John S. just called me and I am begging your pardon but will not comment on this thread anymore. This is public others can view it and do. Just so you know I am anti-establishment do not trust the government to do anything correctly and hate everything political.
Wrong yet again 
Licensed Home Inspectors Inspect.
General contractors inspect and consult and build.
I do both because that is the rights I have earned and the licenses I hold.
Michael
You are the most delusional person I know. If you think being a contractor qualifies you to be home inspector you can not be any more wrong. You are about as right as: you as a GC asking, “what is a TPR valve?” Do you remember that?
I took an inspector class from one of those GC schools, and it was almost as much as a joke as you are. There is more to inspecting than managing a project and reading a set of plans.
AS a licensed Home Builder(yes I actually built homes). I knew nothing about PB, Aluminum wire, because I did not need to know. It was not on the contractor’s test. It is on home inspector test though, is it not? So is electrical, plumbing and HVAC. That is just a small sample.
You claim to be a GC, but we understand you are a stucco guy. Please put this to rest today, list the buildings you built or supervised the structural construction of. I will have the permits pulled and check with the companies to see what your job was on those projects. Do us a favor and list those properties you listed on you contractor’s license application. You can not and will not and we know why. What did you use to qualify for your HI license? I dare you to post the information I ask for.
We are getting tired of you rants and taking over every thread on this message board to assert your ludicrous opinions.
Ba ba ba ba
I did not even bother to read your stupid little rant.
What you fools think means nothing to me
Keep bringing in unqualified hacks to do the work pros should be doing at 1/2 the price.
The only reason you support them is to make money off them
At least I am honest about how I feel.
Goodnight Girls…
Can you prove you did not lie to get your GC license?
Yep.
I proved it when a board of my peers accepted me.
Can you prove your main purpose is not to profit off of the labors of home inspectors?
Catch ya tomorrow dear I am going nightly night.
You cannot prove it, just as I thought.
Yes I am a business man. I make money in several ways. It is called multiple income streams. The smartest thing anyone could do to make money. If you think that I have made more money than I have given you would be wrong again.
I just donated $349 to legislative affairs, promised up to $2000 more, gave the chapter $500. Have taught more inspectors and GCs about inspecting then I can ever be paid for. Not to mention the time or expenses I or my wife have spent for the betterment of the inspection industry in the state of Florida. You even sat through one of my classes.
You still do nothing but suck the life out the industry you do not understand, spew half truths and run your foul mouth language from behind a keyboard.
that is the legacy you leave on the internet and the world
Good night
waaaaaaaaaa you really hurt my feelings that time.
NOT
I guess you had to lie to get you license Huh?
Some of us have actually been in the construction business our whole lives and have earned what we have and the rights that go with it.
I just submitted my credentials and experience and poof I was approved on the very first time I applied.
Still waiting for the apology from the last time you ran your mouth and were wrong.
The legacy I leave on the the world does not have a damn thing to do with any of you fools around here.
Guess Mike couldn’t sleep (1:42 am)!
Everyone have a nice quiet Super Bowl Sunday.
I’ll be participating in the Tour de Bar then back home for the Super Bowl.
The Tour de Bar is a bicycle event where a group of about 100 ride bikes from bar to bar through Lighthouse Point/ Pompano. It starts at 11:00 am and ends at 6:00…for those that make it!
We also raise money for worthy causes.
This year, unfortunately, it is for a dear friends family. A firefighter, Billy Elliot, who lost his life in a training exercise.
http://www.reporthost.com/meeker/barnea4780/ YOURS.completed by a licensed general contractor
http://www.bestinspector.com/SampleReport Mine completed by a Licensed Home Inspector.
$200 report v. $450? report - speaks for itself and shows the disparity in the profession. Given this and foregoing all the hyperbole, maybe there is something positive to discuss in this thread AND, at the risk of being dragged into the fray of “Let’s Unnecessarily Trash Our Profession”, here is my 2cents:
There is a market need for $200 inspections (although my lowest is $250). Just did one the other day for a young couple buying a doublewide mfg home, 5 yrs old. Fully permitted home, vacant one year, short sale. Now, what do they actually need? IMO, they need:
WDO, septic, roof, general wiring/plumbing, structural incl. tie-down, siding and a good scrutiny of windows/doors, caulking, etc. FINDINGS: some minor termite damage, caulking needed, entry door needs trimmed, some wood rot on porch, missing piece of soffit and blocked soffits with batt insulation causing excessive moisture in attic. Charged them $295. 1.5 hrs in the job. 8 page report incl. summary page which told them **what needed to be done and what the expected cost would be to do the repairs. Did not refer one single item to be evaluated by another trade. **We are supposed to be the professional.
Having a builders’ license (with real experience in building homes or commercial buildings) should be a plus to a HI. Having a business degree or real world business experience is a plus. I am a licensed GC, licensed Underground Utility and PSSC. I am a Cert Const Mgr. I have a BS in Const Engr Mgmt and Occ H&S. I am a home builder and have built everything from nuc plants to multi-housing. Yet, when I decided to concentrate on inspection, here is what I found out I needed (in addition to what is required by state):
HVAC tech training (can’t tell you how many HVAC contracts I have let over the years yet I didn’t have a clue as to how to inspect a used one).
Mold/radon training.
Wind mitigation
mfg home tie-down
FHA/HUD 203(k): not necessary unless you want to consult which I did
marketing. I am still learning this and marketing home inspection is unlike anything I have ever done.
WDO. all I knew was I had to have pre-treatment as a condition of the permit.
EIFS/Stucco. Personally I have always tried to not use stucco in my homes and I quickly learned there was alot I did not know about stucco. Given its prevalence in Florida, I do not know how any HI can be proficient in his craft without extensive training in EIFS/Stucco. I must have 200 hours invested in this in past 2 yrs alone and I am still unsure in some cases.
Electrical inspection. Again, like HvAC, I’ve hired/supervised new home wiring/service thru large controls in multi-story buildings, industrial applications, motor control centers, you name it…but guess what, the work was done by a licensed contractor and ultimately inspected by a competent building code inspector; what did I actually know? Having a GC license did nothing to prepare me to inspect a residential panel.
I’ll stop here but the above list is certainly not all inclusive. My point is, those who trash GC’s are wrong and those who assert being a GC makes them a better inspector are equally wrong. Real building knowledge is what is important. Our profession is full of converted GC’s who don’t actually have any experience as well as HI’s who have no business having a license as they equally have no experience.
Education and Experience. This is the key to our profession and this is what should be stressed at all levels. I think a competent HI should have certification/licensure as a HVAC tech, Electrician Journeyman, WDO Inspector, Mold Assessor, Radon Tech, IAQ Sampling, Stucco and at least a Residential Building license. By FL statute, every HI should include these (probably a stretch). If it did, avg HI would be at least $650.
Again, MY 2cents.
Good luck on the bike thing.
Just for the record you can actually get a DUI for riding a bike under the influence.
That would suck especially seeing that you are raising money for folks.
I woke up and could not fall back to sleep so quickly.
William, excellent post! I think you touched all the valid points and I agree with you 100%… Thanks for contributing.
Bert
Excellent post as unsual William, thanks for the insight.
Thanks, Bert. I appreciate that you are willing to stand up for the profession. Just my belief that if HI’s admit what is wrong with themselves and take the steps to make us better, we won’t have to worry about what the AGC or the REA’s think. Our legislative effort should be to INCREASE the standard required to be an HI, INCREASE the standard of continuing education and INCREASE our use of established credentials already in place with the DBPR/CILB. We need to provide a real service and reporting on cracked tiles/walkways, chipped tubs and worn carpet is not it. We should be taking HI licenses away from unqualified holders and make them apprentice for five years. Then, make it hard for the ones left with the license to re-qualify five years from now. Throw away all these BS on-line courses on how to inspect rust and wallpaper. We need real, valued, credentials in code and trade to do our job and provide a high level of service. Last, but not least, too much emphasis on associations with really bad SOP’s and competing business interests. I actually think each state needs its own association which deals with its particular needs and is non-profit and ran by the inspectors. JMO.
William, as usually your posts are very well thought out and an extremely educated view on the topic. I couldn’t agree with you more. You have been a welcome addition to the proffession.
Not sure William if I totally agree with the individual State associations but I do see where you’re going with it. Personally I believe we do need to continue to have a national presence but we also need State branches of that National. I believe that when you have many fragmented portions of the National association within any one State, you lose some degree of effectiveness. Its like watering down a gallon of milk to make it feed more children. Eventually it’s no longer milk but milk colored water they’re drinking with next to zero nutritional benefits. Hopefully that’s a good analogy.
Im not implying there shouldn’t be more interaction and association amongst members at a local level. That’s always a good thing but, I feel there should be a centralized State branch that is the arm of the National HQ. Just my .02 worth.
Bert
Since this is asking for input I thought I might enter this for discussion or thoughts. I will be retiring (again) later this year so I no longer have a real dog in this fight but ran into this recently.
The new FL home inspector law states somewhere the inspector has to do a “complete” home inspection in order the “sell” it as a bonafide home inspection, covering ALL the areas of the home. The situation I was presented with recently was a home buyer interested in a foreclosure that was going to auction wanted me to do a partial inspection on the property (1972 ranch inspired POS) that was having an open house on Saturday and Sunday for two hrs each day. NO utilities and the bank was NOT going to have these turned on for those two days long enough to inspect even though that is now possible with the local utility companies (seen it done many times).
Does the home inspector do these inspections w/o the utilities on and run afoul of the new convoluted and confusing FL home inspectors’ law? As I told the buyer, I could NOT do a thorough home inspection in the two hours allotted with or without utilities (I was not available anyway). I did tell her I could give her the names and numbers of ten of the newest and stupidest home inspectors who would most likely be glad to do a two hr inspection for her is she wanted me to…no answer. All of this was via emails so there was limited communications. I just keep seeing a lot of contradictions, dangerous presedences being set within the confines of the FL law on Home inspections and inspectors. The banks (and many real estate agents) have not even read the law or those who have, caught up with what is happening. In the haste to throw this thing together there have been numerous unintended consequences resulting. The ones who are going to get the poopy end of the stick are the inspectors. Some of the contractors who think they will be exempt from the backlash are in for a rude awakening as well.
Home inspections and insurance inspections have all been just thrown into the pot and there is a lot of confusing and contradictory elements with much disagreement within the ranks and inside the agencies in charge of all of it. NO government agency seems to have a handle on any of it. It won’t be long if not already, you won’t be able to get a screwdriver on the end of the thing to unscrew it. Too many are just ignoring the problem and like kids think if they just hide under the covers it will go away. Good luck in the future to all.
Thanks Doug…appreciate the candor and insight. This is exactly what I am talking about another issue that could be a potential bomb…once again thanks for taking the time to give us input.
Bert, we’re pretty much on the same page. Nothing wrong with national/international associations and they do a lot to promote the profession; but some of their promotions have negative repurcussions such as promoting quantity over quality. None of them promote true background knowledge as a desired or necessary requirement. They promote their schools as a way to pass the test. This is detrimental to the long term value of the profession. In order to get real change and improvement in the profession, it basically has to be done at the state level with one cohesive group. Nothing will get done in FL with too many splinter groups, each jockeying for power/prestige for a few. True inspectors should bypass all these self servers and lobbyist wannabes and form our own cohesive group. If it is open, fair and recognized, you can do anything you want with even 5% participation (which is about all you will get in the early days). The key is to make the profession stronger by making it harder to obtain and hold. Way too easy in Florida at present and this is the fault of the self serving business associations who promoted it. First goal should be to get rid of half of the inspectors. Second, to be a HI, inspections should be over 50% of your gross (like tieing liquor to food sales). Third, at least 40 hrs continuing ed per year which leads to some additional certification, i.e., mold, radon, roof certs, code inspector, etc.
Elevate the profession above all others, lose the riffraff, lose the BS SOP’s which allow most 6th graders to inspect, and no entity will be able to touch the profession. JMO.
Doug,
I think any consumer should be able to order a specific inspection and it is the responsibility of the inspector to make them understand how each component ties to the home as a total system. We do partial inspections all the time: roof certs, wind mits, foundation survey, radon or mold screen, stucco…what’s the difference? That is the problem with a state mandated SOP - it will never be right and the one floating around for approval is complete BS and quite frankly, I find it insulting.