Where do we go from here

Some of us are having a meeting on the 23rd to talk about Florida State issues. Several people have been touted as representing us at the state level, I would like to know what we are working towards, so we can support those efforts and move forward. What can we do to help? We can discuss what has happened, but it time to work towards the future.

Amen brother.

IMHO, If you received your license, forget about the state. Licensed members should be meeting to work on marketing. It’s an all-out marketing race now.

You heard it here first

Representing us at a state level, to whom? Just to clarify what the question is.

I do agree with Nick that we have an opportunity here to push ahead of the competition with superior marketing and branding. What is the most cost effective and obtainable way to direct consumers to our product " A licensed insured certified educated professional INachi inspector"

Exactly Kenneth. This is one reason I got off the pot and went ahead to apply for my CMI designation. Once everyone has a license in their back pocket I wanted something to offer in my sales dialog that would make me stand apart. I also freely tell all prospective clients that I am state licensed while many other HI’s are not. I don’t have a problem telling it like it is.

I have no crystal ball, and there is no credential in Florida which is higher than a home inspector’s license.

From now until march of 2011 thousands of licenses will be issued, by the end of 2011 thru the end of 2012 when the original licenses begin to expire, prices for home inspections will drop precipitously and home inspectors will be forced to compete on price alone.

Wise Florida home inspectors will be prepared for the next two years of chaos in which we will see tremendous changes to our profession, things should begin to quite down around the time of the first renewal when most of the wannabe’s will have thrown in the towel. If you are one of the home inspectors who are luck enough to have survived during this period you will have experienced for yourself the $99 home inspection special.

Joseph, I Disagree with your logic! Anyone in the State of Florida previously could do a Home Inspection with nothing but an occupational license and a business name. So at least now you have to be licensed and insured. Yes it may be easy to do but it still precludes many people.
I would think that the opposite would be true in reference to pricing, now that there are actually less people who qualify to do inspections as of July 1st. So that should drive the prices UP not Down.
Not to mention it is a good reason to raise prices to justify the additional expenditures.

From your lips to God’s ear, either way we’ll know for sure come 2012.

I have to disagree with Nick. Now that the state has a hand in we need to keep watch on what laws and rules are headed our way. This way we can help mold them into some thing tha twill help our industry not hurt it. Much as was done with the lisc. law. This is where a state wide organization comes in.

I agree with Ken, before it took little more than to say you were a home inspector and whala you were one. Now at least you have to go the grandfather route or take a 120 hour course and meet the other licensing requirements. The application process alone will weed some people out and the additional cost will have others leave. Hell 80 percent of the inspectors I talked to before licensing didn’t even have general liability insureance, and these guy’s were in it for years.

As for marketing, I use the fact that I’m licensed and others aren’t, at least while I can. When everyone is licensed it will be about differentiating yourself from others just like with any buisiness. If you can’t do that you end up selling on price and that’s no way to make it.

So far the license count is only just hitting HI 400 or so.
There’s only this month then 4 more months to go.

I agree about marketing and also about specific Certification.

The Florida Home Inspecto Council was asked by the consultant hired by the DBPR to develope the SOP for HOme Inspectors. Michael Rowan (spelling??) is the consultant.
Don’t know what the finsihed product is yet - but we will find out soon.

I don’t see it your way. People will now ASSUME that you have a license and that 700lb guy that could never fit in the attic who has NEVER been on a home insection can also get a license and people will view you both as the same…LICENSED INSPECTORS…

So the largest Home Inspection Organization finds out the SOP AFTER its finished? My God do you people prove my point over and over and over…

Can you imagine that it would be any different than ASHI, FABI, NACHI? BTW Rowan is a member of all three.

Nothing else could be done. Nothing anyone ever could do would change this. There was a bill about 6 years ago that never made it that included a SOP & COE. We are dealing with the government Russell. What you or I want are secondary to thier concerns. What they care about is beyond my ability to understand.

All they care about is the revenue from licenses. I hope no one really thinks they are doing all of this for any other reason.

The revenue they (DBPR) will develop from license fees will not cover expenses. They may seek to increase revenues through fines, just maybe.

No - we were actively involved in its creation. But the State had hired Rowan as the consultant. He CHOSE to ask for in put - it was NOT by required the State - he chose to ask the FHIC for input.

At what point my friend - do you assume anyone controls the State of Florida? It is comon knowledge that Inspection depot has the heart of the State. Be it DBPR , Citizens or Department of Finance.
My little red jewled shoes can click all the way to Kansas - and never change that - and neither could you my friend…
Nor can any of the CGC’s, Engineers, Architects, or the other Inspection associations or past WCE’s, ect ect ect…(remember - no bad talk about spelling allowed)

Zoe we can just agree to disagree. You see it from your stand point which is income from the testing. I see it as a disgrace to the profession. We can just mutaully agree that we will never see it each others way because we are looking at it from different views. Maybe your right, maybe your not. What you doing does not portray the inspection community as a profession but just cheapens it in my eyes. I have tried to just hang loose and let it all go by for the past day or two and yet you force me to respond…can we just call it you see it your way and I see it mine until saturday. If not I shall keep replying. But I did promise Ken to stop…so please let it just go for now. If not…well then game on…

Russell writes:

What “income from the testing” are you talking about? As a service to our members, Zoe graciously offers (you don’t have to accept) to host, proctor and grade our accepted exam for 1/3rd the price of the other exam. Worried she’s getting rich off it?.. go pay triple to take the NHIE.