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Hi, Let's get real here. Copyright has a lot to do with the question of whether someone is profitting from the work. Naturally, the author of the piece wants to paid for his/her work. So, if you print out this article as a handout and then charge your clients for it, instead of giving it to the client free, you've deprived the author of the potential income from that source and have essentially stolen the work. Nobody here has told you to do that and I certainly hope that nobody does. However, the intent of the article - being published in a publicly available magazine and placed on the internet as a free-to-download-and-print document - is for it to get maximum distribution and for people to know where it comes from. The author was paid by PM for his work, so he's no longer entitled to it and it belongs to PM. If someone sells that, they are cheating PM. However, if they print it out and give it to people that it was meant for - homeowners - free of charge, they are helping to distribute it to PM's target audience and the information crediting PM as the source on the printout drives that audience back to PM. Lighten up folks. It's the internet and it's about sharing information. Why do you think TIJ exists? ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

By Mike O'Handley - Editor, TIJ Johnny just got into the business and has been told that the average inspector in his area does about 400 inspections a year. Being a realist, he figures that's an inflated figure and plans to shoot for 200 jobs a year. He wants to net $60K after overhead and taxes (This is the only place where he's not a realist). After he's mentored with a guy in town for a month or two and done a few practice inspections, he figures out that his inspection of a 2500sf home will probably take 3-1/2 hours and that it'll take him another 3-1/2 hours, including travel time to and from, to write the report. Total = 7 hours per inspection. Trying to decide what he needs to charge when he hangs out his own shingle, Johnny sits down with a pencil and paper. He decides that, being new, he'll need to low-ball everyone else's price if he wants to get the referrals that the guys at the inspection school told him would be showered on him by real estate folks. The guys that made him a home inspection God at the 5-day home inspection course had told him that roughly half of what he grosses will be eaten up by overhead and taxes, so he swags $20. per hour as what he thinks he needs to net. "Lesse," calculates Johnny, "7 hours X $20 per hour = $140, so if I double that I'll get $280 per inspection. That's at least $100 less than anyone else around. Heh, heh, this is going to be easy," he chuckles. Then, just to be sure, Johnny multiplies that figure times the 200 inspections that he thinks he'll be able to do and discovers that, at that rate, he'll only gross about $56,00 per year, leaving him only $28,000 per year to pay his rent, put food on the table, pay his utility bills and feed Gorgon, his giant English bull mastiff." It isn't much and it's only 46.6% of his goal. "Damn!" says Johnny, "I've got to either do a lot more inspections or raise my prices if I want to make my objective!" So, Johnny tries figuring it again at $30 net per hour. 7 X $30 = $210 X 2 = $420. X 200 = $84,000 gross or only $42,000 net per year. "Damn," he says, "If everyone else is telling me the truth, I'll be lucky to get between 80 and 100 inspections my first year. Even at this rate, I'll bankrupt myself in about 12 months. Ain't no way I can low ball anyone if I want to stay in this business for any amount of time." Johnny goes down to the local bar to partake of some thought lubricating liquid and wakes up in the drunk tank the next day with a hangover. After he's sobered up and has been cut loose, Johnny goes home and sits down to once more recalculate. "Lesse," he says, "$40. an hour X 7 hours = $280. X 2 = $560 X 200 = $112,000 gross a year in order to net only $56,000. Fer cryin' out loud, this ain't gonna be as easy as I thought!!!" Johnny goes to bed with a migraine. The next morning, Johnny is frustrated. His dreams of making BIG money in the home inspection business have been quashed. Finally, he has an idea, he decides to go to Big Bill, the inspectingest Inspector around, whose been inspecting since long before Johnny got his first job flipping burgers down at Burger Whopper, and asks Big Bill how he can make the BIG money. "What BIG money?" asks Bill, I've been in this business for nearly 20 years and I'm lucky if I can net $45K a year. "Dang," says Johnny, "Where's all that full-time pay for part-time money that the magazine ads told me I was going to make?" Big Bill looks at Johnny, winks and says, "Well, it's definitely part-time work alright, but I've yet to see any full-time money. To make what you want, you'll need to work at least 60 hours a week and set your sights on between 300 and 400 inspections a year. Then you'll need to charge a reasonable fee where you know you'll be able to just scratch by while your business builds, and don't plan to take any vacations, or be at your 200 inspections per year level, for at least the first 3 years." "Dang Bill! If I can't make any decent money for at least 3 years, why the hell would I want to be in this business in the first place?" moans Johnny. "Good question," replied Bill, "And one that I've been asking myself for the past 20 years."

No Harm no foul. I'm just a little touchy about the use of the word "industry" versus "professional" and I'm always trying to reinforce in readers' minds that we are practicing a professional discipline and should consider ourselves, and always call ourselves, professionals, not tradesmen. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

By Ellen Rohr The following story is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent. If you think this story is about you...you are probably right. The Martyr and the Intimidator Leslie is the owner of a roofing company, a business she inherited from her father. Back in the day, her father managed a small crew and operated with handshake-contracts and stacks of cash. Now that here dad is retired, ambitious Leslie sees a different future. She wants to grow her company so that she can make a fortune...and provide career opportunities for her beloved team. And she wants to build on her (and her father's) reputation for taking great care of her customers. Leslie called me one day after reading one of my articles. She described the vision she has for her company and her intent to build an empire. In response to my questions, she shared that... She knew how much she had in Accounts Receivables, but only saw financial statements once a year...at tax time. She didn't understand how the financial statements related to what she did everyday...sales, payroll, materials...so she pretty much ignored the reports anyway. She knew that she was in debt...but wasn't sure how much. She just secured another line of credit to keep the cash flowing. Sigh. I confronted Leslie about her lack of financial literacy. "It's your company and your assets on the line. You need to know. Tell me who is in charge of the accounting at your company." For the last fifteen years, her mom has been the Bookkeeper. Mom does the books as "a favor" to Leslie. She works 40 plus hours a week but nothing is every really finished or ready for Leslie to look at, so Les has quit asking for day-to-day financial information. Everyone else in the office avoids Mom, who seems to have a different set of rules from the rest of the team. While Mom is responsible for paying bills, who she pays and when is a mystery. Once, when Stan the warehouse man had a question about his paycheck, Mom flew out of the office sobbing, "And THAT's the thanks I get?" It took Leslie three apologetic phone calls to woo her back. At the end of the year, Mom hands whatever it is that she assembles for financial information to a fellow named Art. Art is an Accountant who files the tax return. Leslie has asked Art for help understanding the balance sheet and income statement he prepares for the return. She called and set up an appointment to meet with him. His secretary scheduled a date to meet...in six weeks. At that meeting, Art leaned over his massive mahogany desk and patted Leslie's hand. "You worry about running the business. I'm a professional. I will take care of the accounting," he said dismissively...then escorted her to the door. Martyr Mom is holding Leslie back. Art the Intimidator is holding her hostage. I advised Leslie to fire both of them. "But, then what?" Leslie sputtered in response to my suggestion. "Where do I find another Accountant? Who else would I trust with my money? Where do I start? And, by the way, my mother will disown me." Leslie asked me to help her get a handle on her financial situation. "I can do that. I can help you get to a known financial position. I can create a clean, accurate set of financials for you. However, to build an empire you must learn to do that yourself. You must build a team of financial pros who will help you get timely, accurate data...in a format you understand...so that you can make good business decisions. "And, Leslie, your mom will get over it." Here's what I shared with Leslie about developing her financial team... Start by defining who is responsible for what. Create Financial Position Descriptions. Here is a list of the basic responsibilities of each of these positions. The Bookkeeper The Bookkeeper is responsible for day-to-day data entry into the accounting system. Invoices/Accounts Receivables Deposits Bill Paying/Accounts Payable Notes: Bookkeeping should be done in-house. It is just not that hard to do! 90% of accounting is entering invoices, making deposits and paying bills. Do these functions in real time in your accounting system. No sense in doing them and having an outside Bookkeeper re-do them. Bookkeeping is a PART TIME position unless your company is very large. Come on! How many calls does your company run a day? How long does it take to enter 10 invoices? Apply 10 payments and assemble one deposit? Pay five or six bills? Bookkeeping needs to be up to date. At the very least, all information for the previous week should be entered and accurate by the following Wednesday. The Customer Service Rep (CSR) or Dispatcher can help with bookkeeping duties. For instance, the Dispatcher could be responsible for entering payables. The CSR can enter invoices. This also adds system protection, because not just one person is responsible for all the accounting or all the money transactions. The controllerThe controller is responsible for assembling the financial reports on a weekly basis. Assembles the financial reports. Balance Sheet Income statement Any other financial reports you require or request to help you make good management decisions. Assembles payroll information Calculates commission and bonuses. Verifies the balance sheet accounts - monthly. Balances the bank statements - monthly Check for, and fixes, bookkeeping errors. Notes: This is a very part-time position. Perhaps just a few hours a week. This person could be in-house, or a subcontractor who comes to your shop once a week. Use a payroll service, like ADP or Paychex. They do a great job. Then, the Controller can make the journal entries from the payroll services reports. The Controller duties are often neglected in a small shop. These responsibilities fall into nowhere land. Take responsibilities for these functions yourself if they are not being done well. Then, you can hand the duties off. Get the Controller responsibilities handled and take note of how your decision-making improves! The Accountant The Accountant is primarily responsible for state and federal tax compliance. A good Accountant gives appropriate tax advice, and helps you manage your company to your best tax advantage. Prepares the tax return. Prepares monthly, quarterly, and yearly-required tax reporting and payments. Crates the depreciation schedule. Helps manage assets, accounts for the sale or purchase of assets. Checks the Controller's reports for accuracy and tax implications. Notes: Look for an Accountant who is excited about helping you develop in-house accounting systems. He or she should be willing to train your Bookkeeper and Controller, or offer the help of someone on his or her team to help in that capacity. There is no room in your life for a bossy, arrogant, know-it-all, too busy for you Accountant. The Financial Planner The Financial Planner works with you to help you achieve your long-term financial goals. Reviews your personal and company goals, financial reports and makes recommendations for asset management. Helps you create end-game opportunities - for selling or transferring ownership in your business. These position descriptions briefly outline the responsibilities, what needs to be done, by you and your financial professionals. Now, this does NOT mean you need four separate people. Here are a couple of possible financial team rosters... Option 1 A Bookkeeper who performs controller duties. An Accountant who helps with financial planning. Option 2 A Bookkeeper. An Accountant who performs Controller duties. A Financial Planner. Option 3 A Bookkeeper YOU perform the Controller duties. An Accountant. A Financial Planner. NONE of these professionals relieves you of the primary stewardship of your company. Your assets are on the line. You have to pay attention. A good financial team can help you make good decisions. You direct them...they don't direct you. Be sure to have at least two people on the financial team. Be sure to document each procedure in writing. This way you are imposing structure, accountability...and a system of checks and balances. You will protect your assets, and keep your company safe from embezzlers. And, you will keep your financial team safe from suspicion. And you will never be held back or held hostage again. Now, where to find them... Once upon a time, I wrote an article for P&M called "How to Shop for an Accountant." You can find it in the archives at: www.PMmag.com Below are some ideas for finding your Best Bookkeeper! Or, your BEST Bookkeeper/Controller. Of course, you will follow good human resources procedures for recruiting and hiring. This is an informal checklist of the things I look for. Winning characteristics of a Bookkeeper/Controller... She loves crossword puzzles. He unconsciously straightens the items on your desk. She is impeccably neat. A messy Bookkeeper is an oxymoron. He is young at heart. I try not to be prejudices, but I favor kids. Kids are people who are younger than me. She is a Virgo or a Libra. If you buy into astrology indicators. He has good relationships with family, friends, significant other, Several ex-wives and the attendant emotional baggage are not good indicators. She is a non-smoker. ALWAYS have a non-smoking office. He takes it personal when the bank reconciliation is out of balance. It will work at him like a flea on a dog until he gets it figured out. She loves Microsoft Excel. He is a good cook. There are lots of similarities between cooking and accounting: the importance of measuring. Attention to order and process. Quick response to mistakes. She is kind, enthusiastic and has a nice voice. After all, this person is going to have to put on the CSR hat at least once in a while. When you ask, "Could you...," he replies, "Yes, I can." She focuses on a task. She can enter a stack of payables without getting up even once. He drives people crazy with his attention to detail. He will drive you crazy at times, too. You may need to say, "I get it that it would be more accurate to take the sales accounts to the fourth decimal place. I am fine with whole numbers. It will be OK." Better to have to "round off" the edges than work with someone who is sloppy. Where to look... Recruit new moms. The untapped resource of valuable professional skills lies when women choose to work part-time or from home because they have young children. These moms value flexibility even more than money. Remember, all these financial positions are part-time. Also, new moms are great multi-taskers. What they get done in an hour is astonishing. Develop the skills of someone who works for you. For the Bookkeeper and Controller duties, you do NOT need a degreed accountant. Is there someone on your team who has some of the characteristics listed above? Talk to him by taking on accounting duties. You can learn accounting and financial management skills together. Be non-discriminatory in your recruiting and hiring. Look for folks that others may overlook. Physical disabilities are not a problem in these positions. I recently met a passionate bookkeeper for a big outdoor goods retailer. This woman was born with only two fingers. She loves her job and I bet she is great at it! Ask your Accountant and/or Financial Planner to recruit for you. They know people who know people. Put the word out. I went through this process myself when I realized that we weren't making any money and no one was going to figure out how to fix that for me. It was MY responsibility. I found a great financial team and I learned enough about finance and accounting to understand how good my team is! (A "shout out" here to Gail, my sister and the world's BEST Bookkeeper and Controller. Also, "shout outs" to the wonderful financial pros I have been blessed to work with...Marilyn, Joan, Elinor, Craig, Rose, Chuck, Cathy, Kim, Lisa, Jan, Jessica, Tamara, Edwina, Marianne, Simon, Gary...and I meet more all the time. LOVE to you!) Finding the right financial team to help you build your empire may appear to be a daunting task. Take heart and take my advice: DO NOT put up with a weak financial team. Fire them! Learn to do the duties yourself if you must. DO NOT be held hostage. Know there are people out there who LOVE bookkeeping and accounting and determine to find them. After all, you are building an empire. What a great game to play! They will be honored to join the team. Do you recognize yourself in this article? I thought you might. Give me a call at 417.753.1111 if you want to talk about how to create a winning financial team...and for what to say when you fire your mom. And...be sure to check out www.barebonesbiz.com. We are building a community JUST FOR YOU. You'll find business basics...easy to learn and USE to make more MONEY and have more fun in your business. © Ellen Rohr 2005 Ellen Rohr is the author of the Bare Bones Biz Basics series ,"Where Did the Money Go?" – Accounting Basics for the Business Owner Who Hates Numbers; "How Much Should I Charge?" – Making Money Doing What You Love; and "The Bare Bones Biz Plan" – a simple plan for creating a winning business. To order any of her books or visit with Ellen go to www.barebonesbiz.com. There you will also find easy “downloadableâ€

No. The post isn't about the recall, it's about an inspector's duty, or lack thereof, to know and report recalled products. The Premier recall is old news. To learn more click here We are professionals in a particular discipline. It's a pity that you don't consider yourself a professional person. Where would you like to be categorized - with dog walkers and carpet cleaners? They don't. The SOP's are the bare minimum standard for this business. Professionals understand that. Well, since it's a personal business decision, that's going to depend on the individual. And if you'd read and understood my response, you would have seen where I think that's a lot of horse hockey. First of all, formaldehyde dissipates within a few weeks, so there is no long-term threat to anyone. Cigarettes actually expose one to more formaldehyde than they'll ever be exposed to in a home. The fellow who started that thread also feels that plywood has no business being used in construction and he goes off about stuff without doing a whole lot of research. The adhesives used in OSB, as explained by the fellow from the OSB industry, are entirely different from those containing urea-formaldehyde used in other building materials, and they do not pose any sort of threat. Sometimes you just have to consider the source. OT - OF!!! Mike

For those that haven't seen a manual for Engineered Joists, Truss Joist has a Framer’s Pocket Guide to the iLevelâ„¢ Trus Joist® Frameworks® Building System. You can download the guide now in PDF format by clicking here. Many thanks to Terry McCann, Harbor Light Inspection services, Sagamore Hills, OH, for this find.

Hi Terry, Technically, OSB is a vapor barrier because it has a perm rate of somewhere around .55 (I believe). So, depending on the type of siding, you might not have required a moisture barrier, although it's good building practice regardless of whether it's required or not. Wrap isn't necessarily the best choice anyway. It's designed to stop wind, not water, and once water gets behind it th4 water is trapped, can't get out, and starts to rot the walls, unlike felt, which will allow the wall to slowly dry through diffusion to the interior over a day or more. What type of siding was being used? ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Washington - November 20 More than 100,000 housing professionals are expected to descend on Orlando, Fla., for the 2007 International Builders' Show (IBS). Hosted by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), the housing industry's largest annual light construction trade show and exhibition will be held at the Orange County Convention Center, Feb. 7-10. How large? If you can imagine walking through every square foot of the landmark Chrysler Building, a 77-story New York City skyscraper, you have some sense of the size of the exhibition. Held in one of the biggest convention centers in the country, the 2007 IBS boasts the housing industry's largest new-product showcase at more than one million net square feet, with a record 1,800 exhibitors displaying the latest cutting-edge products, services, designs and technologies available to the home building community. "The International Builders' Show continues to grow because it is the event of the year for builders who want to stay on the cutting edge," said NAHB President David Pressly, a home builder from Statesville, N.C. "With 450 new exhibitors, an impressive lineup of speakers and some truly amazing show homes, we expect this year's show to be the best yet and certainly not one to miss." The exhibit floor will feature suppliers spanning more than 300 categories ranging across every aspect of the residential and light commercial construction fields. Building professionals looking for an edge on the latest in home building technologies can also visit nextBUILD,[tm] the newly renamed technology component of IBS, which will showcase more than 200 exhibitors. Builders and their affiliates will also be able to choose from more than 290 educational sessions and have the opportunity to earn credit toward a professional designation by attending pre-show educational seminars. For the first time ever, IBS will also feature two showcase homes--one new and one remodeled. With attendance numbers rivaling a city the size of Boulder, Colo., convention caterers expect to keep busy. During the 2006 show, they sold the equivalent of 2.5 miles of hotdogs and sausages; 3,750 slices of bread or enough to span one mile; 2,000 pounds of salad; 3,000 pounds of potato chips; and more than 6,000 gallons of beverages, equivalent to the amount of gas needed to fuel a car for 13 years. The 2007 International Builders' Show is not open to the general public. Building industry professionals and their affiliates throughout the housing trades are welcome to register by visiting the show's newly redesigned Web site at www.BuildersShow.com. Discounted online registration ends Jan. 5, 2007. Attendees will be able to register on site at the show beginning on Sunday, Feb. 4. Visitors can also see what the show has to offer at www.BuildersShow.com/VTS, a virtual showcase for exhibitors and their products. IBS exhibit floor hours are listed below. 2007 INTERNATIONAL BUILDERS' SHOWEXHIBIT FLOOR HOURS Wednesday, February 7, 9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Thursday, February 8, 9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Friday, February 9, 9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Saturday, February 10, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. #####

In this Barry Stone Q & A, a consumer asks Barry Stone whether here home inspector should have known about a major furnace recall. To read more, click here.

This article in this month's issue of Popular Mechanics Magazine details dozens of ways that homeowners can shave energy costs and a printable copy would make an excellent handout for clients. For more details, click here.

This Kiro& (Seattle) news report focuses on the lack of any sort of regulation for home inspectors in Washington State. To read more, click here.

According to an AP report in Kiplinger Forcasts.com, W.W. Grainger announced that it intends to purchase Professional Equipment Inc. and Construction Book Express. To read more, click here.

In this November 12th article in The Cincinnati Inquirer an Ohio couple is in a dispute with a bulder over a $124,000 repair to a leaking brick veneer home that, according to a home inspector hired by the couple, hasn't got any underlayment or through-wall flashings behind the brick. To read the entire story, click here.

Most of us get good cell phone reception at home. However, there are a some who need to walk outside onto a deck or walk up and down their streets to get a good signal. For these folks, a cell phone booster may be the answer. An article in this month's HGTVPro describes the pros and cons of one such system. To read more click here.

RISMEDIA, November 9, 2006 In honor Veterans Day and the men and women who have bravely served our country, WIN Home Inspection has announced that it now offers a 25% discount on the franchise fee for qualifying military veterans in cooperation with the VetFran program. WIN had previously offered a 10% discount on its franchise fee for veterans. As the number of veterans continues to grow in our country, WIN feels it is important to support this group as they seek opportunities to own their own business. WIN has been a participant in the VetFran program since 2003, but has always offered a veteran discount. Eight WIN business owners have joined the company through this program. This financial incentive is only available to military veterans and gives them an opportunity to become part of the successful WIN system as a business owner. For more information about becoming a WIN business owner, call 1-800-967-8127 or visit www.winfranchise.com. For more information about WIN click here. For more information on the VetFran Program, visit www.franchise.org.

The Radiant Panel Association (RPA) recently debuted it's online training program - RPA Campus - and has already developed a plethora of home study courses, live online seminars and pre-recorded seminars, dealing with radiant heating systems, that inspectors can take advantage of from the comfort of their own homes for a nominal fee. There are currently three full online correspondence courses - Radiant Basics, Radiant Precision and Radiant Architecture completed and there's another full course in development. In addition to the full courses, there are 18 separate online seminars scheduled on a continuing basis that deal with everything from radiant basics to snow melting systems. To find out more, click here and then click on "education".

In a news expose' deploring unregulated home inspectors in British Columbia, a Canadian newswoman, with no home inspection expertise or experience, in order to demonstrate how easily anyone could become a 'certified' home inspector in the profession, took and passed, with help from someone else, the un-proctored National Association of Certified Home Inspectors' (NACHI) online entrance exam, scoring a 91 percentile. The reporter guffawed about how all she'd now need to do to become fully certified is to submit a fee of $289 to NACHI along with her test results. To see the video clip click here.

Hi, I thought it would be appropriate to leave Norm as one of our forum moderators for this category, so he'll always be with us in spirit. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

According to a November 7th article in Nations Building News, the official online weekly newspaper of the NAHB (National Association of Home Builders), a settlement proposal has been made that is aimed at settling a class-action lawsuit involving corrugated stainless steel tubing (CSST). For more details about the lawsuit and the proposed settlement, click here.

According to an article in this months Journal of Light Construction, if Frank Woeste, professor emeritus of wood engineering at Virginia Tech and a passionate advocate of safely built decks, gets his way, we'll be seeing a deck ledger bolting schedule in the 2009 International Residential Code. The bolting schedule was developed by Woeste and colleagues at Virginia Tech and Washington State University. For more details click here.

For the benefit of spanish-speaking consumers seeking information about home inspections, the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) website now features portions of their homebuyers/sellers pages, including the ASHI Standards of Practice (SOP) translated into spanish text. Those inspectors who claim to subscribe to the ASHI SOP can now download a spanish language, printer friendly PDF version of the ASHI SOP by clicking here. NOTE: The current version of the ASHI SOP, effective October 15, 2006, requires that anyone who claims to subscribe to the ASHI SOP must also comply with the ASHI Code of Ethics, or they are not in compliance of the ASHI SOP.

Greensboro, NC - November 03 BuildScanIR Network, the largest group of private infrared (IR) thermographers in North America, announces a partnership with Infraspection Institute, the industry's premier on-line training experts, to provide infrared training and certification for its members. BuildScanIR?Network is a resource for anyone interested in building thermography and is geared toward home inspectors and building owners and managers who wish to use infrared technology on buildings. Membership in the network provides resources such as forums, articles written by experts in the industry, access to infrared camera rentals, sales and training. “We are very pleased to be working with our long-time friends at Infraspection Institute,?states Gregory R. Stockton, founder and President of Stockton Infrared Thermographic Services, Inc., who operates the BuildScanIR?Network. “Our goal is to make the BuildScanIR?Network the most valuable resource available for building infrared thermographers and anyone interested in building thermography. With nearly 27 years experience in IR training, Infraspection Institute’s training and certification programs are widely known and well-recognized. Our partnership provides BuildScanIR?members with access to world-class training without leaving their homes,?Mr. Stockton states. According to Jim Seffrin, Director of Infraspection Institute, “Infrared inspections of buildings represent one of the most challenging applications in thermography. Our courses teach students to understand the dynamic interaction of building components and systems, weather, and building operations. We provide real world solutions that allow our graduates to work with confidence as they expand and grow their businesses.?Seffrin also notes, “BuildScanIR?Members may choose from regularly-scheduled open enrollment courses or convenient, web-based Distance Learning. With our Distance Learning Courses, BuildScanIR?members can train whenever and wherever they want. Students who complete 32 hours of Distance Learning are eligible to take the Infraspection Institute Certified Infrared Thermographer exam.? BuildScanIR?will be offering incentives for members who successfully complete courses. The incentive is a choice of one of five home inspectors tools, valued at $200 or more. “We want visitors to find value in every aspect of our site, specifically in the benefits of infrared thermography as it applies to the individual members business,?states SITS Marketing Director, Cindy Hawks. “The tools we chose will be valuable to the home inspector and will utilize the specific training they receive via the Distance Learning Courses,?she states. BuildScanIR?is one of seven application-specific service divisions of SITS, founded in 1989 by Gregory R. Stockton, who is considered an industry innovator and expert in IR applications. Infraspection Institute pioneered the infrared training industry and have shaped it through training, technical consulting, technical publications, research, standards development, and software publishing. For more information on the network and its benefits and to sign up for Infraspection Institute’s Distance Learning Courses, call 800-248-7226 or visit: www.buildscanir.com To learn more about infrared thermography, visit: www.stocktoninfrared.com and www.infraspection.com/. ###

I think it's more productive to visit brokers' open houses. The agents are usually bored out of their heads, because they're doing nothing but babysitting the open house for 4 hours while agents come and go - most without a word. Stop in, say hi, introduce yourself, hand 'em a card, and dare 'em to put you on their list of inspectors and try you one time. When they want to know why they should do that when they already have a group of inspectors that they're happy with, tell 'em, "Because after you do, my name will be on that list and you'll be taking one of those other names off of it." Then get out of their hair, unless they invite you to stay. You'll very rarely be invited to stay and talk, most will throw away your cards but about 10% will probably take you up on the challenge, more if you keep hitting the same ones week after week. Then, depending on what kind of agent they are. and what kind of inspection you do, they'll either keep your name on that list or they'll toss your card. Either way, you'll have gotten one job from them and will have gained a little more experience in the craft. It's a whole lot easier than trying to get past the girl at the front desk or hook up with a broker who spends half his/her day avoiding home inspectors who drop in to beg for a handout. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi John, Those are paper wasps. If you leave them alone, they'll pretty much leave you alone. That nest is a respectful size, but I've had paper wasp nests that completely filled rafter bays from eave to ridge over cathedral ceilings and most of a floor joist bay beneath floors. They are pretty industrious fellows. Lewis, You must have really startled them. Most of the yellow jackets I see are pretty docile. It's those damn smoke-blue bald-faced hornets that I really don't like. Those things are territorial. Come anywhere within about 10 feet of their nest and they attack unprovoked. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Have you recently done an inspection on a double-wide mobile home and while you were inspecting it, kept referring to it as a "modular" home? If this sounds like you, shame on you, you're a professional home inspector, and you should know better than to call a manufactured home a modular home. "So what's the big deal," you might ask, "It's only a small mistake." Not true, calling a manufactured home a modular home is like calling a Chevy a Mercedes - they just aren't the same thing. Not only is it unprofessional and downright false, it helps to reinforce the incorrect notions that the home buying public has about modular homes, placing modular homes, in the minds of those customers, on a par with manufactured, or mobile, homes, when there's a world of difference. Smarten up! To learn a little more about the modular home building process, click here to read an informative article about the modular home building process from the May 2006 issue of Popular Mechanics.