Originally Posted By: Rick McKay This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
I am a Home Inspector starting out in the business and I am currently searching for information about phase and draw inspection contacts. I understand there are a number of relocation companies as well as mortgage companies that I can contact. I was wondering if anyone could share this information with me. I am working out of the Northern Chester County area of Pennsylvania. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Originally Posted By: rmoore2 This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
you can check out …graniteloan.com…or thecertifiedgroup.com …maybe they may have some draw inspects in your area…thanks RM.MOORE’S HOME INSPECTIONS ATL.GA
Originally Posted By: scieslewicz This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Hi Rick,
Welcome! Do you have a background in new construction? If not, doing phase inspections is a whole different ballgame than established home inspections. Familiarity with codes, ability to read blueprints and recognize workmanship quality (or lack thereof) are some of the abilities you will need to possess. There are some schools for home inspectors that teach new construction inspection. Are you ICC certified?
Sorry for all the questions, just trying to help direct you.
Originally Posted By: loconnor This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Susan
There are some mortgage companies that offer draw inspection but are limited in scope. It mostly involves taking pictures and answering a few questions on a company form. Granite Mortgage is one of them. They pay about $50 per inspection.
Originally Posted By: jerry gallman This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Sounds like to small a fee for the liability involved, no matter how short their check list is. You are basically giving the builder a pass at each short inspection, do you want to do that? Who will get the fat letter…we will, and for 50.00 per phase, no thanks, my IRC book costs more than that.
Originally Posted By: loconnor This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
With what resources I had avalable to perform research on 3 of these types of companies, I did not discover any major suits against them regarding incomplete or erroneous inspections.
You are given a check list which follows basic areas of the construction phase. You're only verifying if that part of the construction is completed. If not what percent of it is completed. Also, there are four basic questions you need to answer on these forms. None of this involves guessing, crossing your fingers and hoping, or any similar practices. You use your eyes and knowledge. I've also discovered that talking to the workers on site produces the answers I need. They are very helpful.
To me $50 is well worth the trouble. My other side inspections I perform pay me $5 per inspection (basicaly, drive bys, although I get out and take pictures). There are many people here who believe that is not worth the time or liability (if there is one).
What I would recommend to any one doing any kind of mortgage inspections, is to check the company that hires you through the BBB.
I have found 3 with questionable practices through the BBB.
Originally Posted By: kmcmahon This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
jerry gallman wrote:
Sounds like to small a fee for the liability involved, no matter how short their check list is. You are basically giving the builder a pass at each short inspection, do you want to do that? Who will get the fat letter...we will, and for 50.00 per phase, no thanks, my IRC book costs more than that.
Just my 2cents worth.
Jerry
They are not those type of inspections...no liability really at all. It's a construction draw inspection. Contractor makes a draw reqest to the lender and says he is X% complete with the project. Lender contacts inspction company. Inspection company contacts the inspector. Inspector goes out and says yep, he's X% complete or no he's only X-Y% complete. Take 4 photos and do a 15 min report.
You don't check to see if anything is to code...that's not your function there. You are just there to see that the contractor doesn't get paid for more than he has actually done.
Originally Posted By: jerry gallman This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Ok, I understand nw. These should be called status reports based on the info being traded. That sounds like a good deal then, 50.00 for a stop by.
 Could we then add that to any phase inspection we possibly could be doing? We could do one report for the lender, and at the same time, maybe, do the inspect our client pays us for at the 250 or whatever rate..
