Here is another one of Mr. Holmes takes on home inspectors. In today’s Globe & Mail
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20061013.HOLMES13/TPStory/?query=holmes
He neglects to mention that the licenced contractor MIGHT NEED THE WORK!
Had some work done by a Home Depot contractor who Holms promotes. Total garbage- could have done it better and cheaper myself!
Oh well everyone has their own opinion
Doug
Why would any one hire this guy to speek at national convention of home inspectors?He is telling the readers that home inspectors are a joke and should not be hired so why would we hire him talk to us.That’s the last time I’ll watch his show.
Great find Claude .
He makes me think of Jon Eaks.
They both scare the he77 out of me with some of their advice .
I see that Homes is speaking at a conference in the west of Canada.
I just about puked when I heard how much he is getting paid .
I also was dumbfounded at how much they spent for Jon Eaks.
I saw a program of Mike Homes where he did a twenty five thousand dollar repair because the people did not get enough heat to the third floor Bed Room
Well now if you put in an electric heater I do not think you could even spend the interest on the $25,000:00 .
He said a 5 inch duct was to small and they needed a 6 inch duct .
Gee I wonder would not a $300:00 in line fan not improved the air to the third floor .
I saw Jon Eaks tell people to use Brass hinges and the way to tell if the hing was to go to the back of the store and use you pocket knife to scratch the hing and you could see shinny it was steel .
Talk about destroying some thing thats in not yours .
I think a simple way with no distruction is take a small magnet if it does not stick to the hinge then it is not steel and no damage .
These guys are gust high priced TV actors who have found a niche and some times do a good job .
I heard This old house also had problems with their actor turned Builder.
He also does not tell the audience we can not do distructive testing .
I watched him destroy a lot of stuff to figure out that you should not put plasic on the floor under plywood .
Roy Cooke RHI.CMI.CHI.
“Hire a contractor to verify with a higher level of certainty that it is right,whether it’s electrical,plumbing,HVAC,roofing,or even mold evaluation,and to make sure that it meets code!”
This guy is out to lunch.The only thing that a contractor can do is carpentry.He is not licensed to do electrical,plumbing,HVAC,and he is certainly not qualified to inspect code violations.Besides we don’t do code inspections.
I do admit he has a point about SOP “don’t move objects out of the way”.This should change,or I feel Mike and people like him will ridicule us!
If I recall correctly is this guy going to be a speaker for THE PROVINCIAL ASSOCIATION CAPHI Claude please correct me if I’m wrong.
Whoaa… look out Mario I don’t want to sound reasonable but I have to agree with you there. :shock:
Gee here I thought the globe story was about Mike Holmes already ridiculing us.
He is not the first and will not be the last after you have been around for a while you will see these sort of post’s keep comming up every few years.
You can go to hear him At the CAHPI conference for only $400,oo if you register before sept 15th $450:00 now .
Of course CAHPI members pay less then that.
They have not extended the Offer that NACHI gave to all Cahpi Members for them to attend the NACHI Conference in Toronto at the same price as NACHI members .
Gee I wonder why you are tying to get the SOP changed so soon .
Why not put it up for discusion and see if just maybe it has been discussed before and just maybe some had a good reason why it is the way it is.
Ideas are always welcome and discusion is great .
Roy Cooke …RHI…CMI…CHI…CAHPI-ON
Roy
You are right he IS my apologies,and only $450.00 to listen to him who do I make the cheque to?
Mario
P.S. I paid less to attend Pres. Clinton’s speech here in Toronto
Just try to get the opinion of a contractor in writing.
If I want a medical checkup do I go and visit each specialist with all the tests and associated costs or visit my GP and have him refer me to only whatever specialists are necessary :roll:
Most contractors I know learned the code many years ago that was applicable at the time. To stay current they merely continue doing what they have always done until told otherwise by … you guessed it inspectors! That’s how they learn of changes to the code. Yes there are some that take some required CE courses but thats it.
Paul Hinsperger
Hinsperger Inspection Services
Orangeville Ontario
www.hinsperger.com
Actually I think his opinions make a lot of sense. Unfortunately as I have said all along there are good and bad inspectors in every association. That is reality!
While I don’t agree with all Mr. Holmes says I have seen many people buy homes that have been inspected with major problems being disclosed via inspection that get full asking price regardless what is found. Not everyone dickers with price, and not all deals fly because of other reasons. People also buy homes because they like the area, are willing to roll up their sleeves and fix it because they are going to change the layout/add/renovate, et ceteras.
Also Mr. Holmes unlike home inspectors has a lot of help behind the scenes to aid him in his endeavours. These include researchers, production assistants, producers et cetera.
Perhaps Mr. Holmes would like to be a home inspector but has not had the opportunity to display his talents in a field that he knows nothing about. Its easy to be critical when you don’t know all the hinderances which affect an inspection, and its easy to be critical when you are in the business of correcting others mistakes.
I have met my fair share of bad building inspectors too, and have met my fair share of bad contractors too.
As Raymond stated there is a certain degree of truth, put it paints all home inspectors with the same brush stroke! My biggest concerns with the article relates to:
- the cozy inspector-realtor relationship
- the inadequate reporting of the inspector
- the misunderstandings of the SOP - scope of work of home inspectors
- the potential for lack of consistent quality by any home inspector
These all equate to reasons why a home inspector could be sued!
I agree completely with you Claude and just wish we could improve in all of the above .
I keep trying in my area and it has cost me dearly.
But as you and others know I am a stubone old rascal and will fight to the end for what i believe is right.
When proven wrong I will apologize profusely and do have that ability .
I also can and do disagree with people but do not harbor bad feelings ,
but I still will push on and tell a person what I feel is correct…
Roy Cooke RHI…CMI…CHI…CAHPI-ON
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Well we have no one to blame really other then ourselves as a profession. Our associations for whatever reasons consistently target Realtors as the target audience to our services.
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Yes that is true, particularly those inspectors who kiss ***. We know all to well that some franchisors have no choice but to kiss *** because without adequate referrals from realtors their franchise will not succeed. If you don’t succeed you won’t be able to pay your monthly percentage to your franchisor. Or inspectors who under cut the going rate and make up the short fall by volume. Do you really think low ballers kill many deals? Low pricing equates to inexperience. Inexperience equates to not being experienced enough to stand up to realtors.
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Well just look how shallow the SOP’s actually are. They are vague for a reason. If I were a home purchaser and given the SOP by the inspector I would be asking, “what do you inspect?” The SOP’s in my opinion are one big disclaimer.
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I don’t know how you fix that. It is no different then any other trade. You have good and bad, but the bad ones always seem to get the press attention.
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Mr. Holmes success I think is due in part to his attitude, and his manner of dress and his ability to throw political correctness out the window. He is a blue collar worker who appeals to those who have been taken advantage of by a profession which is rife with incompetence and rip off artists. Sensationalism sells.
Boy you guys are sensitive. I actually like Mike Holmes & in fact agree with a lot he says. Nothing would bother me more then paying $350.00 or more for a inspection report that refers most items to a trade for inspection. What did I pay for. A lot of HI reports are many pages that say nothing.In fact it was because of this type of inspecting that got me started doing inspections. I for one also believe it is next to impossible to inspect a roof from the ground. In good conscience I couldn’t charge someone for a roof inspection if I didn’t get on to look at it. Anyway, just my 2 cents. Doug
Wow! have you seen
("A lot of HI reports are many pages that say nothing. ")
many of these reports.
I would love to see a couple.
I have not had the privilege of seeing many and would be happy to see them.
I guess I saw the few bad programs of Mike Holmes .
He sure does things he should not be doing on the few I saw.
I wonder if you did not get the samefeeling I did from the Globe article.
I can send you one of my check list reports and would love you to pick it apart for me .
Would you be so kind as to send me one of your reports too.
Roy Cooke Sr.
Doug
I would refer you back to Ray’s post, I think Ray makes a lot of sense.
Et al.
I have to agree with Doug when he said there are reports that are full of nothing. I have seen many, but what is even more of a concern are inspectors who say nothing in the report and to add insult to injury recommend most concerns to outside experts. In my opinion if a roof needs replacement or at end of life cycle, it needs replacement. It does not need further assessment by a roofer. Ditto for many other systems which are in need of replacement, not further assessment.
As to roofs, I no longer carry my extension ladder nor walk roofs unless my 10 foot folding ladder reaches the gutter. All others are inspected from ground. If in doubt about the age/status of the roof I will state in my report for purchaser to consult vendor, or if visible signs indicate other conditions, I tell client to budget for new shingles.
During the course of inspection when I am finnished in one area of the house I always make a point of asking my clients if they have any questions. If you make the client part of the inspection, and converse with them, even some humour, you have a client who is also acting as a second set of eyes.
I always tell it like it is Example of my passing it on ( .Please note much insulation on heating pipes recommend immediate removal by qualified personal to remove asbestos.)
How did I know it is asbestos because it had various labels on many places stating that this is the new super refined Johns Manville asbestos .
No need to get it checked .
Why was I not stronger with my words because CMHC states that the best treatment for asbestos is to encapsulate it and leave it in place.
I too try and always climb the roof but (The new government regulations say we must have a harness securely fastened and that the ladder must be fastened before going on the roof )
I will still Continue for the time being do the same .
I expect I will be going to court as an expert witness for a local roofer who has been fined .
If we loose the case I will still do Home inspections and will not lower my prices.
BY your letter I wonder how you will handle it .
I also recommend any one that gets caught for being on the roof give serious thoughts on paying the fine .
The fine Tom got is $300:00 and the inspector pleaded with tom to go the JP and the fine would only be $150:00.
If this happens and you pay the $150:00 remember you now have a conviction on your record .
That could come back to haunt you big time .
He was on a flat membrane roof 10 feet of the ground now how can you fasten a safety clip up there .
Another is a roof with 4 roofers and 4 air hoses and another roofer was carring shingles from one end to the other how can you get from one end to the other past 4 ropes 4 air hose while wearing a fastened safety harness .( this is the one with the Charge ).
Roy Cooke RHI…CMI…CHI…CAHPI-ON.
Most contractors have the following type of disclaimer " The quotation does not include for work that may be uncovered during demolition, inside walls or under floors, or parts and components that may not be re-useable…"
Well just remember next time Mike opens a wall or ceiling and all of a sudden his scope of work changes! Don’t you have x-ray vision Mike?
Next thing you will see Mike saying how if you call a general contractor he can do your surgery better than other Ontario doctors.
Lets keep the specialists in their own field. This Mike guy should give a written retraction and comment only once he is educated enough on a topic to do so.
Quote from Mike holmes artical “A licensed contractor can offer two valuable bits of information: Does the system meet minimum building code standards? … Hiring a licensed contractor maximizes your chances of getting a fair and unbiased evaluation, not just a surface inspection.”
Even if the thing meets the code, that does not always mean that it is OK.
For instance in Alberta the code allows wood to be in contact with soil provided that the wood is protected. The logic is that Alberta has a dry climate. That’s BS because the urban environment has water sprinkllers and the soil is kept wet to keep the lawn and flower beds looking pretty.
After all the bad mouthing Mike has done about contractors he recommends the buyer hire one to do a job for which he is not trained and experienced to do.
“Unbiased evaluation” Yea right! You are going to hire a contractor to do the inspection. He is going to use the inspection to get more work.
I’ll wager there are a lot more bed contractors then bed inspectors.