Messages posted by: GMedich

Welcome to the forum, Jeff. Congrats on moving into your new career.

Tony seems to think you might wander over into Ohio, and doesn't want the competition.

Roy makes a good point about using "home" in the name. It might create difficulties with future opportunities. If you decide that won't bother you, I think "HouseHelper" is both professional and catchy enough to remember.

Consider the branding options of each name. Get an idea of how you would create a tagline or logo for each name, and consider how well they would fit the direction you want to set for your company. How are you a "HouseHelper?" How are you "Adaptive?" How well do these descriptions reflect you and your ideas?

I prefer short over long names (the "Home Inspection" suffixes already take too much name space). "360" fits this, but can you see yourself answering the phone, "Thanks for calling "360," this is Jeff?"

Regarding out-of-state companies, go with your gut. I still have people thinking my construction company built log homes because of some outfit in Colorado with the same name. Sometimes being forced to find an alternative domain name results in a better choice in the end. There are only so many words in the English language, and you won't even consider using most of them for your company name ("fuzzy bunny slippers" comes to mind, here).

Keep in touch on the forum, and let us know what name you choose in the end.

Welcome to the forum, and congrats on getting your business in order for your start-up phase. Some of these issues can be frustrating at times.

To help us better understand your situation, please let us know what kind of insurance agencies you have contacted. Have they only been local agencies? Were they national? Did you contact any which are associated with home inspector associations? Let us know so we don't suggest potential solutions you've already tried.

Oh, great! Now I'll have to add haunted home testing to the ever-expanding list of inspection services I offer to simply match my competition.

Of course, I'll need to offer some kind of warranty...90 days? ...180 days? In any case, it will have to disclaim hauntings which first emanate after the date of my inspection.

Oops! I'm putting the cart before the horse here. I forgot about the additional expense of using appropriate PPE. How much paranormal protection does a Tyvek suit actually provide?

Congratulations on completing your training, Dirk. Welcome to the forum.

You seem to have plenty of job experience and education which should translate well into the home inspection industry.

One of the benefits of Radalink is that they handle the QA plan and calibration that are part of a state-of-the-art radon testing program. That is one of the reasons I am considering using their equipment.

Quite a few replies here indicated some inspectors owned multiple CRM machines. I wonder what percentage of CRM owners actually follow a QA plan AND calibrate their units annually. Calibration can become expensive with multiple units.

Here in Michigan (as in many other states) there are no state-mandated radon standards. Nevertheless, I will only use methods which meet or exceed scientifically established minimum industry standards when conducting radon tests. To do otherwise without valid evidence supporting a unique approach is offering a service of very questionable value.

EPA guidelines, although somewhat dated, provide the basis for construction requirements of radon mitigation systems. The fan cannot be mounted in the home's conditioned envelope. The exhaust must be at least 10' above ground, and above the home's roof line. There are several more, of course.

I have not read of any licensed state which has retracted the installation requirements suggested by the EPA.

I see you live in Minnesota (which abuts Canada as does my own home state). I recently viewed a Mike Holmes video related to radon mitigation at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnqIPtZt3Go.

Some of the features of your example closely resemble those in the Holmes' video. The home owner might have used a similar reference source to design his own. The interior fan and exhaust below roof line are very similar.

My experience is similar to that of Michael and Dan. A historic district near me has many homes with full-height basements added subsequent to the original construction.

Unfortunately, many of them were poorly done. Some even have concrete hardly thicker than a parge coating added over bare sand. Sometimes the sidewalls are even sloped or mounded.

Hello, Kathy, and welcome to the forum.

You are not alone. Very few home inspectors "grew up" in the business through a family connection. Most of us came from other industries, some related to home inspection and others quite a bit different.

You will want to first investigate any licensing requirements in your state that might exist.

I strongly suggest you do not enroll in any training program until you have thoroughly investigated as many alternatives as you can find. This will allow you to make a good comparison of programs, and find the right fit for yourself. Some training providers offer traditional programs with definite starting and ending points, often ending with a final exam. Others are a bit more organic, and allow you to determine the pace of your study.

I completed my own studies through my professional association, InterNACHI. It allowed me to tackle the required courses at my own pace. They offer several publications and a few introductory courses to non-members free-of-charge to help them determine if home inspection is for them.

Good luck in making your final decision.

Ouch!

I sometimes write "copy" on a word processor, and later copy/paste the end result due to my past experiences similar to this.

Off topic just a bit, Steven. You probably want to review your custom links (map and social media links).

They currently all point to "Wix."

Steven, Radalink apparently only leases their CRMs to radon testers. I am currently considering their equipment also.

They can be reached at http://radalink.com/.

Thank you, Nathan, for addressing my post in such a kind, yet direct manner. I hope my thoughts shared here never lead anyone into a compromised position.

I agree that a fiduciary responsibility does exist between buyer and agent. I possibly disagree about how much responsibility that actually entails.

I think you summed it up well by saying "...you can certainly run your business that way."

As much as a realtor may want to "handle all the details" for their clients, this can quickly descend into a questionable ethical position. Realtors are not their clients' attorney-in-fact, and cannot reasonably represent their clients on such a basis since they are compensated from the proceeds of the sale.

I will always do what I can to work with a realtor in resolving a client's particular problems. Nevertheless, I will not rely on them to accurately and professionally convey the intricacies and nuances of the results of a home inspection. If a client requires so much assistance that they cannot reasonably work with me directly, they need a neutral, third party involved - preferably one working according to a legal document stating such.

Thanks for posting, Jlane20. I think you have nothing to worry about here. I agree with Dom that you probably are hearing only part of the story. It sounds as though there is more here than your realtor knows about.

I expect the inspector is embarrassed to even have to ask to return and inspect the crawlspace you had discussed with him or the bathroom (which is certainly not hidden in any way). I would not hesitate to ask what happened yesterday. He should respond in a professional manner.

Allowing your potential buyers to obtain a completed home inspection should work in your favor in the end.