Local Franchise Inspector give Gov't Ammo

After a horrible experience which lead to this family of 5 with a disabled child living in a camper, my wife and I did what we could to help. My wife was there on behalf of our family, and I was there on behalf of the GOOD, ETHICAL & CARING Ontario Home Inspectors to show that one bad apple doesn’t have to spoil the barrel. There are GOOD inspectors, but just as any industry, there is the good, bad and the ugly. This AmeriSpec inspector was the ugly. This woman paid $500 for a 1 hour blind inspection. She paid the realtor the money, who then gave the inspector $400. The bill stated (Realtor Fee). She showed me the bill from the inspector.The average price for the house would have been around the $300 range (average for the size of the home for our city). Worst of all…she never got her report. When asked for it later, AmeriSpec refused to contact her.

Once again, a great example of why franchises don’t work and why licensing doesn’t work. A franchise owner can wave “30 years” experience under the AmeriSpec title on his first day, just a a newly licensed inspector can (as Nick said) wave the same qualifications as an experienced inspector without ever completing his first home inspection.

Both examples show the inspector pulling the wool over the governments eyes.

My quotes were obvioulsy not exact. But in my opinion this place was built by a moron. Then, it’s 3rd and 4th level were finished by his blind step-son. (or at least thats how I saw it) I helped build luxury homes with the best company I have ever seen. The homes being built in this city by untracable Toronto contractors is out of control.

Yes I can totally agree Stephen! Glad to see you were able to help out this family.

Kevin, I’ve been told that multiple media outlets including CTV and HGTV are looking to stick with this story as it developes. I have also been asked if I would be willing to interview for interested parties as I did walk through the home yesturday. I’m wondering why no other inspectors or association members in my city ahve reached out? Better order my NACHI jacket and get some t-shirts for my company made! lol

In all seriousness, I really hope that anyone who might have some guilty moments about their practices to receive more referrals reads this article and sees how 10 years of making great money can be gone in a snap. This guy is screwed. Most likely because the franchise taught him how to get leads. Sucks, but morals and common sense should have prevailed years ago.

If anyone can help this family out, that’d be great. With licensing a possibility in Ontario it would make a great statement about caring inspectors and InterNACHI as well.

Again congratulations. It could have been worse. P2P could have done the inspection.

They seem to have a similar track record. This guy from AmeriSpec has been sued successfully multiple times as his past is being brought back in the public light. These franchises are a scam in my opinion.

I don’t know about Amerispec’s “in house” training, but I understand Pillar to Post has fairly extensive training before releasing their guys to the public. I know a couple of pillar to post guys and they do good inspections (curse them anyways…:D)

Unless you know something different about the local guy in Windsor??

Was it Amerispec of Windsor that did the half-a s s ed job?

Yes I am told P2P gives a 10 day instruction much on report writing .

The one in our area had a variety store before becoming a P2P franchise he lasted about 5 months~

This is very sad situation :frowning:

Little side note, I think it is too bad that the " industry average is $300…" was mentioned. Home inspectors are always complaining about how fees are too low etc…
The real problem is not the higher fee these people paid, but rather, the very poor service vs value. Also having paid the agent who in turn paid the HI was bad since sure enough, the home buyers had no right to the report as they didn’t directly pay for it. I wonder if the agent will keep doing to this practice and risk his/her business for $100…

How long after the initial inspection did you visit the house?

http://www.houseinspectionsbc.com/article_consumeralert.html

http://www.penciltrick.com/index.php/service-based/pillar-to-post/

Great job Stephen!! I had a similar phone call about another inspectors report…no mention of mold or carpenter ants …but they were there. The woman’s husband removed all the mold covered insulation in the basement and carried it through the house. I heard a baby in the background so I told her to get out of the house and call a mold remediation service and pest control and live somewhere else for a couple of days.
I advised her to call the inspector inform him and see what he will do, then call her lawyer.
This crap has got to stop!
Again way to go Stephen!

If we can get a few of these homies to pay to fix these concerns.
I expect many would improve their inspections immediately.

Great work.
The BBB have a good rating on them…
I heard they are in bed with realtors in Montreal. I have been told by 2 agents.
As I explained to my client in front of the owner and sellers agaent about the mold in his attic and rotted roof the agent told him they will recommend a AmericaSpec HI to the next purchaser.
No joke.
They home sold one week later.
Roof and deck needed replacement and the remediation was 15 large. I counted 21 square. count on 1,000 to ,1200 a square.

According to the AmeriSpec Windsor website, this goofball is a member of CAHPI (Canadian Association of Home & Property Inspectors)

Funny how once again, one if their members is being sued for absolute negligence. I remind you, this guy has been successfully sued multiple times over 15 years. And CAHPI thinks THEY deserve to control the home inspection industry in Ontario, Alberta & BC. REALLY???

Maybe our friend Aimee should be forwarded CAHPI’s role of putting Canadian Consumers in harms way over the years?

Yes Stephan. CAHPI is distinguishing itself but for all the wrong reasons.
Not coming to CAHPI’S defense but homies that have been REGISTERED oppps, that are CANADIAN REGISTERED HOME INSPECTOR have paid a entrance fee that is exorbitant and waited 2 years and pass through many hopes to become a **CANADIAN RECOGNISED HOME INSPECTOR. **

The truth behind CAPHI is they are a marketing machine trying to live up to money for education that was created long ago in a land far far away…


Stephan. from what I see CAHPI has not invested into the members. It invests self hype to provinces MPP’s while they denounce other associations. A well paid out scenario all over by PHPIC ANIEB or NBIEA in Quebec’s offical language and the NHICC. They have one common bar. The last acronym.
The reality is CAHP members have over paid to see CD education and jump the the NHICC hopes. Inspectors realize they have:
A:They over paid. B: They have been sold marked hype. C: They are now part of Toth’s association legacy.
After spending all that money and time they will do and say anything to get back a bit of what they invested.
The kicker…most well become InterNACHI certified at the end.

On a serious note. It is unfortunate that the home purchaser suffers due to all this nonsense Stephan. Realtors are more to blame than any one reason perior!
You seperate referals from AGENTS and the market becomes a different place.
Most are second hand car dealers.
A sad statement but true.

It will be settled amicably out of court and AmeriaSpec is saved by the realities it loves.
CAHPI is a marketing machine and no one deserves to control home inspection anything!
Nice to see you researching buddy.
I hope to have a coffee with you one day.
Best regards.
Robert

(“Funny how once again, one if their members is being sued for absolute negligence. I remind you, this guy has been successfully sued multiple times over
15 years.”)
Can you confirm this, example court cases or is it just hear say information .
We need to be careful what we say .
I would love to read some of his cases Thanks … Roy

Can’t help that your licencing board doesn’t “work”.

If were here in TN, your licence would be pulled within the week and you would be out of business till things were “settled” one way or the other.

The same licencing board would also be pulling the RE Agents licence…

Without the Licencing Rules, this crap can go on all day long with no recourse.
Just the fact that a report was not provided would get you shut down around here…

If my Insurance Company does not get my Accord Form to my Licence Board, I have a certified letter at my door within hours…

You may feel that you can operate your business ethically and properly with out a licence but do you want to be put in the same barrel as these crap heads?

I used the same Standards that the State of Tennessee adopted for 6 years before licencing came into effect. I used the NACHI Inspection Agreement from day #1.
I had to answer a bogus complaint in court and the SOP I used, that was made Law by the time we finally got to court, snuffed that complaint in the first 15 min.!

It would not have been so easy as there was previous case law and the clients attorney was using the old “this is how we have done it in the past…” against me.

At least today I have something specific as to what is and what is not within the Scope.
Another thing, if my client has a beef, they can go online and state their case to the Licencing Board who will knock it down if it is outside the Licencing Rules. All this will be done in 30 days, not 2.5 years… You may be in the clear, but you still have to pay your lawyer for every postage stamp and phone call for 2.5 years! That in of itself makes me feel that Licencing may in fact work (for me).

Not all States (Florida & Texas) work the same as they do here, but that’s because the HI Industry “let it happen” in most cases. Instead of fighting for nothing at all, why not fight for what is proper and acceptable practice? Licencing will eventually happen, if not today, eventually.

If your state does not require a contractors licence, you’ll be the only one in the argument with a licence. Argument closed!

If the Licence fees bother you, go work in a real JOB and let your boss take care of that…

So all the crap heads get a license. Doesn’t change the equation, just more crap heads running around with a license. Licensees still get sued for negligence.

Licensing doesn’t change behaviour anymore than licensing drivers keeps bad drivers off the road.

Licensing doesn’t change behaviorr I concur. Its an escape goat for provincial governments.
Just look at BC and Alberta. Back to the drawing board because they rushed instead of collecting fact by a third party.

What licensing does is allow all home inspectors to look the same.
Years of service mean nothing to the average purchasers of real estate property. Why pay more when you can get the same service at the lowest rate. He/She are insured.
They all must know the minimum basic requirements to be an home inspector and have passed the test…
Let me offer him or her a smaller fee. They are all required to know the same information dear. If he/she make an error they will fix our new dream home.

It does cull the heard but there needs to be a separation of real estate agent referrals.

Associations do not push this in fear of losing membership.
Government’s do not do this due this for fear of losing all that lobbing money that keeps them in power.

In reality is if real estate agents were not allowed to refer home inspectors financial institutions would take less risk and our dollar would be that much safer.

Just my 2 cents.

For all to view I wrote a blog about franchise qualification requirements Have a read it is an eye opener.

http://www.muskokahomeinspection.ca/Bracebridge%2CGravenhurst%2CMidland%2CDorset%2CHuntsville%2CMuskoka%2CHome%2CCottage%2CCommercial%2Cfranchise%2Cinspections+

Very well done Bruce.