This is my sample essay:
My company was hired to do a home inspection for a potential buyer. During the inspection we found multiple structural issues with the home. After I submitted the report to the client, they asked me if I was interested in performing the work. I explained that my company could not perform any of the work on this property for the next 12 months, and they would have to find their own contractor to perform the work. I would be happy to come back after the work has been completed and inspect it again. The client was very happy with my honesty and that I would be willing to come back after the work was complete to give another inspection.
Research essay
I researched a Garage inspection.
I learned that you can’t assume that all renovations or modifications done to properties have had proper permits and plans approved by the local building dept. I will most likely encounter a lot of home owner renovations that will not be done correctly or be up to the standard code. It will be imperative that I keep this in my mind during inspections, and make sure to document any unsafe alterations that have been made to the property. In the article I researched the roof trusses have been altered and improper fasteners were used to support the roof structure.
My essay on a hypothetical conflict of interest, or violation of the code of ethics:
A home owner has hired me to inspect his house before he lists it for sale. Part way through the inspection, he asks me not to include problems witht the deck that is attached to the house, because he has a contractor coming later that week to make repairs to the deck.
I inform him that as a licensed home inspector, I am required to report on the present condition of the property, and that he can hire me to re-inspect the property at a later date.
My Essay on an article I read and researched:
I read the article on insulation R-Value. During home inspections, I've seen several attics that have a combination of fiberglass batt insulation, with a layer of blown in, loose cellulose insulation on top. While reading the article, I looked up the recommended R-Values for attic insulation in the zone I inspect in. The chart I found lists the different types of insulation and how their thickness relates to their R-Values. When a client asks insulation related questions, I want to give the correct answers.My essay .
If before performing a home inspection , the realtor said to me that the buyer already knew about a certain defect and that they wanted me to leave it out of my report and in exchange they would give me a monetary payment or a promise of referrals . that would be against the code of ethics. also , If a potential home buyer would want to hire me to perform a home inspection on a house being sold by a member of my family , that could potentionally be a conflict of interest.
I think that this section is very important for new home inspectors. Always following a standard practice is important for the clients.
I am writing a sample essay: My brother in-law called me the other day and asked me if i would inspect one of his homes he is trying to sell, He said it has some issues that is keeping the home from selling and asked me to write the inspection in a way to where the house would pass inspection and the home buyers would not see the issues on paper. WHAT DO YOU DO?
I also own a property management company; it is possible that a client would ask me (my other company) to manage the property that they are about to buy. It would be a violation of the InterNACHI ethics to accept this person as a client within 12 months of performing the inspection.
The customer asks me to repair a roof vent that is leaking he says he has the materials and will pay me extra for the job. I respectfully explain to the customer that I am unable to perform any repairs or apply any remedy to a property that I have inspected. The customer does not like this and becomes upset that I won’t fix the roof for him and demands I do it for payment of the inspection. I tell the customer that unfortunately I will still be unable to perform the repair and offer him the name of a qualified roofing agency to assist him with his needs.
I am offering a review/synopsis of this article:
It’s about the “greening” of your business. There’s a couple of different reasons why you might want to do this; save money, appeal to a certain segment of your customer base, make a small difference in the world.
You can save money by using technology to navigate you in the most effecient manner between inspections and appointments. Also, using recycled paper or upcycled office furniture etc. to save additional money. It’s also very simple to just lower the heat in the winter time and turn up (down) the AC temp in the summer.
Appealing to a certain demographic, in certain areas of the country might be beneficial to setting you apart from your competition. Certain segments of your customer base might be interested in seeing you drive a hybrid vehicle, cut down on paper products, etc.
Finally, just making a small difference in the way that your business operates is a good way to “pay it forward” if you will and make your little part of the world a little nicer for yourselves, your family and for your community.
This is a test: I am studying on back drafting: I have learned that lets say you have a fireplace and your “draft diverter” does not work you have the potential/chance of dying. This is very important to test as an inspector. Lives matter
The Article I read was A Garage Inspection by Kenton Shepard. He stressed the importance of inspecting the roof trusses for improper alterations and improper bearing points. It was interesting to see the alterations that were made to the roof trusses in this particular inspection. The bearing points were almost nonexistent in the aspect of providing support. It appeared someone had modified the garage at one point and replaced some roof trusses and in doing so they had screwed under spec joist hangers to drywall to hold the trusses in place. This article opened my eyes to the insufficiencies that I may come across in my own inspections.
i informed the potential buyer that they needed to do repairs to the redwood deck due to improper spacing between the pickets ,and they asked me if i would be able to help them with the repairs, and i replied that i could not because that would be against my code of ethics!
Code of Ethics essay:
As a licensed inspector, there is a code of ethics that must be adhered to. These codes are in place to prevent people from performing unscrupulous acts on each other.
A couple examples of this behavior that you WILL run into are: Homeowners asking you to overlook a crack through the foundation of the house, (A crack ultimately caused by a sinkhole that swallows the house in its entirety six months later). Another example would be a realtor, asked to provide the name of a competent inspector, contacting you and negotiating an exchange of untraceable diamonds for an inspection report listing such numerous faults that the homeowner feels forced to unload the house as quickly as possible into the hands of "convenient cash buyer" that the realtor has lined up for this very occasion.
Though these examples are extreme and the names of these people have been left out for their protection, the point is that when everyone is set to look out for their own best interest it is up to you to do the right thing each and every time.The article I read was "I formed a corporation or LLC, now what?
The article was a simple one. An individual has the option to form a corporation in order to isolate them from the liability brought on by the failings of their company. When this is done the company becomes it’s own entity, so much so that the company would have its own version of a social security number called a tax ID number. If this is done, however, the company needs to be run by the laws governing corporations and not as a personal business of the owner. If the owner fails to do this they can be found liable by the courts through a process known as “piercing the veil”. This process allows the courts to uncover the companies when it is being run as an “alter ego” of the owner. In this scenario, since the company is an alter ego of the owner instead of being its own entity, the courts can find the owner liable for the companies failings.
There are many ways’s that an owner can run a company. The solution is to find one that benefits the owner and the company so that they might find success.
Code of ethics breach, creative essay.
After building a steady stream of clientel I was contacted by a realtor whom promised compensation in return for passed inspections. The realtor offered “bonuses” in return for completed home sales that passed inspection. This realtor showed clear signs of unethical practices. To maintain my level of professionalism I was obligated to report this through the appropriate channels.
Sample essay.
Upon arriving at the home to be inspected, I was meet by the buyer Realtor. The Realtor asked for the crack in the back porch not to be reported as major concern since it could spoil the sale. I responded that I would have to report what I found and the crack also went across the floor of the house and up the wall. When telling the agent what I found and it was a possible structural issue,it was insisted to not report it or not get any referrals, saying I could not do that and that I would no longer be able to continue the inspection if I could not report my findings as they were.
Summary of knowledge gained from coursework.
I have no previous experience in the Home inspection industry. That being said, I am pleased to see and have learned about the level of professionalism inspectors are held to at InterNachi. As with any career a code of ethics and standards of practice are a must. I was also made aware of specific examples on how one may breach these standards. This course is required for any inspector to be clear on what is expected of them.
sample research
A garage inspection,
I have learned that the hangers must be attached to a structural member and not through anything such as drywall, and that only structural sheer screws are allowed or proper nails providing the specified sheer value. Also no fastening modifications can be made without a structural engineer.
Repairs after Inspection:
My background is P&C insurance. Many of my insurance clients know of my inspection activities. Recently a client whose spouse is a Real Estate Agent asked a question.
An inspector offered to repair an item (for comensation) that was deemed deficient during his inspection. TREC has set a standard that prohibits inspectors from doing any repairs for a period of 12 months after the inspection. Obviously, this is a violation of the Ethical Standard set forth by TREC.