Russel,
As like most of the crap you spew you are incorrect again.
I am a contributor to Nachi Nickles. I believe Bruce can verify that.
I am not saying you asked for anything more than opinions at this point but you still have an “EVIL MASTER PLAN” you kind of remind me of Plankton from the adorable childrens show Spongebob Squarepants. I do not know why but whenever you go off I see plankton in my head. Kind of funny to me 
NACHI nickels isn’t for legislative purposes…nice try though. Keep sucking the teet…
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9f/Plankton_spongebob.jpg
Wrong again. You said I never contributed. That is a contribution to helping home inspectors. You are batting 100% today 
Thanks for inspiring me to learn how to put the image there like that.
Since we already have a lobbyist yes another will split the resources. I didn’t intend to piss you off Russell but while I wholeheartedly agree that there are things that are going on that are likely to be detrimental to our industry it is not likely that a different or even better funded lobbyist will have any effect. Besides I don’t know how you would get the uninterested constituency involved. I have been paying with dues and assessment for Wayne Bertsch for about 4 years now.
What is it that you feel could have been accomplished by him that was not? I realize it seems as though we are only being reactionary, dealing with problems as they pop up on the horizon but what else specifically do you feel can be done? How proactive can we realistically be? It’s politics and anything we do can be undone by someone else later and I have a feeling if we stir the pot to vigorously it could hurt more than help by causing disparate groups not typically aligned together to band together against us.
In closing I’d like to compliment you on your concern and passion for the industry. I am not against you, I share your concerns but I have to admit I am a little less confident in our ability to effect real change.
Come on Russ, that report, and thankfully it has been modified from the originial I posted on my website, is just a sample of what you will get!:mrgreen::mrgreen:
I can only imagine the masterpiece that the client will receive…if Mike actually does any home inspections.
Mike,
I take offense to your remark about what it takes to be a home inspector. The best training to be a home inspector is to…be a home inspector. That is where you learn, in the real world. On the job training. It is what most professions require.
Obtaining a license means nothing.
I’ve performed home inspections for over 20 years. When did you start doing home inspections? How many “full” home inspections have you done?
Brian,
The issues I have is that a lobbyist was paid a significant amount of a money. And what was achieved?
The worst licensing law in the country, no standards in place, and basically a whole lot of nothing.
Minor victories that people jump up an down for.
Way back in 2003 0r 2004, I submitted my own proposal to then Governor Bush. It was a three-tiered proposal which had everything laid out. SoP, CoE, fines, advisory board, all of it.
As it turns out, it was very similar to one Jerry Peck and Jeff Hooper put forth.
Many didn’t like it as it was too hard for some to qualify and they felt they would fail because they were new inspectors.
The bill that was sent in got vetoed. Eventually, we have the law we have now. And it was passed just to say, we passed a law, which is the wrong reason.
So due to the lack of confidence you do nothing? You ask what I feel can be done. I think ANYTHING and EVERYTHING we want can be done. To think otherwise is foolish. I will agree that maybe its optomistic, but that is the way I live and do business. I think and perform with optomism in all I do. To think everything is going to be a failure, leads to one thing and one thing only…FAILURE.
Here are some of things that can be accomplished. Unfair trade practice for a contractor hiring employees to perform WMF. Having a professional board to represent US in Tallahassee…when any of the goverment officials need inspector input they go to DBPR and Koening who is the contractors Messiah. Without representaion we go no where. Insurance agents and underwriting have to go through the same class inspectors do so we can get on the same sheet of music. No more “grandfathering” of the profession. You want to become a home inspector, do what everyone else has to. Carry the specialized insurance and other criteria needed that we have to carry.
A board to hear complaints so its inspectors judging inspectors (same board as above). The SOP and its content.
These are just a FEW of the things within our realm…
I do realize contractors will not like what I say, but you cannot serve two masters. Sorry, but my heart, passion and actions will always side with the professional Home Inspector. I am not saying there are not a ton of good contractor/inspectors out there, because there are.
I have had some good conversations over the past few days with several people who know far more than I and I am telling you that people are in the wings to turn our profession over to the contractors board and it will not be good from there. NOW is the time to make moves, build alliances and take a stand.
Once again, I am asking for input. What would anyone like to see accomplished? I am all ears…
I was referring to that other fellow. You and a few others have great experience and such. I am saying the truth about what it used to take to start calling oneself a home inspector. That is how a great many started the heel click method.
Me? I have been doing this for 12 years and did a year apprenticeship before ever performing an inspection on my own. I had the knowledge to know that I needed professional training, guideance, and mentoring to perform within the profession properly. It is not something you can just get around to doing. Do you realize people spend their life savings sometimes on the homes you inspect? Do you realize they look at you as the athority on the conditions of the property?
I know you shrug this off and think it is something you can dabble in until stucco work is needed, and I guess that is where my biggest beef with you is. Once again the proof is right there on your site, I can honestly say that is one of the worst reports I have ever seen…thanks…you keep trying to defend the indefensible.
Words meaning NOTHING, the proof is in in the report and the product the client receives and well, just look at yours. It should be an absolute embarrassment to you and all other contractors.
I am quite familiar with that bill you refer to, the FABI membership actually endorsed it. It came close to getting put through Gov. Bush shot it down. That bill had the board of inspectors that Russell likes in it. DBPR is dead set against that, I don’t know why.
I know why the DBPR and the construction board are one in the same…make sense now?
I want all those things you want too. I’d like to know how you intend to do it since by your own description the masses seem to be in a trance with no clue or drive. I wish you could bottle your entusiasm, drive and positivity. I’d buy some. I need more,
All I can say is wrong again
It is almost like you are never right. unfriggin believable.:roll:
I was talking about the African fellow
Brian here is what I plan on doing with the help of others.
Instead of watching the council stumble over themselves in a need to keep everything so secret that only 2 or 3 really have any input, why not do it like any other professional does.
In this era of shallow pockets, so many in the profession and just got a license because it was easy, lets begin to make a difference. I have teamed up with other people and our chapter has decided to donate $5,000 to the new lobbyist. Here is the twist if we cannot come up with that money, I Russell Hensel, verbal agreements from John Shishilla and Preston Halstead have decided that we will personally cover whatever is deficient.
Ask for input from the masses. I absolutely hate giving money and people do “what is best for me”. That is total BS and I personally am done with it. If you want my money at least ask my opinion, do not assume what you want is what I want.
After we get that how about putting out 3-5 goals we want accomplished during a legislative session. Doesn’t seem so hard, its very hard to get somewhere you have no destination planned.
Keep people informed as to what is going on and give them a call to action guideance…Like call your congressman, meet with them and discuss this or that. People are very smart and will do whatever produces results, they just need direction, just like I do.
All actions, decisions, and plans will go for nothing else but the improvement of the profession, the positive public perception of the profession and the overall betterment of the profession. This will be for NOTHING more than HOME INSPECTORS, not contractors, not Realtors. We need to be, act and present ourselves as professionals to be considered professionals.
Then maybe one weekend a year make a move on tallahasee…think about 2500 inspectors going to the legislation and walking the halls just like all others do. Get some busses, get some hotels, share stories and have a great time while making our presence known.
All of this is jsut in my head, but everything and I mean everything is conceived with a thought. I am not saying this IS THE WAY…its just what I know and if you have been to a conference, there are a ton of smart people out there where we can tweek this and make it something awsome and powerful.
Hey Mikey…Look what the DBPR says:
General Terms
In general the term “contractor” means the person who is qualified for, and shall only be responsible for, the project contracted for and means, except as exempted in this part, the person who, for compensation, undertakes to, submits a bid to, or does himself or herself or by others construct, repair, alter, remodel, add to, demolish, subtract from, or improve any building or structure, including related improvements to real estate, for others or for resale to others; and whose job scope is substantially similar to the job scope described in one of the subsequent paragraphs of this subsection. For the purposes of regulation under this part, “demolish” applies only to demolition of steel tanks over 50 feet in height; towers over 50 feet in height; other structures over 50 feet in height, other than buildings or residences over three stories tall; and buildings or residences over three stories tall.
A contractor shall subcontract all electrical, mechanical, plumbing, roofing, sheet metal, swimming pool, and air-conditioning work, unless such contractor holds a state certificate or registration in the respective trade category. LMAO…what is your purpose then?
http://www.myfloridalicense.com/dbpr/pro/cilb/codes.html
OOOOOPSIE…nowhere does it say inspect…
FHBA with whom someone we know use to work for and a little thing called $$$$
To run the whole kit and caboodle or to offer any service I choose. To make the big bucks whenever possible. 
In other words, do as little as possible and make as much money off of the work of others! Got it!
Although I quoted you, it was actually directed at all GCs as that is what they basically do. I don’t mean any offense by it, but it is the way it is.
I recall when I did stucco and block work that the total job cost was $XXXXXX.XX and Eric was making 8 bucks an hour!
I don’t either. Everything in it made sense…wait a minute…!:mrgreen:
Got your pm. Thanks!
I tried to send you a pm but t says you don’t accept them.
Excellent point and your position even makes my points stronger and more valid. Name 3 jobs that you were the GC on. Name anything besides stucco you were contracted for. Did you ever actually GC a job? What did you build? There is a large company here that was small amount 5 years ago and now they only build $5,000,000 and up houses. Know HOW they got that? They gave people service and quality work and in the down market they still survived. Why didn’t you? I will tell you why, you were dillusional in thinking it was going to last forever. You sucked on the teet of easy money thinking that in a very busy market they will accept mediocre work. You gave a service that apparently the quality is not sought after. Apaprently you couldn’t hack it in your profession, so I guess we now get the losers of one profession in ours. You call that bragging? Weren’t you the guy trying to win a new kitchen? What GC relies on a contest to build something…tooo damn funny…
I am not stopping anyone from making a living. I am doing EXACTLY what you say we should do. Do EXACTLY what the license allows you to do. The DBPR definitions only I mean ONLY is to do with the construction aspect of the profession. BUILDING things. In those things they “build” they cannot do roofing, electrical, Hvac or plumbing…which if I am not mistaken are a large portion of a home inspection.
You cannot OFFER a service you CHOOSE, you can only offer what you are licensed to offer. So Michael we totally agree we are entiteled to make money at the profession we are licensed to do. We inspect and general contractors build. Agree…