Many of you are finding difficulty in becoming a multi-inspector firm because you don’t yet have enough business to bring on a second or assistant inspector.
I’m forming a continent-wide temporary service for InterNACHI members. I’m filling it with members who only want to work part time, retired HVAC contractors who are willing to take our inspection courses, people with specific skill sets that you might need, inspectors who simply want a job and not run their own businesses, etc. I’m going to put them on payroll, withhold taxes, issue them a W2 at the end of the year and insure them.
If you get a spike in business or have a big inspection scheduled or a commercial building or one of your employees gets sick or goes on vacation or you just want to try to grow your company, you can tap our pool of inspectors. We’ll invoice your company and handle everything else.
I’ll list the areas they have some expertise in which might be useful to you. As they do more inspections for different members, they’ll become more valuable to us over time. I’ll also set up a survey for you to comment about how they did.
I won’t hold them to any contract, so if you end up wanting to hire them yourself, you are free to.
I love being a solo inspector since for 22 years as a GC I got tired of overseeing crew, subs etc. But I’m no spring chicken so the thought has crossed my feeble middle aged mind that it might be good to transition in the future into having a couple young uns to send forth!
The transition to having a second or assistant inspector is a difficult one for most one-man operations. Going from 2 to 3 or from 3 to 4 or from 8 to 10 inspectors isn’t as difficult. The first hire is. This new idea I’m working on will make it painless to grow your inspection business.
Under this new program, you would be able to try a few candidates first without having to put them on payroll or insure them. Then when you find one you like, but can’t afford to put him/her on full time, you can just use him/her as needed. Then if you end up wanting to hire him/her full time… all yours.
Hi Nick.
Do you think the new inspector would have to be a licensed home inspector here in Florida?
I called DBPR a few months ago & asked them this for a limited assistant under my supervision.
The operator on the phone told me that any inspector would need a state license.
I asked her: “even if he’s just checking a window or an outlet with a tester?”
She said yes. I think it’s dumb.
Perhaps I needed to speak with someone higher up the ladder?
Thank you for this great plan to help all. It’s a great idea.
I believe whomever answered the phone is incorrect if the assistant is accompanying you. I’ll find out for certain though. A general contractor in Florida is not required to hire only laborers with GC licenses.
I would not mind inspecting for someone else as I have my 203K business and my consulting business. Both those pay well, especially the consulting but its part time.
I have done enough residential inspecctions to feel comfortable doing them for myself or someone else. After over 30 years as a GC I like not working 12 hour days 6 days a week.
Contracting of help is really the way to go. That way, no benefits, workman’s comp, etc. may not have to be paid. Check with your state regulations on contractor hiring.
Personally, I think Nick would do well with training/CEU’s of spouses of HI’s to assist them…
