Homeowner Forum / Construction / September 2006

Plus there is a motivation for the inspector NOT to lie. Do you know how
much home inspection insurance is? $5000-$10000 year!!!

To assume that home inspectors lie is foolish because the worst thing
you can do for your business is to get caught in a lie.  A reputation
for fairness is worth much more than kissing any real estate agents a.s
would ever be.  When you think about it ,  most realitors would be
better off having satisfied clients rather than having a sale go
through but the client holds a gruge and won't recommend him/her in the
future.
Home inspectors need to be respected more than they need to be liked.
Fairness and honesty is the way to get respect.

To say that all home inspectors lie is foolish because the worst thing
an inspector can do for his/her business is to get caught in a lie.
When you lose your credibility you are pretty much out of business.  It
is also foolish for a realitor to want an inspector he recommended to
lie about the condition of a house because the lawyers will blaim them
first.
A satisfied client who knew all the defects before he bought the house
is the best recommendation a home inspector can get.   (Note: Home
inspectors can not see through walls any better than you and they can
not predict the future either.)

Andy writes:

 In my experience,  "licensing" does nothing except make it harder
for people to enter the field, and does nothing to insure integrity.

  It is often a case of  a few people wanting to set themselves up
as a "licensing board" so they will have permanent employment.  This
is done by using a politician to pass a law requiring certain steps to
be taken before a license can be issued.  For instance, it may require
yearly dues to be paid to the licensing board.   It may require
licensees
to take yearly courses at community colleges for "continuing
education".
Approval for the colleges is given by the licensing board, FOR A FEE...
   I often requires an apprenticeship of several years to be served at
low wages to "get experience"....  A bone for the inspection companies
to
get cheap labor from a dozen "apprentices" with only one licensed
inspector at the company to "sign off" on the inspections....

  In other words, most licensing of this type is a boondogle to
"pull the ladder up" for existing inspectors.... Almost universally,
"existing" inspectors are grandfathered in and don't have to do
anything except show that they have been in the business for
so many years before the law comes into effect.... This is the only
way the "licensing board" can get support from existing
businesses.....

  It is a racket.  It is done in real estate, professional engineer
licenses,
plummers, electricians, doctors, lawyers, and has not effect at all
upon the ethics in
these professions..... Rarely does a doctor get his license jerked.
Often
there are malpractice cases won, and no license action is taken....

   So, I don't blame the governor for taking a long look at the
utility
of this law.....  I suspect somebody explained the above to him before
shoving the papers in front......

            Andy in Eureka, Texas

Licensed Professional Engineer who never had to take a single
test to get the license------   grandfathered in .....