Holmes Is At It Again - This Time Over Grow-Ops

[Marc]

Then I guess that Holmes should have simply refused to participate in a staged, media engineered 'bashing' of home inspectors.

He should even have countered this particular CBC video by using his considerable media influence to educate the public on the major current realities of the home inspection profession in his province. This would serve to guide future clients on identifying competent inspectors. It would also further his credibility as seen by the public, advance the profession for us all and....make a few friends, and fewer enemies, among the brethren.

Marc

[Caoimhín P. Connell]

Hello Gents!

I saw the video, and in a nut shell, as an outside observer, I thought it was a hatchet job on Home Inspectors.

The piece was really predicated on unconstructive hyperbole, that was unnecessary to raise the issue in a constructive manner. But, that speaks volumes on the standards of reporters, more than on the integrity of the Home Inspection Industry.

As a cop, I personally have busted a LOT of grow operations; and the police footage was exactly what we see (I have hundreds of photos and videos of exactly what was shown there - the only thing missing was the smell.)

So what was Mr. Holmes’s point? For a start, I take exception to his argument that there is a grow on every street. No there isn’t. It is a problem, to be sure, and we don’t know how big a problem it may be. Furthermore, south of the border, many states allow grow operations, adding to the problem.

Do grow-ops pose a threat for toxic exposures? Yes, they certainly can. However, in the grand scheme of things, when an HI is performing their work, they are busy looking for other, more probable, issues (foundations, electrical, building code violations, etc). I know more about clanlabs and grow-ops than most of my fello Law Enforcement Brothers, but I will still hire an ASHI or NAHI or other non-NACHI Home Inspector to look at my house before I buy (or indeed before I sell).

The obvious question is “Is it the HIs job to know about grow ops?â€

[Stephen D. Gazo]

Never thought I would lose track, maybe a little to close to home, since Market Place walked into the Ontario division of CAHPI and set them up for failure. I earlier said, that 'unless I saw the house I cannot comment on what they saw' or to their conclusion. I feel educated just by watching the show. But this bashing of home inspestors is old hat for mr mike, having Market Place give him an open forum stinks. Its just so handcuffing, especially since I just seriously started to focus all my skills sets in to HI. His actions through the TV media placed my associations credibility into question. The association has enough of its own problems. So I have no voice, the association is in the can, Mike Homes and CBC want home buyers to spend 2-3 thousand dollars for a very invasive inspection, each time you list. He continues to spew his own dogma. I am not envious, I could not in good concious do what he is doing, on tv. I have also learned that as of now 4 out of the five so called inspectors had no affiliation with OAHI. One guy claimed to be an engineer, nope, he even had a court order telling him to stop calling himself one. In Ontario you have to be registered as an Engineer (PEng).

So, on the face of what we know,, what the !@#$$ is going on.

[Mark P]

If I had seen the hole in the bottom of the fireplace I would have said " I have no idea why there is a hole cut there, but if you want to use the fireplace it will need replaced / repaired." Maybe I'm nieve, but a grow ops would never had occured to me. But now I know...

[MMustola]

I'm with Mark. Grow ops are not on my radar. I have never even heard a story on my local news about a grow op being busted in my county.

[Bain]

I think Kentucky is #3 behind California and Tennessee for states that produce the most marijuana, Mark, but I never would have connected the hole in the firebox to a grow-op, either.

But what if I did suspect something fishy like that had once occurred inside a place? Who's the expert I'm supposed to refer out to? I can't imagine the coppers would care if all the evidence and illegal equipment and goods have been removed.

[Brandon Whitmore]

Mark,

I did a search of your county out of curiosity, but didn't make it far before busting up too much to continue. Check out this title:

Michigan medical marijuana rules still hazy for users

... Oct 4, 2009 ... GENESEE COUNTY, Michigan -- Nearly a year after state voters said yes ... a Shiawassee County man who was arrested for growing marijuana in a dog kennel. .... cannabis I suffered the only two siezures I have had post op. ...

www.mlive.com/.../michigan_medical_marijuana_rul.html - Cached - Similar -

Show more results from www.mlive.com

[hausdok]

Just google the guy Marc and see what he's been saying about home inspectors.

I think that if Holmes had his way, he'd write a completely new SOP that required invasive inspections, major disassembly and relies heavily on code.

The guy has made a career of bashing others' work, whether it be builders, electricians, HVAC guys or home inspectors - he just constantly bemoans about how hardly anyone, except, him, is competent anymore.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Garet]

Mr. Holmes stated that he probably would have recognized these as being signs of a marijuana growing operation when he was 18 years old. When I was 18 I didn't know what a grow-op was, and I certainly would not have been able to recognize signs of where one had been removed. Apparently Mr. Holmes past history is more colorful than mine.

[Tom Raymond]

Mr. Holmes stated that he probably would have recognized these as being signs of a marijuana growing operation when he was 18 years old. When I was 18 I didn't know what a grow-op was, and I certainly would not have been able to recognize signs of where one had been removed. Apparently Mr. Holmes past history is more colorful than mine.

I gotta agree. In my experience, an 18 YO that can recognize the signs of a grow op has either built one or worked in one. I have four younger brothers, so by association, I know quite a few of the local delinquents.

With the inroads being made toward legalization, and the continued criminalization of tobacco, RJ Reynolds will be selling 'green tomatoes' (my favorite local colloquialism) and grows will be a thing of the past within my lifetime.

Tom

[gtblum]

Although the reporters approached the CAHPI as though they were somehow responsible, nowhere did I see where the reporters established that the HIs used in the bait house were members of the CAHPI – were they? Why pick on the CAHPI and put them on the spot without first establishing that they were even associated with the four HIs?

In conclusion, the HIs did not “…lead the buyers down the path to buy a grow operation…â€

[kurt]

True enough. We're not far from where grow-ops aren't a criminal activity.

I've found a few over the years, told my customers about it, and no one really seemed to even care.

"Medical" marijuana is going to be a fact of our lives, and grow-ops will be in every town.

Bill Mullen posted over at the ASHI site today about Holmes inspection operation already stalling, and he should know. Holmes will take care of himself, we don't have to worry about it.

[MMustola]

"Michigan medical marijuana rules still hazy for users"

That headline could make it on the Jay leno show in his old Monday night Headlines bit.

[Phillip]

I wonder if I should report this as a grow-op?[:-monkeyd

Added plug in attic

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Ropes tied to joist and other items.

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Another photo of the plug,

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[John Kogel]

I wonder if I should report this as a grow-op?[:-monkeyd

Added plug in attic

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Ropes tied to joist and other items.

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57.19 KB

Another photo of the plug,

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That brings up a good point. If you label the house a grow-op around here, you just de-valued the place by about 100G.

I describe what's there - "I saw some fluorescent lights hanging in the attic.""The previous tenants left some herbs hanging from the rafters". Stuff like that. Then I will be on the lookout for damage, too, but still haven't used the G word.

[John Dirks Jr]

Holmes said there was a grow op on every block in the country. Really? Thats alot of friggin weed!

The cop said the operators want to get the smell out so they cant get detected. If the smell gets out, isnt that when it gets detected? The house he was in would stink up the whole neighborhood no matter what. Even one maturing plant is pungent, much less a whole house full.

"every home inspector missed every sign" ----B friggin S

I bet they hired 10 inspectors and used the 4 worst.

It's nice when you have all the time in the world to make a production. You get to edit and omit anything that doesn't fit your template.

Even though the fools had the ability to make what they wanted, the thing was still riddled with easily detectable bunk.

I don't know where to begin. The bottom line is, never trust these media types.

[Richard Moore]

Holmes said there was a grow op on every block in the country. Thats a lot of weed!

The cop said the operators cant get detected. The house he was in would stink up the neighborhood. Even one maturing plant is a house full.

Every home inspector missed every sign.

I bet they hired 10 inspectors to make a production.

The fools had easily detectable bunk.

The bottom line is, never trust these types.

Sorry John. I saw your paragraph..."It's nice when you have all the time in the world to make a production. You get to edit and omit anything that doesn't fit your template." I totally agree and thought I would have fun omitting stuff from your post to prove your own point.

[John Dirks Jr]

Holmes said there was a grow op on every block in the country. Thats a lot of weed!

The cop said the operators cant get detected. The house he was in would stink up the neighborhood. Even one maturing plant is a house full.

Every home inspector missed every sign.

I bet they hired 10 inspectors to make a production.

The fools had easily detectable bunk.

The bottom line is, never trust these types.

Sorry John. I saw your paragraph..."It's nice when you have all the time in the world to make a production. You get to edit and omit anything that doesn't fit your template." I totally agree and thought I would have fun omitting stuff from your post to prove your own point.

I'm glad you got my points. I almost started taking notes while watching that vid.

BTW, can I send my reports to you for editing before I submit them? You could probably knock a couple of MB of each one.

[Phillip]

I have found grow-ops before. I think I posted some photos from the one I found in the back of a crawlspace.

To me there is not enough signs for me to call this a grow-op. I just reported about the outlet, ropes being there for some unknown reason and the gable end vent needing repair.

[gtblum]

I have found grow-ops before. I think I posted some photos from the one I found in the back of a crawlspace.

To me there is not enough signs for me to call this a grow-op. I just reported about the outlet, ropes being there for some unknown reason and the gable end vent needing repair.

I think that's a wise decision.

Looks to me like the dryer broke, and they were hanging clothes in the hot attic to dry them. The extra wiring was for the oscillating fan used to move the air around the clothes.

Not as exciting as guessing there may have been a grow opp but, a lot less dangerous.

[Erik]

Are Pot houses common on this side of the border? To be honest I wouldn't have know it was a pot house. I would have seen the hole in the fire place. but I would have just thought wtf and wrote it up. I sure we have all seen the things home owners do and just don't ask why.

We see meth houses here quite often.

[Caoimhín P. Connell]

Hi Gents –

I think Phillip, Dirks and gtblum are right on target. It’s a pity this Homes guy didn’t approach this from a different angle. I think he missed a great opportunity to provide some valuable information in a constructive manner.

I have been involved in a lot of grows and clanlabs following a property transaction – whenever the new owner blames the HI, I have always come to their defense and stressed exactly what Mr. David Mahoney said – “It’s not their job.â€

[Inspectorjoe]

In ten years, I hadn't run across a previous grow-Op - til Monday. I didn't even realize it at the time. The 1920 row house had new rafters, new sheathing and the brick party walls were spray painted. I told the buyer there was a fire and asked if it was on the seller's disclosure. It wasn't. Curious, I Googled it: Fire story

I'm suuuure Holmes would have spotted it right away.