Transitioning to a multi-inspector firm

Looking for some advice/ pointers on how to transition from a single inspector into a multi-inspector firm.

Me, too. See Workshop, The Savvy Inspector, Ken Compton.

But, it's same weekend as PowerUsers.

I hope you're kidding Philo. Anybody holding a conference the same weekend as the PowerUser Conference is going to have serious attendance issues. We tried really hard to not schedule the same time as anyone...they must have scheduled this after us. We wouldn't do that to anyone and certainly not Ken- we started exhibiting at his events last year.

Beck- post this again in the member's only area and we'll get you to multi-inspector status in no time. Make sure you're in Indy the Friday night before the conference and be in the main level bar- you'll find lots of help there as well.

Actually, it appears that Ken does have a workshop that weekend. It looks like it's a monthly thing.
I'm not asking Nathan to comment on this, but does anyone have first hand experience with Ken Compton's programs? Do they deliver?

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 06/24/2014 09:14 PM EDT

Beck, I'm only speaking for me, I'm sure others can chime in. I am only right now a 2 man shop, many others on here are much larger than I, so I am no means a big fish. As the demand for my services grew, the writing on the wall became apparent. You have 2 options, either turn away work/referrals, or grow. Turning away people wanting to hand me money was not appealing, so I hired an assistant and trained to do the small things that take up time. The transition itself wasn't hard as much as finding the right person. Once you go that route, you're adding yet another USP to your repertoire, that of time savings. We can typically do a standard size house on slab here in about an hour, with 30 minutes to do the walkthrough/payment/Q&A. Thursday we did 5 inspections as a 2 man team. You can't get that efficiency with 1 person. I'd say after I made the switch in January, my business grew 25-30% instantly when people saw it in motion.

Where do people look for potential inspector employees? Schools, craigslist, college graduates???

If it's a monthly thing I don't feel so bad about it being completely empty Reece. They should have read all my spam

Glenn is right on. The assistant is the route to go initially. If you want to make the jump to 5 inspectors, come to the Powet User Conference and talk to over 50 owners of companies at 5 or above. Nowhere else will you get that kind of input first hand, except for maybe this message board.

Reece, I was a member of Ken's "HIMC," and went to one of his annual workshops some five years ago. It was all good. I quit his HIMC when I left Inspections briefly. Upon returning to HIs, I vowed I would re-join, but as a one-man shop, didn't feel the urgency. I know some big players in Texas (esp. in Dallas where Dallasites can't join the MIC,) who used to attend Ken's annual workshops regularly. I don't know first-hand, but it appears he now has monthly workshops, and has a group of coaches for help. At COA-Orlando this past spring, we had roundtables which touched on Multi-Inspector issues, and to me it seems transitioning can be a pretty complex process. I can envision doing Glenn's "tag-team" concept on my way to developing full-time, autonomous inspectors.

Philo wrote:Reece, I was a member of Ken's "HIMC," and went to one of his annual workshops some five years ago. It was all good. I quit his HIMC when I left Inspections briefly. Upon returning to HIs, I vowed I would re-join, but as a one-man shop, didn't feel the urgency. I know some big players in Texas (esp. in Dallas where Dallasites can't join the MIC,) who used to attend Ken's annual workshops regularly. I don't know first-hand, but it appears he now has monthly workshops, and has a group of coaches for help. At COA-Orlando this past spring, we had roundtables which touched on Multi-Inspector issues, and to me it seems transitioning can be a pretty complex process. I can envision doing Glenn's "tag-team" concept on my way to developing full-time, autonomous inspectors.

Thanks Philo. He's only about 2 hours from me, so I've been considering taking advantage of it.

We've grown from a one man show to a 15 person operation over the last 7 years. Drop me a line and ask me anything!

I'd be interested in this also.

I currently do about 3 inspections a day. With very little marketing. I plan to do the big bang marketing very soon. But desperately need to hire a full fledged licensed inspector, (before I go full force.) As I will not have thee time to 100% train him/her from scratch. How on earth do you big companies find good trustworthy people to carry out what you have ever so craftfully, diligently, painstakingly created. I have plans to pay about 27% of inspection(s) home,termite,pool. Anybody have a few words of advise. I plan to have at least 3 inspectors within the next 3 years. 4 total with me.

They'll never be you, but that might be a good thing!

This is good info and all, but I'm confused. Are we asking the Real Estate Professionals how we are to transition to a multi-inspector firm?

Good call. I'm moving this thread now.