Nick/ Ben—any feedback from Florida regarding acceptance of InterNACHI training for Florida CEU’s?
CE? We’re not even done with grandfathering. All our courses were submitted though, and we are already approved as a school.
Nick
We have proposed a process smiler to Fl’s to the Alberta advisory committee.
How is the FL process working? What pitfalls should We be watching for?
The biggest pitfall is that Division 1 contractors can offer repair services to correct defects they found on their own inspections. This harms consumers as it kills the independence of the inspection process. This harms our industry because it could lead to contractors offering free inspections as lead generators for their contracting companies. I’ve met with the REALTOR groups in FL and they are already preparing to advise all the agents to not use contractors for inspections.
Nick,
I think that will hopefully put guys doing that right out of business. I could not imagine working for at least 4 hours with the hope of finding something wrong.
Then bidding against the 20 other guys that are starving in hopes of getting the work. I hate to disagree with you but I think your fears are unfounded. A few may try but I believe they would realize very quickly that it would be a no win situation.
What about all the guys that are proud members of this organization that happen to be contractors as well? I think that is going to make us look like the scumbags you are trying to protect the consumers against. Are you going to make it clear that you have a great many contractors in your organization that do not do that and that they would be a great choice to do the clients inspections due to the fact that many of us have extensive construction experience and have some insight in the construction process that regular non-conspectors may not have? Is those of us who are contractors well being less important to you and this organization? Are we to be looked down upon because we have additional qualifications?
Nick,
I think that will hopefully put guys doing that right out of business. I could not imagine working for at least 4 hours with the hope of finding something wrong.
Then bidding against the 20 other guys that are starving in hopes of getting the work. I hate to disagree with you but I think your fears are unfounded. A few may try but I believe they would realize very quickly that it would be a no win situation.
What about all the guys that are proud members of this organization that happen to be contractors as well? I think that is going to make us look like the scumbags you are trying to protect the consumers against. Are you going to make it clear that you have a great many contractors in your organization that do not do that and that they would be a great choice to do the clients inspections due to the fact that many of us have extensive construction experience and have some insight in the construction process that regular non-conspectors may not have? Is those of us who are contractors well being less important to you and this organization? Are we to be looked down upon because we have additional qualifications?
I really believe now is the time that all of you that happen to be contractors speak up now. If you do not you are going to be made to look bad. You are all members and have agreed to the COE which prohibits that kind of activity. You are going to lose jobs due to being lumped in with scumbags just because you have additional qualifications.
That’s what I wanted to know–thanks.
I’m a licensed GC in my state, and so it isn’t anything against GCs. The problem FL GCs have is the FAR. The FAR isn’t going to permit their members to recommend inspectors who have a financial interest in finding defects, of course.
I hear that they are going to write into their inspection riders that any inspection report tainted by conflict of interest is not valid. So a buyer could potentially use a contractor who offers repair services (non-InterNACHI-member/contractor), but the report will be of no use to the buyer with regards to the real estate contract negotiation.
I am not worried…Nick said this would ONLY happen over his DEAD body. So, I worry not…Right Nick?
What about those of us who are both?
What are you doing to keep us from getting lumped into that category?
You will simply have to choose being a boy or a girl. You simply can’t be both at the same time and get any respect in this business.
What are you doing to ensure that potential clients are aware that you are not to be lumped into the same category?
There are many contractor/inspector members here that I would never consider as being unethical in their dealings with the general public. Ever wonder how they achieved that?
Do you consider yourself to be a Full time, or Part time inspector?
Everything I do I do is full time. I just happen to have more education and experience in the construction industry than most inspectors and therefore know what causes many of the issues I find. It is a shame that no other contractors speak up. You see to become a Florida Licensed General Contractor it takes much more than just clicking your heals 3 times and proclaiming loudly I AM A HOME INSPECTOR, I AM A HOME INSPECTOR, I AM A HOME INSPECTOR. Up until recently there were absolutely NO REQUIREMENTS needed to call oneself a home inspector. The majority of home inspectors out there did not have to do anything other than get grandfathered in. How come only the folks that have the least amount of verifiable experience seem to think you can only do one thing. Well I guess they** can** only manage do one thing and many very likely could not even dream of becoming a Florida Licensed Contractor.
OK. Mike has asked for other G.C.'s to speak up, so here I am, brother. Like Meeker has stated about himself, the only “contracting” that I am interested in is new construction. I don’t remodel. I love inspecting and helping people through my inspections. I STRONGLY agree that it is a conflict of interest for an inspector to perform work on a home that he/she has inspected.
That being said, it is foolish for the inspector community to try to make GC’s look bad. We should be heralded for our “extra” education and certifications. Granted, a GC license doesn’t necessarily make you a good inspector. It is, however, highly respected and coveted in the construction industry and should be in the inspection industry, as well.
Making it illegal for contractors to work on inspected properties is a good thing. Making contractors look bad weakens the argument.
Either way you come out a winner Russell — J/K Nick
I couldn’t agree more!
I do feel that ConSpectors should be allowed to market themselves for future (non-inspected) work, as I see no conflict of interest with offering your services down the line. I normally establish a good rapport with the Homeowner and state up front that I am not available for the needed repairs, but am available for future unrelated work should the need arise. I have found that they respect and understand that position. Sometimes its difficult to walk away from work, but in the long run it is the right ethical thing to do - It also builds a solid reputation for your referral basis.
If the GC’s don’t want to look bad stay in construction. Let the home inspectors do the inspecting. My doctor is not a plumber.
Don’t tell that to a proctologist.
good one
That is one of dumbest statements I have ever heard. Based on your statement in your bio: *"*I have extensive experience in the Home Inspection, building, and remodeling industries." You are touting your own construction experience to market your inspection business. It appears that you never obtained any construction licenses, however. So, were you working illegally when you obtained your experience or were you just never quite good enough at it to do it on your own?
The analogy that your Doctor is not a Plumber is also an ignorant analogy. Those are two completely different fields. A better analogy would be to say that a Home Inspector is to a GC as a Doctor is to a Surgeon.