John Dirks Jr Posted July 16, 2007 Report Share Posted July 16, 2007 Just a report about the first day of class. I met some nice people and the instructor is a great guy with a good sense of humor. The class is fun and I am learning a bunch of stuff. I'm diggin it so far. [:-thumbu] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian G Posted July 17, 2007 Report Share Posted July 17, 2007 Originally posted by AHI I met some nice people and the instructor is a great guy with a good sense of humor. Lucky you. I had to put up with "Crazy Mark" Cramer. [:-dev3][][:-dev3] Take it for all it's worth brother. Brian G. Feed the Brain [:-graduat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottpat Posted July 17, 2007 Report Share Posted July 17, 2007 Originally posted by Brian G. Originally posted by AHI I met some nice people and the instructor is a great guy with a good sense of humor. Lucky you. I had to put up with "Crazy Mark" Cramer. [:-dev3][][:-dev3] Take it for all it's worth brother. Brian G. Feed the Brain [:-graduat I had the tag team of Mike Casey and Kevin O'Malley! Talk about insanity! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Dirks Jr Posted July 17, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2007 I have reading materials comming out of my ears. I think I have read more in the last two months than I have in all my life. One of them is the Principles of Home Inspection, Systems and Standards published by Dearborn. 800+ pages and quite extensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Katen Posted July 17, 2007 Report Share Posted July 17, 2007 Originally posted by AHI I have reading materials comming out of my ears. I think I have read more in the last two months than I have in all my life. One of them is the Principles of Home Inspection, Systems and Standards published by Dearborn. 800+ pages and quite extensive. And riddled with errors. - Jim Katen, Oregon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonOfSwamp Posted July 17, 2007 Report Share Posted July 17, 2007 Originally posted by Jim Katen Originally posted by AHI I have reading materials comming out of my ears. I think I have read more in the last two months than I have in all my life. One of them is the Principles of Home Inspection, Systems and Standards published by Dearborn. 800+ pages and quite extensive. And riddled with errors. - Jim Katen, Oregon Yessir. In my humble experience, any and all books written by and/or for home inspectors are full of errors. All kinds of errors. Errors in writing. Errors in thinking. Errors in logic. Errors in recognition. HI texts are universally bad. There's no professional editing, no peer review, no fact-checking. These texts are mostly composed of one goofball opinion after another. I think a studious HI would do much better to stick to books from JLC, Taunton, OHJ, Code Check and magazines like Family Handyman and Popular Mechanics. Those sources, at least, have editors and fact-checkers. Note: IMHO, brother Hansen's book on Electrical inspections has very little in common with HI texts, because Hansen actually knows his stuff, and knows how to write. There's also a book on roofing, by Harrison McCampbell, who, like Hansen, knows his field and knows how to write. Both books are quite useful for HI work. WJid="blue"> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryM Posted July 17, 2007 Report Share Posted July 17, 2007 I concur with Jim K and frankly have never read what I believe to be the ultimate book on conducting home inspections although I admit I have not read all of them. IMHO the best of the bunch has long been Rex Caldwellââ¬â¢s book followed by Norm Becker, Carson-Dunlap (nice visuals) and Barry Stone. The rest run the gamut from mundane to pathetic filled with stuff that will likely make you the star performer at either a binding arbitration hearing or in a court of law. Besides collecting code books I have a long and full shelf of ââ¬ÅHow To Inspect *****â⬠Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonOfSwamp Posted July 17, 2007 Report Share Posted July 17, 2007 IMHO the best of the bunch has long been Rex Caldwellââ¬â¢s book followed by Norm Becker, Carson-Dunlap (nice visuals) The stuff from Carson Dunlap needs editing, peer review and fact-checking. Real bad. I agree that the graphics are pretty. WJid="blue"> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Dirks Jr Posted July 17, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2007 Thanks for the heads up. I do see the "inspector speak" being demonstrated. I havnt called em on it. I am sifting everything flying around the room and absorbing what is usefull to me. Thanks to the knowledge I have gained here and other places, I am able to contrubute to the class as well. Other students are also contributing. I just find it too easy to criticize. I prefer to weed through and pick out the positive aspects. I am continuing to learn and that is the important part. The subjects of dicussion sometimes fly off on a tangent but still turn out to be very informative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Dirks Jr Posted July 17, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2007 I have the Pompeii book called Become a Home Inspector. That was the first one I bought. I'm sure it could be criticized in some way but I love it because it inspired me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Ahern Posted July 18, 2007 Report Share Posted July 18, 2007 H I training around Boston usually included a few courses at Northeastern. Got me started. Still have an opportunity to discuss "stuff" with the various trainers at my ASHI-NE meetings. Nice to break bread with H I pioneers-authors. There is a good feeling knowing that technical questions can be answered by some one in the membership. This forum is great!! But there are New England issues!! Best answered by N.E. H.I s These guys wrote the books. Works for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Katen Posted July 18, 2007 Report Share Posted July 18, 2007 When discussions come up about home inspection books, I'm amazed that more people don't mention "The User Friendly Home," by Larry Reavis. It is, without the tiniest shred of a doubt, the most comprehensive collection of reliable information about north american houses and house systems out there. And it's cheap! I'm not sure if it's still true, but for a long time, Reavis offered cash to anyone who could find errors in it. As a result, the book is nearly error free. Any home inspector who's looking for a general reference book for his library should own this book. - Jim Katen, Oregon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryM Posted July 18, 2007 Report Share Posted July 18, 2007 Oh-oh, naturally the one I don't have, but that will be soon remedied. [:-paperba Thanks Jim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Katen Posted July 18, 2007 Report Share Posted July 18, 2007 Originally posted by JerryM Oh-oh, naturally the one I don't have, but that will be soon remedied. [:-paperba Thanks Jim. Larry wrote the book to give to his customers. As a result, it's organized by some arcane numbering system. But the information is golden. I also like his introduction, ". . . this book is like a house -- it can never be perfect. . . If you cannot use an imperfect book, ask your retailer for a full refund." Gotta love it. - Jim Katen, Oregon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurt Posted July 18, 2007 Report Share Posted July 18, 2007 Larry is always @ InspectionWorld, and I've always found him to be a wonderful individual. No ego, no overbearing attitude. Just a calm courteous fountain of information. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottpat Posted July 18, 2007 Report Share Posted July 18, 2007 Does Larry have a white beard and kind of looks like one of the Smith Brothers on the coughdrop package? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurt Posted July 18, 2007 Report Share Posted July 18, 2007 Yep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Dirks Jr Posted July 20, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2007 Heres some inspector speak for you word smiths...[:-tong2] Done! Scored 88 out of 100. Have certificate in hand. Kickin back and sippin a cold one...or two..or... [:-graduat [:-thumbu] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Posted July 21, 2007 Report Share Posted July 21, 2007 Good deal! Now start udating us old farts!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Dirks Jr Posted July 21, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2007 Originally posted by Les Good deal! Now start udating us old farts!!!!! Les, Update # 1: I only have one beer left.[:-slaphap No really though, I like to see your assertion that learning is perpetual. Its one of the reasons I am going to like this business.[^] I'll teach you old dogs a thing or two soon enough. When I do, you dont even have to admit it. [:-tong2] The next step for me is to gather my documentation to apply for my license and come up with an inspection agreement. Inspection agreements are a whole big can of worms in their own huh? Any suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottpat Posted July 21, 2007 Report Share Posted July 21, 2007 Originally posted by AHI Originally posted by Les Good deal! Now start udating us old farts!!!!! Les, Update # 1: I only have one beer left.[:-slaphap No really though, I like to see your assertion that learning is perpetual. Its one of the reasons I am going to like this business.[^] I'll teach you old dogs a thing or two soon enough. When I do, you dont even have to admit it. [:-tong2] The next step for me is to gather my documentation to apply for my license and come up with an inspection agreement. Inspection agreements are a whole big can of worms in their own huh? Any suggestions? Glad you made it through. Next step you need to go and set up your appointment to take the NHIE. Don't wait, take it while the class information is still fresh on your mind. Get some Code Check books, review all of them and take the test. As for an inspection agreement, hire an attorney to write one up for you. Every state in the union is different. Now if you want to see a sample, my agreement is on my website. I took several to an attorney and she came up with what I have now. Also you need to find out if your state requires any specific language in your agreement and report, my state TN does have some specific requirements. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Bernhardt Posted July 21, 2007 Report Share Posted July 21, 2007 I think that if you went to 10 different attys you would probably get 10 different contracts. Your atty will probably work harder for you defending a contract he wrote rather then one someone else wrote. Chris, Oregon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randynavarro Posted July 21, 2007 Report Share Posted July 21, 2007 When I joined ASHI 5 or 6 years ago, they sent me about 5 different sample contracts as part of the membership packet. Of course, you have to have membership with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Dirks Jr Posted July 21, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2007 I think I will wind up building one that is complied of parts and pieces of several. Once I get it to my liking I will submit it to an atorney to check it over. NAHI will be my organzation of choice so their language will be taken into consideration as well. I am currently looking at many different agreements to look for a layout style that looks good. Some of these things have errors all though them. I hope atorneys didnt write those. Why do most of them not mention the exclusion of mold and mildew? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randynavarro Posted July 21, 2007 Report Share Posted July 21, 2007 Originally posted by AHI Why do most of them not mention the exclusion of mold and mildew? I think because you are looking at standard agreements that have been in print for a while. The mold exclusion thing is fairly recent and stemmed from the insurance companies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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