Brian G

Very interesting. I wish they would say more about what some of that means though. They tell you how many pages Google has stored on you, but not whether that number is high or low (a few other things are that way too). Still, I definitely got a few nuggets out of that. Mucho Gracias Sean. Brian G. It's a Web-Lovin' World [:-glasses

Originally posted by hausdok It's a whole lot more in your backyard than it was for Kurt, Les, Ezra, Mark, or myself! Hah! Apparently not, if Kurt drove roughly the same time I would. Look at a map, Tome-inator! [:-dev3] Brian G. My Backyard Ain't THAT Big [:-crazy]

Ah, the Watts thing. I was busy inspecting when that came along, and if I recall it was about radiant floors (?). I still haven't seen one, but if business is DOA I might go for it anyway. Will it be in Springfield, MO again? That looks like about 8 - 9 hours each way. I wouldn't call that my back yard, but about the same as a trip to the In-laws. Brian G. Title For a New Country Song: My In-Laws Are Outlaws [:-cowboy] [:-sing]

Was I there? [] Brian G. CRS Creeps On [:-paperba

I like going to these things, but when you travel the money goes fast. I envy the guys who have access to strong, local association chapters, where you can get a pretty good class every month or six weeks without leaving home. That's gotta be nice. Brian G. Alone on an Island [:-weepn]

Originally posted by Sal If I gave the impression that my thinking is inflexible, then that was poor communication on my part. These exchanges tend to to run the participants out on a limb, so I probably come off the same way. If I've given the impression I dislike ambition or money in general, and apparently I have, it's a mistaken impression. It's what one's ambition drives him to do in pursuit of money that often troubles me. Then again, I admit to being deliberately inflexible in certain areas. You mentioned an inspector in your area who you are highly critical of, yet your disregard seems to be centered on the fact that he does a great number of inspections. What is the quality of his work? It's lousy, in my opinion. I first heard of him before I got into the business, when a friend used him for an inspection. After my friend bought and moved in, problems started turning up. My pal was pissed, but wouldn't sue. I've since heard similar complains and horror stories from about a dozen people who used him, mostly on their realtor's recommendation, of course. As for the numbers, if you mean the "6 or 8 a day with no help", I absolutely find that repugnant. No one man can do that many inspections in one day without cheating his clients. No way. I would like to know what is it specifically about how he inspects that makes him a bad inspector. Time, reports, onsite, offsite are part of the completion of the process and the delivery of our results. How is he as an inspector? Have you seen him work? I haven't watched him in the field, but I had the pleasure of serving as an expert witness in a suit against him (settled early). I've seen two of his reports, inspected one property a year behind him, and talked to some former clients. What makes him bad? He runs fast and shallow in a grab for the cash, doesn't look out for his clients, and lives from the generousity of agents who know exactly how he works. Bad. I don't associate being sued necessarily with bad work. The longer we are in this the more likely that is to occur. True; nobody's perfect, so nobody's immune. Then there are also the nuts.... Being sued frequently, though, starts to look bad. However, Brian, everything I know about you comes from the negatives you present. I would like to know some of the positives. What is "professionalism" to you? How do you present your reports? What is your background and experience? When you leave an inspection what makes you feel that you have accomplished what you have been paid to do? I think we can learn so much more from the positives than the negatives. Thanks, but I'll take pity on the rest of the members and mercifully restrain myself from posting long about myself. I know I have come late to this post, so if these are items you have already presented then I can understand your reluctance to rehash what you have already done. Something like that. Since you seem to have focused on my postings, I thought it might be helpful to know a little about your inspecting skills and techniques in deciding if your your comments are borne of experience or theory. Some of both. We're just opposite DNA on the business side Sal. I'm prepared to leave it at that if you are. Brian G. As the Lawyer Once Said, "It's a Good Deal...Take It" [:-thumbu]

Gotta love that lighting. Jeez. Brian G. Wiring-R-Us [:-hot]

Originally posted by Richard Stanley I have heard of reports of 50 - 60 pages in duration. - a waste of trees. That's not a report, it's a novella. What do you want to bet half of it was disclaimers? [:-yuck] Brian G. Thank You For Your Business (But We Aren't Responsible For Anything We Said, Did, or Wrote) [:-irked]

No, I've never seen round bus bars. What make is it? Do you have a good shot of the breakers? Brian G. The Variety Is Endless [:-bigeyes

Originally posted by Sal I wasn't expecting to have each paragraph dissected and each sentence parsed, and I am not going to get into a specific point by point debate that seems so typical at these sites. It's become typical in a lot of places on the internet, because it's good debating style. I prefer that, coming and going, to generalizations. If one guy puts up a post with five points and the opposition only speaks to three of them, the gallery has to wonder if the second guy has no answer to the other two points. I'll keep parsing, you go with whatever you're comfortable with. There seems to be rampant intolerance for people who don't conduct their business as some inspectors believe they should. That covers a lot of ground. We're talking about philosophies and points of view here. People tend to be intolerant when they encounter philosophies running counter what they think is best. Lord knows, HI's are an opinionated group. Rather than demonstrate their own business plan or recount their successful methodology they revert to insults ("toadie;" "rationalization"). I didn't directly call you a toadie, or proclaim your position a rationaization. I implied that might be the case, but my insinuations are no more insulting than yours, just more overt. For instance... Restrictions of trade, as such a law would be, are often the refuge of those who don't have the heart or the ability to compete. Gosh Sal, what are you suggesting there? [] I know I could gain a lot from Brian G if would tell us what he does to enhance his professionalism, how he markets his business, what successes and failures he has had, what kind of reporting and delivery system he uses. I am sure his system is right for him as mine is for me. I seriously doubt you could gain anything from me in those arenas, but I'll do that if you'll post a sample report or two for us. How about from the old days, when you still used the 8 page checklist and 4 a day wasn't out of the question? Deal? The one disturbing insight Brian presented was his belief that a law was needed to restrict the amount of daily business an inspector can do. It's nothing I would saddle up and campaign madly for, but yes, I do feel that way. My market is just across the state line from Phillip's, and the guy he mentioned works in my territory too. You know, Mr. 6 or 8 a day with no help. I'll call him Blockhead. If I had to choose between: (A) occasionally limiting a good HI who might be able to line up 4 in a day, or (B) frequently limiting a guy like Blockhead from ripping off more than 4 people a day... I would choose "B". I think there are many more Blockheads working in home inspection right now than there are Richard Stanleys, though it might be a tough year for Blockheads. One reason we have to have regulations about so many things is the inability, or refusal, of so many to regulate themselves. Ambition gets over the line and becomes greed, damage is done to consumers, they get angry and complain, and eventually our lawmakers feel they have to do something to maintain order and keep their jobs. Unfortunately the regulation often fails to accomplish the intended goal, but that's another story. You'll be further "disturbed" to know I would gladly regulate all HI's right out of the mold business, unless they were also certified as industrial hygenists. No sampling, testing, certifications, no anything, but that's also another story. If we who perform a lot of inspections do such a bad job, why not let time and the marketplace weed us out, as it surely would. As Phillip noted, Blockhead has been doing his quick & dirty inspections for more than 15 years. He's been sued a number of times, usually settles out of court, and keeps right on racking up the numbers. Where is that wonderful marketplace, and when will it put an end to him and all the other long-running Blockheads? I'm not holding my breath. Could it be that after so many years and so many inspections, we are really good and efficient at what we do? I some cases I suppose it could, but I can't see how 4 a day could happen unless the circumstances were at least somewhat extreme. Richard says he went up to 11 hours per day to get it done, and still didn't deliver onsite. It sounded like you were talking about doing that and being home on time, with nothing left to do. The one aspect I didn't take as an insult was the fact that today I put money first (I still instruct my students that their first goals should be the gaining of experience). This is my business and my livelihood and making money is my priority. And this is just where our philosophies clash. You're entitled to your view of it, and I'm entitled to mine. I have no illusions about changing your view, but if you post in promotion of it, particularly in response to guy who's just starting out, I feel obliged to oppose you. I'll drop this thread if you will; I'll keep posting if you do (to a point). I spent too many years honing my inspecting skills and developing my business strategies to apologize for the fact that I am good at many aspects of this business and making money is my reward for this. I wouldn't expect otherwise. One final note on this subject: we seem to be one of the few professions that believes the more experienced we become and the more technically proficient we are, the longer our job should take. I don't subscribe to that, in fact, I'd say the time should keep shrinking (slowly) until we peak. But I don't think anyone should be worrying about their time starting out. Take as long as you need. Suck the marrow out of every one you get. Think more about speed when you know you're ready. There seems such a great emphasis on time rather than the delivery of a good product: a sound analysis of the homes our clients are buying. I don't think it's "rather than". It's just that many of us see a direct link between the two, far more often than not. If we state that we are doing a better job by looking at a roof for twenty minutes rather than ten then it stands to reason that looking at it for forty would be even better, or how about sixty or eighty. Obviously you would reach a point of diminishing returns pretty quickly. It takes as long as it takes. Rushing through it to keep an overloaded schedule isn't going to promote " a sound anaysis". To equate time with quality negates experience and proficiency. In some cases, yes, but in others, not so much. Blockhead can rightfully claim to be the "most experienced and proficient" HI around here, but at the end of the day he is what he is. This thinking does a disservice to young inspectors. I disagree. Of course they should take a greater amount of time than an experienced inspector would. But their hope should be that with their own experience they will be also become more efficient. In the long run, I'm okay with that. I apologize to Brian G if I made this sound, at times, personal. It is not and I don't want it to be. It's just cyber-jousting Sal. No harm, no foul. Maybe I will start a forum called TOJ and I will personally invite Brian G to be the first to join me at least as an honorary member. Be careful what you wish for Sal... [] Brian G. I Yam What I Yam (Mmmm...Now I'm Hungry) []

Originally posted by Sal I am sure every inspector would admit that making money is a prime reason for being in this business. Granted. With that in mind I encourage young inspectors to look to the future in the design and development of their business vision. Do you want to be using a reporting system that necessitates working at home at the end of the day? Necessitates, no; allows, yes. Do you want one that by its nature and method of delivery will not allow you to do 4 inspections a day? Actually, I'd probably prefer to see that done by law. 4 a day? Do you and your two partners work as a team, on one house at a time? There seems to be a belief in this profession that volume and quality are mutually exclusive. Great inspectors are in demand and will be asked to perform in great number. Let the option to do as many as you choose be dictated by your energy and desire rather than methodology. I wouldn't go as far as saying they're mutually exclusive, but trying to do both at a rate of 4 per day for a single inspector? I'd have to see it to believe it, and so far I haven't. That pace is almost exclusively the land of realtor-friendly toadies. Please tell me you aren't suggesting this kind of speedwork to newbies. Do you want a report filled with in-depth amounts of prose that no one will ever read or fancy, or costly binders that will be stuffed back in a cabinet at day's end ( my experience is that most people never read the full report but rely strictly on a final summary. Most attorneys will tell you that all they want is the summary and that it should clear, brief and specific). That sounds a lot like a rationalization for not doing a thorough job. Sure, we can over-write a report, but under-writing them is far more common. Ultimately this is about being a business and the better you are at all aspects of the business, from inspecting to reporting to marketing, the more profitable you will ultimately be. Agreed, to a point, but it sounds like "money" went from 5th to 1st on you there. I still think it's ultimately about being a professional, with that guaranteeing profitability in the long run. Finally, the bottom line of this note is to look to the future. Build toward what you would like it to be rather than what it is today. Do this by defining your style of inspecting, choosing or creating a report that meets your goals, and be willing to change and evolve as your goals change and evolve. There is no one right way in this business, and that is the beauty of this profession. I agree with all of that. There's more than one right way; there's more than one wrong way. Brian G. For What It's Worth [8]

Unfortunately this kind of trial and error is just part of the process of growing into the HI business for most of us. Try this, change to that, tweak things here and there, maybe make another sharp turn somewhere, try new technologies in hopes of shaving time without losing quality, and on and on. And of course, all the while the inspector is changing too. I know I'm not quite where I want to be yet. The "only way to make money" comment Steven mentioned is typical of a few guys I've brushed up against. For them it's a business first and a profession second (or third, or fourth, if at all). We all have to try to balance those things, but I relate better to the guys who believe financial success follows professional success. Brian G. Slowly Evolving [:-alien]

Originally posted by SonOfSwamp PS: Somebody please tell me the advantage of leaving the house (where all the defects are right in front of you) and writing about them when you're back at the office, miles and hours away from the defects... Come on Walter, you could figure that one out for yourself easy enough. The advantage is that few of us have partners, experience as professional writers, or decades of HI experience under out belts, to allow us to do what you did the way you did it. We ain't you; we can't be you (yet). Most of us need more time to get it all right, and getting it right is what matters most (isn't it?). I have great respect for you Walter, and I'm somewhat dismayed at how often I disagree with you about stuff like this. I don't want to seem like I'm firing across your bow for some unknown personal reason, but really, when you tell a new HI to just type faster.....that's horrible advice, and it misses the point. It isn't really about how fast one can type. It's about how quickly one can assimlate all of the facts, information, indicators, etc. into a solid, well-formed, professional opinion without missing something significant. That has to be done over and over while writing an inspection report. Somethings are quick and easy; some are not. Overall, it takes however long it takes. Not long for you; much longer for a rookie. Brian G. Know Yourself, Stay in Your Own Comfort Zone [:-hspin]

I've never attempted to write or deliver on-site because I would have to hurry the whole inspection up to make it work. No time to check facts, consult smarter/more experienced HI's about weird stuff, reconsider spur-of-the-moment wording, etc. If I had gone that way I would have made a lot of big mistakes, some of which would have surely come back to kick me in the butt (where the wallet is). I think you need a lot of experience and a partner to pull that method off without eventually stumbling into a lawsuit. To those who can make it work without shorting the client or financially injuring themselves, I tip my hat....but it's not for me, and it's suicide for relatively new guys (IMHO). Brian G. Speed Kills (Inexperienced HI's) [xx(]

Originally posted by Erby It's the mechanix heat sleeve type that I use. Mine has padding in the elbows. Do they have padding in them, or did you add it? If they came padded, is it all around or just at the elbows? Brian G. Enquiring Minds..... [:-magnify

Originally posted by davidlord I think the Krawler thing would be useless on anything but concrete or hardpan with no obstructions. It runs over some stuff better than you might think. They had a few obstacles in the race course at IW, and Jim's article talks about that aspect as well. It's one of those things you would have to use as the situation permitted, and leave in the truck otherwise. I often wonder how most of the inspectors I see at various events and conferences have the physical ability to perform this job. True. I've looked at certain guys waddling down the aisle in search of a BIG seat and had the same thoughts. I'm not quite as thin as I used to be, and a big, tough crawl wears me out. Brian G. "I Didn't Inspect the Crawl Space Due to Massive Girth Issues" [:-crazy]

Jeez, no padding on those Kevlar sleeves; zero. I don't think that type would work for me, but the mechanic's model looks interesting. Brian G. Crawl in 'Em Now, Knife-Fight in 'Em Later [:-mean]

Originally posted by Jim Katen You can read a brilliantly written hands-on review of the Krawler in the December Reporter. My bad, I've been behind in my reading lately. It was indeed a well-written article. [:-thumbu] I wasn't aware they were at IW last year. How come none of you knotheads posted about it? [] I know it wouldn't work in most of my crawls. There's just too much junk, mud, trenching, and other weirdness in the wildly diverse crawl spaces in my little postage stamp of America. But sometimes it would be great, and one place it definitely would work is in my crawl space (smooth, hard clay, with a little gravel). I may succumb later, if business doesn't totally die off. If you have a built-in brake problem, just get rid of the brake. No problem. [:-dev3][][:-dev3] Sounds like they need an XXL, and maybe a XXXL, on the elbow pads. I'm still waiting on the Holy Grail of inspection gadgets...the levitation harness. Roofs, attics, exteriors, vaulted ceilings, crawl spaces; all at virtually no effort or risk. Someday.....(probably looooong after I'm dead). [:-indiffe [:-hspin] Brian G. Is There a Cure for Toolus Gagetitus? [:-drool]

Most of the exhibitors at any given Inspection World are pretty much the same year to year. There was one somewhat unusual outfit at New Orleans I thought you guys should know about, a company called Krawl Gear. Their flagship product is a wheeled device intended to make moving through a crawl space easier and faster, but they have other stuff too. www.krawlgear.com (click on "The Gear" when you get there) Reaction to the crawler was mixed, so judge for yourself. I'm sure many of us have considered trying to build something like this....crawling sucks. They do have a 30 day trial I didn't see mentioned on the website, but I haven't gone over everything there yet. They also weren't asking the same price in N.O. (check with them if you're interested). Personally, I really liked the arm/elbow pads. They cover from the wrist all the way past the elbow. I'll be ordering a pair of those soon. Brian G. Krawl Ya Varmit! [:-crazy]

Originally posted by Bain She had someone else check out the house after I'd taken a look. His handwritten report contained phrases like, "This thirty-year-old house is in fine condition for its age." And "the kitchen is in good condition for its age." She's using his report to discount everything I said was wrong with the house. Please tell me you have lots more lovely photos, documenting all the noteworthy items in your report. They're worth 1,000 words each y'know. [:-bigeyes Brian G. Document, Document, Document; We All Have a Nut Out There, Somewhere, With Our Name on Them [:-boggled

Wow. That's some seriously bad roofing. It sounds like you caught a real beauty there John. [:-crazy][] Brian G. Beauty Is in the Eye of the Beholder, But Everyone Recognizes Butt-Ugly [:-blindfo

I've said it before and I'll say it again; Realtors can only dream of having the kind of influence over us that bankers and mortgage brokers have over most appraisers. I tried it for one year, found I had to choose between being successful and being honest, and got the hell out. I hope all of the slimy scumbags that fueled this, the latest multi-billion dollar debacle, will wind up broke and living out of a car for a good long time. Wishful thinking, I know. Maybe the old Arab curse: May the fleas of a thousand camels nest in your crotch! Brian G. Godspeed to the Lawsuit [:-thumbu]

No, it's not five. When you look at the edges of the shingles you see the overlap of consecutive courses, plus the starter course (of at least the first layer). Based on that one picture, I'd guess three layers (all swollen). Brian G. One Fat Tear-Off, Coming Up [:-crazy]

I took a quick look at ITA's current instructor list....it's loooooong. I didn't know most of those fellas, but aside from Mark I saw Gladstone, Scott Warga, Bill Richardson, and our own Chad F. A few more names were familiar from IW classes, like Peter Drenan and Michael Hart. Diamonds are still available, you just have to sort through all those damned rocks to find them. Brian G. Suitable Miners Needed [:-graduat

Originally posted by Jim Katen My impression is that they now have instructors who are mostly teaching from a text that they don't truly understand and that they push the students to buy ITA forms and tools. I've heard the part about pushing the forms, software, etc., but as far as I know Mark still teaches at Tampa. I can't say how many of the other original top guns are still teaching for them (Casey, Karden, Gladstone, etc.), though I have heard Douglas Hansen is no longer involved. Brian G. Mark-ed Man []