HI Licensing coming to Washington State

General Inspection Topics Legislation, Licensing, Ethics & Legal Issues
41

I think that, if you will study the current board and the archives - then compare what has actually happened in states that have turned control of the inspection industry over to the government instead of the market - you will discover *additional *things to be concerned about.

After reading the bill that was last proposed, you would have several schools in your state already pumping in several hundred *“licensed” *(which consumers equate as being "equally skilled and qualified") home inspectors offering $99 specials just to get a booking. That’s the first concern that comes to my mind as I read that bill.

42

Like I’ve said before. I’m all for getting the license and working on the problem from the inside out. I’ll be going in four weeks as a regular appointment I have every tuesday is in Port Townsend which is totally the opposite direction.

I’ve actually received several calls for inspections and I am turning them down (which really sucks) until I get the license. It doesn’t change how I feel about the licensing, but I am not going to practice without it.

Also, E and O and General Liability are all becoming much more highly attainable so it will be easier for people to obtain the necessary insurance requirements.

Of course if I can find a day other than a Tuesday that I can take the test I will certainly do so. It bites turning down $450 on a Sunday. :frowning:

43

I don’t know Jim, the guys in Florida continually post inspectors working for peanuts.

Maybe it’s the NACHI concentration causing it…:smiley: …since they don’t have licensing.

44

There is low-balling all over the place, Dale. We got 'em in St. Louis…and they are ASHI members, by the way. $175 per inspection.

But state control replaces market control, and with that comes the state telling the citizen what a good inspector is…which is…a “licensed” inspector. The citizen is then forced to ask…and logically, IMO…why should I pay this “licensed” inspector $400 when this “Licensed” inspector will do it for $125?

Meanwhile, as the consumer and the two inspectors are working on cutting that deal…somewhere in town…the graduating class of “Tuesday” is hitting the streets with their new licenses and flashlights…:smiley:

Welcome to “licensing”

BTW, if you read the last WA proposed bill, the education vendors’ lobby got the first licks in. It’s a trip.

45

It really makes no difference, license or unlicensed, lowballers will come and go.

If one has a good business with repeat customers, you can just look and smile (actually feel sorry for them), because they will not last.

46

Hell Jim, the realtors go out of business here as fast or faster than inspectors, it’s a continual cycle…kind of fun actually…:smiley:

47

**Lewis Capaul of Rathrum, Id: **

**I will be kind to you this time - that is to say, I will forgive you in advance of your apology. ****In your recent post you made a PUBLIC statement about the way I do business that is NOT TRUE. Your statement could affect my business and certainly affects the respect I receive from fellow HI’s. Here is what you said: "… **we are stuck with a Law that very few HI’s like, but ignoring it like Dennis … " This defines your character. I am very sorry this happened to you as I can defend and prove my compliance, but you cannot change our perception of the words you put on paper. I will give it to you that at least you attempted to understand where I am coming from - I am not sure that James connected with my point. (I’ll get to you next James.)

The way I do business is the best that the client can receive, in his/her best interest, **and is in full compliance with our DOA’s Law. **I do Home Inspections for my client *first and second as a source of income. Like many other HI’s I love this business because (and foremost) I know what I am talking about and secondly I am deeply gratified by the appreciation expressed by each and every client. Compliance can be “gray” as I have clearly indicated but there are too many greedy, self-serving HI’s without the good sense that would allow them to survive having to compete only against “KSA” verses “KSA” (or “Service offered” verses “Services offered.”) Maybe most of these types prefer to generate business by reading books, interpreting and creating laws that by the nature of the law restrict free admittance of competition. This is exactly what James stated in a previous post - he enjoys the fact that the law restricts competion (but did not say ‘and therefore reduces his need to produce a really good product’) - sort of like Socialism or Communism isn’t it? *** I look foreward to hearing from the DOA and to reading their final report. I don’t know how many, or if any operate as I, but I will “take poetic license” and speak for them by saying that your hopes to eliminate your competion are only partically fullfilled so watch yourselves - we have learned to operate smarter.

To James:
**I hope you will consider medication for your impatience to address the concerns of others. Please take this opportunity to look within ask if maybe medication might help. **
Let me show you. As I mentioned above, Lewis acknowledged my attempt to explain why it is okay to visit the inherent “gray” in all law. At least he tried to understand. Better communicators often retreat from conversations with those who show an inability to care about their opinion. If we understand a question, we owe an answer. I have found that sometimes our interactions are not a matter a choice - if they were medication would make no difference. Think about your conversations with all of those around you - what percent of time are you talking and what percent of time are they talking? The ratio should be 50:50. If it is not “most” of the time (there are exceptions) you are probably not showing others that you care about them (and if you don’t why should they talk to you?)
Okay, I am completely wrong (lets say.) I am on this post because I hope to gain/give some wisdom or facts that I or someone else does’nt already know. **James: FOCUS… **- what I have learned from you is that people who don’t comply with the law hurt your income and that is all that you care about. Yes, you did say that a WDO inspection is good for the client but I have not said, implied, or otherwise inferred that a WDO is not a good thing. I put to you the “what if” scenario with ‘…speed limits are laws too … and you probably don’t mind breaking those laws … why are DOT Traffic Laws different than the DOA laws?’ So far, your response has taken me to here: ](*,) However, talking to one’s self does help to clarify some issues -thank you for giving me that. Should you decide to respond please remember I know that you and those like you are out there and for this reason I am, and have been, in compliance with the DOA law. You seem to think that I have to like it - I don’t have too like it and I don’t have to stand by an ignor it. Right?

James B.: I enjoy your contribution to these posts! Keep it up. (You too Brian2 - you just couldn’t be happy staying on topic…:smiley: )

David:
Many HI’s, like yourself, enjoy learning and sharing their knowledge with clients. I love to lean and these Beetle, Termite, Ant, Moisture & … stuff is exciting - I wish that I had this knowledge twenty years ago! Yes, I do help others make a living and we both learn from each other in the process - wow for the client!

**WINDY: **
** BULLSEYE! You’re a Firstclass Marksmen (Marksperson?) ** And one hell of chess player (I know we have never played chess but I have followed some of your posts.) ** :smiley: :smiley: :smiley: **

**I have two hopes: 1. Repeal the DOA law, 2. Watch our legislature to see that this kind of nonsense does not continue. The names given previously of those who are on watch will help; and, I hope to offer my assistance to this effort. Thanks to all. :smiley: **

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**A genuine compliment from a true gentleman. Thank you for that and for the wisdom reflected in your post.
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(You too Brian2 - you just couldn’t be happy staying on topic…:grin: )

What?:smiley: :wink:

You already have Licensing in WA, I was just pointing that out.

50

To: Stephen Stanczyk, Kapowsin,

I love your infusion of fact with passion! I share your concern with the requirement to beg some group for acceptance and work for them for little to no compensation - and we’re expected to be grateful for the opportunity be among the “elite.” Do a good job - you get my respect; talk a good job - you get my goat.
Yes, a State or National Standard may somewhat improve the quality of an inspection - certainly guarantee’s nothing to anybody except insurance companies and training companies!
It is awe inspiring to consider the number of truly brilliant people (HI’s) that post on these threads. But, I don’t want to be them or be like them - I appreciate them for their contribution. They however, in and of themselves are nothing without those of us with more average intelligence who make up the majority of the industry. While they don’t want to accept us and be one of us as we are, they themselves do not define what a good inspector is. It seems that they so despise us, or feel so superior to us, that they have created the CMI and who knows how many other “*Super” *Home Inspector credentials are out there. This is why I am inclined to encourage local “State” criteria - no personalities to deal with - just the law (and its Gray areas) as seen in print.
As we see, non-exclusivity doesn’t just happen - we must see to it that we are not bullied by special interest. I hope to hear from anyone who wants to seriously propose to repeal the DOA law. I see it had substantial support - Why? Was it BIG MONEY? (if so we may have to live with it.) Those with big money in the HI business are likely to be those who like the current laws so to compete with this might be tough. However, Florida NACHI members have done well … :smiley:
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51

The Florida NACHI members are some of the most vocal critics of lowball HI’s Dennis.

52

Brian2, who brought up Pest Inspections? Yes, it is funny how we are trying to stop something that is no worse than the existing law, which no-one seems to be willing to challenge. Thanks for getting involved. :smiley: :wink:
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:smiley: :smiley: :smiley:

54

I believe you brought it up Dennis when you started this thread about HI laws in WA. It seems there are laws on the books that many choose to ignore.:frowning:

55

Admittedly, I have given little thought to lowballing. Rather than take a stand I would rather see what people think?

From the top of my head:
Some tile layers need $5K to complete job “X.” Some will bid $3K - I can’t see this changing in any industry. Here is what I have found - without exception, Mr. $5K cares about the quality of work that his client receives - every time without fail. On the other hand, Mr. $3K may or may not care - yet without exception Mr. $3K will claim to offer better value for the buck. Sometimes I am sure the $3K job is a better value - if you have the wisdom to discern the genuous from the ingenuous then you will get a better value. I have to remember that behavioral psychologist claim that about 20% of us can lie without our conscience giving us away. NO WAY TO KNOW! My daughter-in-law got Mr $3K and began recommending to all her friends - she did not have a clue what good work should look like. Does this phenomenon ensure a future for the lowballer? Probably.

Going to my cave now …:wink:
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56

Okay, put another notch in your keyboard - you got me. :smiley:
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57

Dennis, you certainly gleaned a lot of incorrect opinion of me from my posts in this thread.

  1. I’m a communist
  2. I need medication
  3. I only care about how much money I make (if that were true, I’d have never left my cushy, high paying job to be a HI)
  4. I dominate conversations
  5. I’m a speeder (ok, you got me there)

I think you should probably re-read my posts.
BTW, I think you’ll see I never said you weren’t in compliance. I spoke only in general terms.

58

Thanks James, I recognized that you did not call me to the floor about non-compliance - that was James. I didn’t say you dominate conversations - do you? Like you, my Socialism comment was a general statement about protectionism and its results and how your comments seem to support that notion. I cannot figure why it is okay to abuse one law but not another and was hoping, since you are in that category (speeding you said) that you could explain it - and all I got, of substance, was that it makes you money. Are you really that kind of guy? (Good or bad? i don’t know.) Actually, I am looking for help so I can accept the situation and you, while trying, have not been much help - but I think you could be. I can be quite a Dick myself (as you have seen) but the medication has helped (but not always.)
You seem to be a good guy. Good night - enjoyed your input. :slight_smile:
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59

This is a good point. Besides for those of you that are against your current law, you might find that you have to do WDI inspections anyway in order to get business. As your neighbor to the south, I’m not required by law to do pest inspections. Oregon HI’s are licensed with the state’s Construction Contractors Board. In order to do pest inspections we have to be licensed with the Department of Agriculture as well. We can choose not to offer or perform WDI inspections. But we are required by law to state on our contract whether we offer a WDI inspection and if it costs extra or is included in the cost of the inspection. When I told the friend who trained me that I didn’t plan on doing WDI inspections because I didn’t want to deal with the added liability; he said, “good luck getting any inspections, none of us like doing them, but all the clients insist on getting one.”
Getting the license with the Dept of Ag. ending up being a good thing though as I’ve taken 10 hours of CE this year and have learned a great deal about wdi. It’s helped my clients on a couple of the inspections where I spotted conditions I otherwise would not have been trained to notice. And that’s what we’re all about, providing information that our clients need to make educated decisions about the purchase of their homes.

60

The market is dictating this…not the law…which is how it should be.