Clients come in all different shapes, sizes and personalities.
I like dealing with those hot headed nit-picky complainers. Once they start pointing out nonsense bullsh!t items, I have my own way of shutting them up. I tell them to try and evaluate the inspection with an eye toward problems of greatest significance. Look for those conditions that compromise health and safety of you and your family. Then I tell them “When you move in, you’re going to need something to do anyways. No house is perfect”.
They quiet right down. Try it, it works.
I can’t believe you turned on the main. I’ll bet you won’t touch another one in the future.
Your correct I wont be opening anymore water valves.
I guess I was just trying to be as thourough as Possable.
Some vacant homes are winterized and when I arrive they didnt turn on the main. From now on I will either re scheudule.
So lets say you where doing an inspection on a vacant house and the water and gas was off. Home is 25+ miles away. Realtor and clients are looking at like you are nuts when you tell them that you wont turn on the main.
I had a situation like that this past fall. I called the realtor and she gave me oral permission over the phone to turn on the main. I did…by the time I got back to the house, the water heater was spewing water all over the place. Water flooded the hard-wood floors in 2 rooms.
Turned water off and called realtor back. She was out there in a jiffy with a mop and towels drying out the inside of the house while I went on with the inspection.
I learned then…NEVER, EVER turn on the water.
Did one last week where the house was winterized…signs up everywhere saying do not turn on the water. The realtor got upset that I obeyed the signs.
Same here… Log Home last winter. Listing agent says, “go ahead turn on the pump”. I come back from the pump house and every appliance is disconnected and spewing water everywhere. Both agents and client running in 4 different directions. Lesson learned. Nuff said.
I have the buyer call their agent and get permission for them (the buyer) to turn the water on…not me:) Common in HUD homes…even the utility Co will not turn the main on! even the Elec panel main breaker as well…let the Agent earn their money:mrgreen:
Just had one last month where the water was shut off for winterizing and the electric was shut off from the municipal side.
I stated to my client that I had to disclaim all electrical, heating and plumbing within the house unless of course he wished to re-schedule to another date. He obviously was desperate to get the inspection completed that day, and told me to continue inspecting everything I could.
I grabbed my flashlight for those dark areas and completed this 3,800 sq. ft. inspection in two hours. Very easy inspection without all the mechanicals.
Most of the report was blank, filled with diclaimers.
I had an inspection for a young couple. They had father-in-law in tow.
The FIL states to me,about 8 times, “You know, I am an Architect”. Keeps me jumping, asking about everything. I point out no GFCIs (built in 1970) and no AFCI protection (our state requires calling out safety problems according to current standards). He keeps telling me that they are not required.
He follows me up to the attic and starts giving e a lecture on structure (he designs warehouses, fer gosh sake) and how the truss system works. I just keep on plugging.
No major problems (except the GFCI, AFCI problem and a leaking bathtub valve).
When done, I shake the client’s hands and start to put my ladder back on my truck. The father walks over and starts complimenting me on the quality of the inspection. “If you can do this good a job with an old fart like me hounding your heels, you must be a great inspector. It’s about my little girl getting her first house. You understand.”
Brought a tear to my eye. I am also very glad I didn’t wack him over the head with my 4 cell Mag Light.
Have had 3 referrals from him since.
Our loving Father watches over drunks, fools and short tempered home inspectors. :mrgreen:
I have an inspection this weekend. I took the order. I called the Realtor, he gives me the run down of the Building. It is in the older section of the city where all the structures are connected.
The Building has been vacant for about 1.5 years now. People are from NJ, wanting to come to NY. ](*,) :-k Anyways, no utilities on. The Realtor tells me the gas company won’t turn on the gas cause the Furnaces(2) need to be fixed or replaced! I say, “ok?” The building is also winterized.
I called my client back and explained all this. We did get the electric turned on. She said, the Realtor did not tell me all this. OOOPS! I said do you want to wait or? She says we really need it this Saturday. I explained to them, I can look at thing but will note plumbing and Furnaces not working operational at the time of the inspection. I will document my buttom end off but will do the inspection.
Then the Realtor says, Oh there is an area in the upper level that looks like the roof is leaking. I have never seen water problems! I will at least climb on my 40 foot ladder to inspect the roof. Depends on the weather whether I climb off my Ladder.
I love this career! The things we get to do and hear. :|__)
I live and work in an area with a lot of “snow-bird” owners. That means that a large percentage of the homes I inspect are not occupied, especially in the summer. Most of these homes have the water turned off, some of the breakers turned off, etc.
Realtors are focused on one thing: getting to the closing table. They don’t appreciate or understand when a home inspector shows up to do an inspection, then informs them that the inspection cannot be done due to utilities being turned off. That leads to displeased realtors, which ultimately leads to less referals.
It comes down to a judgement call. If I show up to a condo that I know to be only a couple years old, in July, with the hurrican shutters closed, the humidistat set, etc…I would probably take the chance and turn on the water and breakers. I know that is “rolling the dice”, but it is the lesser of two evils in that case, and in my judgement.
If the home in question was older, showed some signs of damage, or looked pretty “rough”, then I might err on the side of discretion.
All I can say is the last English challenged people that I worked for wanted me to walk the roof in a rain storm, without exception. I had him sign a waiver and back to the office I went! BTW they were from China.
All I could think of was that Bud Lite commercial saying “Again”!
I have a question. Is it alright to give the client or realtor a reminder at the time you book the inspection, that they need to have the utilities operational or you will not be able to inspect those areas of the house?
It can’t hurt. The more information you supply your client, the less confusion they’ll be on the day of the inspection.
Whenever I’m finalizing a booking over the phone, In my closing words, I always state to my client, "Please be sure to contact your Realtor and advise him/her of the date of your home inspection, so they can contact the listing broker in order to access the home at that time". I don’t mention utilities because I hardly ever run into that problem of not being operational.
In my area, the listing broker must be on site on the day of the home inspection. Once any listing Realtor is advised of a home inspection date, it’s common sense that they make sure that the utilities be “On”. But, there have been a few times where the water, electricity and gas were not “On” and I simply tell the Realtor “what were you thinking”? I then disclaim all utilities that can not be inspected.
I also don’t take the blame when the utilities are not on. If you don’t say anything to your client, they think it’s your fault. I explain to them that the selling Realtor should have had this all ready and in the past when this has heppened the reinspect fee is paid by the seller or sellers Realtor.
Nuff said.
:|__)
Great advice!