I am considering buying into the Pillar to post franchise. I was wondering if anyone has info that may help me make the correct choise. I am currently independant and not getting many calls. Pillar to post is averaging about 150 inspections per year. I am sure I will gain in popularity but this deal seems to have fell into my lap and I have to decide before too long.
Aulden
Talk to a whole bunch of the franchisees before you do it.
150 inspections a year is kinda low, especially when you consider the franchise fee percentage you have to pay.
Call Frank and get it right from the horse’s mouth:
Aulden
Are you prepared to send part of your monthy income from inspections back to the franchisee?
As Eddy pointed out look at other franchisors as well. And know what your monthly costs will be. I think you will find that you are obligated to conduct your biz to the standards imposed by the franchisor and there may not be much room to deviate from that biz plan. Read the fine print.
Are you prepared to kiss realtors in order to lower your standards to ensure you get enough inspections?
Also check out
http://www.grassroots.ca/
http://www.grassroots.ca/grassroots_franchise_information_v2.html
Speak to Graham Ashdown - President.
Located in St. Catherines Ontario
1-800-687-1925
Thanks guys I will follow up with all your suggestions.
Aulden
Isn’t it great to have all this knowledge and support, good job nachi
You’ve got that right! 
On the matter of the fine print of the franchise agreement I found it interesting the you could not operate an inspection business after owning a PTP franchise for two years even though you fullfilled their five year contract. I also found out that you need to pay PTP the errors and ommisions insurance for a full year after you end the contract. Furthermore they also require you to become a certified CHAPI member within three years.
I haven’t given up on the idea but staying independant seems like a whole lot less hassel.
Aulden
Aulden
That is why I don’t like P2P. I have been involved with a number of clients who used P2P in the purchase of their homes and have experienced poor results. This company also has no problem offering enducements such as trips, TV’s, and other benefits to the real estate community.
I have not also been pleased with their involvement in the Canadian Home Inspection Associations. P2P gave CAHPI approximately $10-15K a number of years ago. Conflict of interest? Nah.
The President of P2P who formerly served on the BOD of OAHI routinely held OAHI board of directors meetings in P2P corporate offices. Can you say conflict? I can! Thankfully he is now out of the picture and out of CAHPI as a director.
Thanks I have decided not to persue the franchise. I will try to advertise my own independant company instead. I really haven’t been pushing it that hard as I try to manage another full time job and a family.
Aulden
Aulden, I’m sure you’ll do fine on your own. Especially with NACHI on your side…everything from brochures to advertising tips. Why give your money away to some franchise and your rights as an independent business man.
Just think of what you can do with those $ instead of giving it away?
I’ve been independent all my life…NO REGRETS
I think you’ve made the right choice, best of luck and…GO-GET-Em:)
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Thanks for the encouragement I need it. I intend on getting further training this winter and going hard in the spring. The best training I am sure is the hands on kind. I hope to get a few more under my belt in the near future. I feel my training is as good or better then many in the industry but the thought of someone suing me is a little disconcerting to say the least. If anyone has a paper based report style they would let me have a peek at I sure would like to see it. If I could figure out attachments I would attach mine. I also use the Carson Dunlope checklist.
Aulden
I was a former franchise owner (not P2P) and i believe the tendency to believe the franchise will bring you business often defeats your own efforts… you become complacent almost! you are better off putting that money into your business and growing your business… the purchase price and monthly fees… yikes… they ate me up during the slow months…
my business has tripled since disolving the franchise relationship! maybe even quadrupled!
best of luck!
I agree with Jeffrey I work for a frachise and they do nothing for the precentage they take off the top.I’m thinking of going on my own by the spring.
Aulden
You are in good company, I use Carson Dunlop reports.
About P2P /More than two months ago I looked into it’s franchise / I really dug into their Offering Circulator /spent over long days and nieghts following the money /The Franchise is owned 83%by another company which has 27 companies/ The Franchise ownes about15 other companies including p2p /money is being lended to who ever/ Comp.have the rieght to keep it secrete /interest is being charged but thier is no time limit on the time frame for pay back /I told their dir. I’m having a hard time following the money /I was told don’t try leave it / need I say more/ thier net did not empress me /your comp. franchise that you by is not allowed to own other assets but they own all kinds that they can rieght off/you have to have the cash they wont let you borrow because they know the Bank will have to look at their books 45 to 75 Can.is what it would have cost /I was a good candidate acoding to them /Iwas told “but Ithoughtyou were on board”/ well do you think there was pressure for a sale /I’llkeep my money and hope nachi will work for me /Just joined nachi / first time on the gossip paper/ be patient /thier is good advice from members out there / regards aurevoir yvonne kafka
Welcome to NACHI where many good Home inspectors become great home inspectors .
A Big improvement to your post is to use the spell check under your letter before posting it .
Much to learn many to help us all learn.
Have thoughs look at this BB much information can be seen in the prior posts.
Stay at it we will do our best to help
Roy Cooke
Yvonne,
You don’t know the half of it. The former President of P2P was on the BOD of OAHI and on the BOD of CAHPI. Now he is out of both, thankfully. P2P is well aware who I am. They have a dart board at corporate headquarters with my picture for the bulls-eye!. This company gave thousands of dollars to CAHI/CAHPI.
P2P President was president of PACHI before it merged with OAHI. Now those former followers of the P2P in PACHI now make up the majority of Directors of the current OAHI board. I have a box full of documents about what went on in PACHI and when they merged with OAHI they brought their bad tactics with them into OAHI, then CAHPI.
This is the same company who offers draws and other questionable incentives to Realtors!
I would suggest you look at other franchisors. A wholely owned Canadian company is Grassroots located in St. Catherines, Ontario.
Yes an audit of OAHI-CAHPI sure would be revealing.
I just last month sold a house, and the buyer brought in a P2P inspector. Now, before I join this dance please let me say that I am aware that one man does not a franchise make…but I do believe one man can break a business.
This “inspector” made several incorrect calls, and left a mess.
This is pretty much indicative of the level of inspection that I have been told of about this firm in my area.
Brian,
I have found P2P franchisees to be less than thorough. I have been retained several times by disgruntled purchasers who made the mistake of retaining P2P because their realtors suggested a P2P inspection. P2P heavily markets to realtors, they are known as not being deal breakers. My clients both sought redress from P2P. One client sought $8500 from their P2P inspector. The inspector gave them the run around and was not eager to return to the house to deal with the problems till the clients retained me. When I phoned the P2P inspector and told him who I was and that I had been retained by his former clients, he was at their house lickly split. He settled out of court for $4500. I believe the franchisee was a former school teacher who bought a franchise. He has since sold his franchise to another person.
On the second one a client used P2P and had major concerns and sued the P2P franchisee. My client was seeking $80K. That inspector is no longer in the business, the report went missing, and items noted in the findings of the report were less than satisfactory.
I continue to hear negatives about P2P both from agents in my area and people who have used their services in the past who were not impressed. P2P may like to think it has a good image but in reality when you begin to hear negatives time and time again from different sources I would say there would be truth to the concern.
No National initiative, or entry requirements in OAHI-CAHPI will get rid of this problem.