I guess I’m really official now. I recently launched my business www.simplyproinspections.com here in the lake of the ozarks area. I was referred by another inspector in the area to serve someone outside the area, as the client’s timetable didn’t work for the original inspector and I was able to help.
I get to the property and the builder showed up, found out I was the inspector and started in with the, “how many houses have you built from scratch” junk with puffed out chest… in front of the client who is the potential buyer and already had concerns, which is why myself and the other guy asked was from outside of this town’s apparent “good ole boy” network.
I asked what building houses had to do with my ability to inspect this property and informed him I have over 15 years of construction experience in residential builds and remodels and some commercial experience that spanned Massachusetts, NYC, Colorado and here at Lake of the Ozarks.. He then demanded if I was there when the house was framed, I said no, He demanded if I was there when the foundation was poured… I said no, because if I was you’d have proper grading and drainage to get water away from the foundation…
At that point he walked away from me to engage the clients, and I went to inspect other areas.
So.. I guess I’m really an official inspector as I had my first (of sadly probably too many in my upcoming career) of dealing with these boneheads.
Overall the new build was nice, just lousy drainage they need to remedy. and an undermount sink that needed proper caulking.
How about the rest of you?
How many inspections did you do before this type of dust up occurred? How did you handle it?
Getting into a clash of egos in front of clients does nobody any good. Tell the contractor that if you have any questions that you will let them know. Smile and then get to work. Showing confidence instead of cockiness goes a long way in putting people at ease. Contractors don’t like it when someone is there to critique their work. It’s no different than when inspectors get their feelings hurt when their reports are questioned.
I’m sorry you had a confrontational builder on your inspection. This has not been a common occurrence in my personal experience. About 15% of my 500 inspections/year are on new construction. Your builder may not realize that coming at you like that could backfire bigtime if he does that to the wrong inspector. Most of the time, the builder is not present at your inspections.
I try to de-escalate the tensions when I have someone get defensive about my findings, but if they persist I have the confidence to hold my ground and, believe me, my report will be THICK. You may want to look over your notes again or do some additional study because if all you got was poor grading and one sink lacking caulk… Either this is one of the best qualified builders in the country or your report is light. Don’t let the builder or anyone rush you on your inspection. take all the time you need to thoroughly inspect at your own pace and in your own routine. Routine is the key to reducing your mistakes and omissions.
With years of construction experience to draw upon, you should have confidence to defend any of your findings. As Jeff already wrote, nobody likes to have their work critiqued, so try to be diplomatic when necessary. At the end of the day though, you work for your client.
Don’t engage with these clowns… Exercise your right to remain silent… about their house anyway Only talk about the house with your client in private.
I know it’s tough.. what you describe has only happened to me a handful of times in 25 years and, of course, I’ve gotten better at dealing with it. I just remain upbeat and positive (even if it’s not about their POS house) and they really can’t argue.
I’ve been fortunate enough to have never been confronted by a builder, although I had one call me one time on a deck that I called out, I sent him a copy of prescriptive wood deck construction guide and never heard back from him again.
I’m not sure about your state, but in Ohio we have home inspector licensing requirements, and for me to legally share my findings with anyone other than my client, I’m required to get written permission first. That’s always an easy out should this type of situation happen.
IMO it’s always best to stay calm, keep it professional and de-escalate the situation if needed.
I can’t recall the last time I had any discussion with a builder like this and I started my inspection business back in 1995! Sure, I have had some that most likely wanted to get into a heated discussion but I have never allowed for it to happen. Learning how to avoid and de-escalate situations like this and at the same time keeping it professional is not something that comes natural to most of us, it is a learned skill.
If I’m ever asked if I have built a home, I can honestly say I have not. But then I would add that I have never built a car either but I know when something is wrong!
As a retired residential building contractor, now an inspector, I understand the builder’s perspective and defense of his experience. However, being confrontational is not professional. Not all builders have good interpersonal skills, despite having exceptional construction skills.
Lesson: Emphasize that you want no one at the inspection while you are doing the fieldwork. No client, no seller, no builder, no RE agent. If they insist on being present, let it be known that you work solo, uninterrupted, with no one tailing you. At the end of your fieldwork, then is the time that you will meet with interested parties and discuss your findings.
I appreciate all of your advice as many of you are farther down the road than myself and I feel it is always best to “find wisdom in the counsel of many”. This dust-up did occur in front of the client and I asked them if they felt I handled the situation well and the husband stated that he felt I did very well because if the builder spoke to him or his wife in the way he addressed me it would have proceeded to not de-escalate. I hope this link I’m sharing works proper, but this morning the client left me a wonderful recommendation on my facebook page.
Agreed. The builder’s goal was to knock the inspector off balance, get in his head, and let the inspector know that defects will be challenged. I’d say this is not the builder’s first rodeo.
My client believes the original inspector that was scheduled was run off by said builder because they are local and apparently there is a bit of a “good ole boys” network of… as my client said, “incestuous” business referring going on down there.
The inspector hired by my client originally cancelled last minute, like 30-40 minutes before the scheduled inspection was to begin, but didn’t even call the client. They cancelled by calling the real estate agent who was representing both the buyer and the builder.
I am willing to be that none of you here would do that to a client but rather you would contact the client directly, then inform the agent if needed.
Am I crazy for believing this is the proper ethics for dealing with the person who hired you?
Reminds me of the scene in that 80’s movie… breakfast club, I think.. where the kid lips off to the principal and the principal keeps handing out detentions… next thing you know a bullet level enters the fray to check lightswitch plates.
Really? Only two defects? If an inspector gave me a report with only two defects listed in it, I’d be looking for other defects to ask the inspector about.
Hi Jeremy - It sounds like you did a nice job on this one representing your clients’ interests and they ended up happy with your service. They are the ones to care about. Dumb builders or sellers (or anyone with a vested interest in a property) come and go. Your clients are the ones you care about. Forget the rest and just smile. Happy clients will hire you again in a few years. Great job in getting through a tricky situation.
