross income? I know lots of us offer these other services. To be honest I really don’t know what mine is or has been. When I file taxes, I lump all these under the same business.
Do you guys have seperate businesses for all services you provide?
Some proponents of the “badge” DO have several business’s…
How can you be “Full Time” if you have other business interests…
Or, you have other interests that demand your attention, even if they are inspection related…
should this fall under the conceal premise as other business interests exist?
Good Point.
A “Full time Professional Inspector” would inspect residential, commercial, radon, termite, energy efficiency, mold, etc…but would not earn more than 20% of his income doing home repairs, remodeling, frying hamburgers, selling men’s suits, or repairing automobiles, collectively or excusivley.
Does making more than 20% at somthing else make one less then qualified to inspect houses James??
No 20% is the established standard, no deviation allowed!!!
Kinda sounds like we’re going into the
Full Time Inspection Related Logo
I agree as well, the 20%** is/has/always** will be the standard. Has been for, well, as long as I can remember. At least since this discussion has gotten started.
You’ll have to ask Nick why he proposed that particular number.
As far as I am concerned, a logo of this sort will help the public discern between a full time professional inspector and full time contractors who inspect on the side (whether for job bids or to supplement their income, either one). It will make a difference in my area and for my marketing plan, at least. Perhaps those who fear it can convince their competitors how “insignificant” it is. I really don’t care what happens outside of my own market.
At any rate, NACHI has a very large arsenal of marketing tools that some use and some don’t. The bottom line is…it’s there if you want it.
I’ve seen some working sketches. It looks pretty good, IMO.
This one cat I know has an opinion that he would like to share.
The immediate distance I’ve seen created is that of the distance between the majority of inspectors who are full time, experienced inspectors who say it’s an idea with little merit and little value, and the proponents(s) of the idea. How many actually like the idea?? Who would display “Full Time Home Inspector” on their marketing material and website? Most have said “NO”, even those who don’t object to the idea.
Seriously, isn’t it easier to imagine radon/mold/termite/water/energy audit blah blah blah professionals, selling extra services than that of the contractor that is choosen time and again on this message board to act in an unethical manner? Yet the message portrayed here continues to paint a different picture, for an obvious and different purpose.
You seem to be giving a lot of your time and attention to a matter that you claim to be without merit. Why not just wait and let Nick do what he will do and continue your business as usual?
Frankly, while I thought Nick had the beginning of a good idea I did not come to fully appreciate it and decide to post such a logo on my own site until reading all of the many objections to it by contractors who also perform home inspections. This may come as a shock to some, but my marketing plan has nothing in it related to impressing, finding agreement with or otherwise appeasing home inspectors. No money in that.
Now, after reading these posts, I fully plan to implement it and add it to my marketing plan. Actually, the fewer around here that do…the better I think it will work for me so I am in no way encouraging or suggesting that anyone else use it. Like everything else, it’s a personal business decision.
I appreciate Nick for adding another tool to the NACHI tool box.
I think the idea has little merit, others think the idea is worth gathering support for. We’ll see where it goes. I think the continued painting a broad stroke of the evil contractor and the now less-than capable part timer does more to distance members than to bring them together. These are worth continued discussion, as I think this community is worth the discussion.
Perhaps you can explain the advantage to us of “bringing members together”. I’m not familiar with that priority or need.
In fact, show me five people in business together who agree on everything and I will show you four people who are totally unnecessary.
Ok I am just now reading all this tonight for the first time and my 2 cents; this is all great but my question is do your clients really care or ask you if you are full time or part time? I have been doing real estate inspections for 10 years now and I cannot recall when I’ve been asked such a question?
So as I pull up my quick books for this year I see I have about 48% of my income from home inspections and around 52% from roof inspections/repairs ect. So does that make me a part time home inspector then? Keep in mind this is my 10th year doing real estate inspections. That’s just how the numbers work out; I am 100% full time at doing real estate inspections. I most likely have more time “worked on the clock” as a home inspector than on the roofing contractor side. So how could you say I was part time if I am reading this right? A full time logo would be great to have on flyers, cards, ect. however I do not see it as a must have in my eyes. Heck 98% of the people that I give me card to do not even know what INACHI is and I have to spend 10 minutes explaining what it is and why I chose to be a member of what I feel is the best HI org. out there today.
First, I’m not sure that your question has much to do with marketing since marketing is not about waiting until being asked a specific question and answering it.
Here is how I plan to use Nick’s plan in conjunction with what I am already doing in my market.
In my state, it is up to the individual city/county to decide to adopt and/or enforce building codes. In the majority of the counties and cities, there are no codes and contractors are not only unregulated…but there are no inspections done of their work at all.
Virtually all of them, because they own a pickup and a hammer, consider themselves “builders” and qualified to inspect homes. Many do as a means of getting job bids…and the real estate salesmen love to refer them because they are not there to report on defects but find things they know how to fix, and fix them. Very few deals are killed that way, yet — not only is the “remedy” just as bad as the “disease” in many cases, but there is no AHJ to inspect since no permit is required or issued.
My marketing plan includes, among other things, steps toward educating the public of the need to ignore the advice of the real estate salesman and seek independent and sound advice from someone who is not a contractor but someone who is a full time professional inspectorskilled, trained and 100% committed to the business of providing objective, comprehensive and accurate reports.
While I do not think a logo is essential, I do appreciate the backing of the association in this endeavor and others may, as well. Perhaps not. No one is forcing anyone to use it any more than anyone is forcing a member to devote part time to the profession. It is simply a business decision and a personal matter of choice. I choose to use it. Other opinions may vary.
Hi,
It’s a simple fact of life in this business that when you begin, whether you begin it working all day every day at it or you do it on weekends, you will be working part-time - that is, you won’t be able to generate a lot of work - for a long time. Do you think it’s a coincidence that all of the ads in the magazines for home inspection schools tout “full-time pay for part-time work” ? What the poor newbie doesn’t realize is that the part-time work ends up becoming the norm in this business.
Lots of folks that enter this business spend a lot of money to go off to a school for a couple of weeks but then they return home and continue working at their job, doing this gig on the weekends, until they can build it to the point that they can support themselves at inspections full time. That doesn’t make them “part-time” inspectors, it makes them someone who is working at two jobs. That’s no easy task and it means it’s going to take a lot longer for them to get to the point where their competency is such that they can expect enough referrals - either from real estate folks or from former clients - to stay afloat.
IMO, experienced and competent inspectors don’t have anything to fear from someone who’s so new in the business that he or she can’t do it full time, so why bother trying to create an impediment to these other folks? Besides, if a part-timer is taking enough of your business that you’ve noticed it, either your customer service or your competency, or both, is lacking; and it’s time to hit the books or go for a few ride-alongs with some competent inspectors in your area and work on your own skills, 'cuz no amount of fancy logos is going to offset those deficits in your business model.
ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!
Mike O’Handley, LHI
Wa. Lic. Inspector #202
Your Inspector LLC., Kenmore, WA
Editor - The Inspector’s Journal
Mike, I started my business in February of 2001, after being laid-off, and bought out, of my cushy corporate job. In April of 2001, I was making more money than I was at my other job. Six figures first year. Individuals make it, or not.
If a person wants to be part time, he is part time. If he commits to marketing, office presentations, answers the phone at any moment, it is full time. It is a choice. If a full time or Senior CMI logo is available, use it, or don’t.
When you do a roof inspection…and then contract to do the roof repair…you are acting as a contractor, not an inspector — for as an inspector, that act would directly violate the code of ethics and could result in expulsion from NACHI.
The roof inspections that you do as an inspector that you are paid simply for inspecting them would be added to the the funds that you made from other inspections. If that totals 80%, by the definition Nick has applied to what “full time” is, you would be such.
InterNachi, should be working for the benefit of all inspectors…This issue is obviously causing division. Some ideas are good and some bad, but if you implement a bad idea just plan on fewer renewals. Everybody is looking to cut wasteful spending. Marcel made a good point do it yourself it’s not that hard. lol