After paying inspectors 50%-70% of the inspection fee, health insurance, workman’s comp, E&O insurance, office staff, etc… what do you get out of it?
Change it up, run it like a real estate office.
The inspectors pay you to work under your name, they are self employed and pay you a commission fee. They cover their of insurance, workman’s comp etc.
As you point out, Linas, it’s hard to have the overhead of a multi-inspector firm and keep your inspection fees competitive with the single inspector operations in your area.
To help, do what the big guys do and sell your clients’ personal data to as many lead brokers that you can find who are willing to pay for it for the cash and products they are willing to provide in return.
Inspectors in California, for example, are able to arrange with lead brokers who push solar energy panels on brand new home owners and will pay a $500.00 commission to the referring inspector for each sale.
When it comes to home alarm systems, sell the leads to all of the brokers and let them fight it out. Don’t just sell to one. Some may tell you, in poorly worded and legally insufficient contracts, that you must sell only to them to qualify for their kickbacks … and then they turn around and sell it to other brokers, anyway. Besides, with a whole slew of alarm companies paying you kickbacks, who cares if one or two get ticked off. Right?
Anyway, it is certainly easy to see how lead brokers are served by promoting multi-inspection firms over smaller operations that have no dependency upon kickbacks.
Of course, selling private information belonging to a home buyer is immoral and wrong and will soon taint the entire industry, but unless you visibly set yourself apart from inspectors who do this … when the public catches on to this practice, it’s going to reflect upon you anyway. Why not get a piece of the action while you can, if your client’s privacy is not that big of a deal to you.
A question for you Jim;
Since you are no longer an inspector, what is it that drives you to “save” our industry from such immorality?
I can think of many reasons to employ others. My main reasons are:
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To give people jobs. All of my companies grew during the recession because my friends lost their jobs. I grew my businesses for the purpose of creating more slots so that I could employ them. I would have been satisfied if they broke even (cost me no more than they make me)… but they all ended up generating black ink for me.
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To accommodate customers. Often my companies grew because my marketing created more customers who wanted more of my products and services. InterNACHI, for example, grew to be so huge because inspectors kept demanding more from it.
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To make more money. You can make a great living as a home inspector working alone (I’ve done it), but you can only make so much money with your own two hands. If making silly money (way more than you could possibly need) is important to you in life, you are likely going to have to hire help.
Let me correct you, Jeff. I am an “inspector” … and am still a member of NACHI … in my tenth year, now. My inspections of homes are no longer related to real estate transactions, but are a part of insurance recovery efforts. I employ much of the same skill (in addition to others) and use many of the same tools.
Like you, Jeff … I care about the consumer. I did so as an inspector of homes that were for sale and I continue to do so for consumers of insurance products who seek indemnification for homes that are damaged.
After nine years as a home inspector for homes that were being sold, I still care about the industry, my many home inspector friends who are not associated with dubious business models, and their clients.
Thanks for asking.
Let me correct you, Jeff. I am an “inspector” … and am still a member of NACHI … in my tenth year, now. My inspections of homes are no longer related to real estate transactions, but are a part of insurance recovery efforts. I employ much of the same skill (in addition to others) and use many of the same tools.
Like you, Jeff … I care about the consumer. I did so as an inspector of homes that were for sale and I continue to do so for consumers of insurance products who seek indemnification for homes that are damaged.
After nine years as a home inspector for homes that were being sold, I still care about the industry, my many home inspector friends who are not associated with dubious business models, and their clients.
Thanks for asking.
I hired an assistant two months ago and has been the best money spent. He is properly trained to test all outlets test windows, doors, appliances, garage door, showers, toilets, tubs. Frees me up to focus on the larger liability items and with a delineated separation of duties, we can inspect a normal size house in about an hour to an hour and 15 minutes, condos in around 30 minutes, meaning more inspections a day/week and less stress on me.
Does your “assisstant” carry a HI License? If not, he does not qualify as an “Inspector”, thus you do not qualify as a “Multi-Inspector Company” as mentioned as the subject of this thread. You are simply an inspector with a “helper”, no different than thousands of others.
Yes, he is licensed, thanks for your concern into my operations.
Your time and efforts are appreciated.
I can appreciate your business decision, although I wouldn’t necessarily equate the duties of an adjuster to those of an inspector. This would be like equating the duties of an appraiser to those of an inspector.
I only ask because of your insatiable attacks against a particular vendor (I don’t recall his name :D) and inspectors using add-on services. It seems that you do not post relevant information anymore unless it’s geared to derail the subject matter and offer you a platform to condemn the practices that many inspectors (for better or worse) have chosen to implement in their businesses.
Whether you agree with it or not, it is currently a product of our service that many consumers regard as an enhanced value.
I know it’s a pipe-dream of mine, but it would be nice to see threads that remain on topic for at least the first few pages before they turn into a soapbox.
JMO
Is this true? A contractor can hire “employees” that are not licensed contractors, how is this different?
Honest question - no hidden agenda…
You posted the information, thus you opened your statement up for discussion. I simply asked a legitimate question for clearification of what you posted.
No where in your post do you state that he is licensed. A very curious omission of information, indeed.
Depends on your state and the requirements.
Glenn I am just down the road a piece…that is exactly how I started. If you want to see my operation, you are more than welcome at any time.
I don’t know about “contractors” in Florida.
This thread is regarding “inspectors”.
You’ll need to direct that question to a Florida “contractor”.
Honest reply - no hidden agenda…
Yes, I know. I was making the relation for clarification. What are the rules in your area?
I’ve owned & operated an electrical contracting company which had employees, I can state emphatically that after 11 successful years of being a home inspector I wouldn’t ever go back to being responsible for other people or their work. I embrace being a one-man shop and use it to my advantage.
No Employees + No Gimmicks = No Problems. 