I've received a few VERY similar phone calls last couple weeks

[Tim Spargo]

About 4-5 times in the last few weeks, I've received phone calls with similar verbage

"Our broker wants an inspector who is a Licensed General Contractor AND a certified inspector, do you meet those requirements and if so would you be willing to be on our list??? You guys are hard to find"

A few of these were from folks I've NEVER done business with...

Another inspector I know said there were some insurance changes a couple months ago that are catching up to them right now and he was trying to get some things squared away before being dropped. He gets a lot more direct referrals from real estate offices than I do.

I am a General Contractor as well, just thought it was strange.
Anyone else????

[Mark Nahrgang]

They want someone who can find the defects, quote a quote, and then do the repairs. Kind of a one stop shop for them. One call does it all. Won't they be disappointed when you tell them you won't do the repairs?

[Tim Spargo]

I def. see your point, but I don't really ever get asked (correction, much) about doing the work and haven't ever done a repair on something I've looked at.


As mentinoed, a fellow inspector indicated some changes that some brokerages were going through with insurance.

Time will tell

[Mark Nahrgang]

Originally Posted by tspargo

I def. see your point, but I don't really ever get asked (correction, much) about doing the work and haven't ever done a repair on something I've looked at.


As mentinoed, a fellow inspector indicated some changes that some brokerages were going through with insurance.

Time will tell

Actually I don't have any more of a problem with you doing the repairs than I do with my mechanic doing the repairs on my car so it will pass the state inspection he does on it.

While I don't do the work myself, that is a point of our COE that I don't agree with. But that's just my opinion. Keep us informed about what you learn with that.

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

Home Based Realty is the only one in your area that I know of doing this. They had this conversation with me as well.

This was commonplace when home inspections were first becoming popular in the 80's and 90's. Now, it's "old-school" thinking that could cause more trouble to the broker than good. . .

[Michael Larson]

Not working on a house you inspected is state law in WI for two year after the inspection.

It is intended to keep the HI as a disinterested third party to the real estate transaction.

I think 1 year would be more reasonable but that's just the way it is in WI.

[Gary Oleski]

"Not working on a house you inspected is state law in WI for two year after the inspection."


1 year in Connecticut. Also under our home inspection license in Connecticut if you inspect two or more systems in a building you need a home inspection license.

[Tim Spargo]

Yes Jeff, HB and a couple others too. My wife has been talking with a FEW.

[Tim Spargo]

Also just to make it clear....

I don't work on anything I've inspected... for that matter until a couple of contracts I have fund with some TARP money... I'm not doing construction at all. My "much" comment was that I do get asked, I assume that everyone gets asked once in awhile. But I don't work on
'em
CA Bus. & Prof. code makes regard for not making repairs for a period of 12 months, coupled as well is our Nachi COE.

As mentioned, I had no idea what was going on with this topic with the Inspector/contractor thing, I had heard from another inspector that some various things might be changing. I was curious about this.

I know licensing is a slippery discussion, but sometimes it would be nice to know that someone has been "checked out" prior to coming into a home... even though every one it seems I look at is vacant.

As Jeff mentioned HB was one of the first to contact me, but as far as my wife is telling me, they're not the only ones asking about this topic.

Tim