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John Casimiro
04-20-2009, 08:39 PM
Welcome to INSPECT-A-HOME, owner Mr. John Francis Casimiro (http://www.homeinspectionhouston.com/) is licensed by the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) (http://www.trec.state.tx.us/complaintsconsumer/)to provide professional Houston, Texas Home Inspections and new home builder inspection services. We are a leading Houston Texas home inspection company ,Over 5000 Houston TX home inspections performed . Our Inspectors provide Structural, Electrical, Mechanical, and Plumbing Home Inspections, including New Home Phase and Final Inspections, Real Estate Purchase Inspections, and Builders Warranty Inspections. The need for a professional Houston home inspection prior to buying or selling a home is increasing and is considered a wise investment for more than one reason, awareness is one of them, you are not alone in the desire to make an informed decision about your home. These days, home buyers are less willing to make a long term financial commitment without first taking cautious steps to obtain all the information that I can provide as a licensed home inspector in the Houston area.

For Link exchanges and more please contact us.

Scott Patterson
04-21-2009, 05:59 AM
Welcome to INSPECT-A-HOME, owner Mr. John Francis Casimiro (http://www.homeinspectionhouston.com/) is licensed by the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) (http://www.trec.state.tx.us/complaintsconsumer/)to provide professional Houston, Texas Home Inspections and new home builder inspection services. We are a leading Houston Texas home inspection company ,Over 5000 Houston TX home inspections performed . Our Inspectors provide Structural, Electrical, Mechanical, and Plumbing Home Inspections, including New Home Phase and Final Inspections, Real Estate Purchase Inspections, and Builders Warranty Inspections. The need for a professional Houston home inspection prior to buying or selling a home is increasing and is considered a wise investment for more than one reason, awareness is one of them, you are not alone in the desire to make an informed decision about your home. These days, home buyers are less willing to make a long term financial commitment without first taking cautious steps to obtain all the information that I can provide as a licensed home inspector in the Houston area.

For Link exchanges and more please contact us.

Wow, 5,000 home inspections in 6 years! I've been doing this for about 13 years and I think I just passed 5,000. You da man! ;)

A.D. Miller
04-21-2009, 06:36 AM
Wow, 5,000 home inspections in 6 years! I've been doing this for about 13 years and I think I just passed 5,000. You da man! ;)

Scott: He's the man alright: the one without a functional calculator.

6 years = 2190 days = 2.28 inspections per day working 365 days per year.:eek:

And, did I mention, he is not even a full-fledged inspector. Just a trainee working under the tutelage of a sponsor?:confused:

Not the man. Just another BS artist.:D

Caoimhín P. Connell
04-21-2009, 06:38 AM
Hi Gents –

Not knowin’ nuthin’ ‘bout home inspections, but just doing the math – 5,000 inspections in six years, means a constant stream of over three per day. It seems that when I’ve hired my home inspector, with travel time it’s at least three hours, not including report preparation. So how does one actually accomplish that?

I only pose the question in the context of a litigation case I’m working on involving two colleagues (unfortunately) both of whom grossly botched their job, violated regulations and statutes (including criminal statutes). Each of these jokers claim to have performed “hundreds” of such projects – however, I reviewed some of those as well – and I have never seen a single example of where they completed the job correctly or according to pertinent rules and regulations – in fact, in each case, they have violated those very regulations they were supposed to be meeting.

I dunno – just makes me scratch my head, Lads. Perhaps John Casimiro or another home inspector can help me out here. How long does an average home inspection take including travel time to the property and preparation of the report? Do you guys do your own books, of do you farm that out to wives, secretaries, rent-an-accountant? What?

Cheers!
Caoimh*n P. Connell
Forensic Industrial Hygienist
Forensic Industrial Hygiene (http://www.forensic-applications.com)

(The opinions expressed here are exclusively my personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect my professional opinion, opinion of my employer, agency, peers, or professional affiliates. The above post is for information only and does not reflect professional advice and is not intended to supercede the professional advice of others.)

AMDG

Caoimhín P. Connell
04-21-2009, 06:46 AM
Hi Gents –

It seems that Mr. Miller and I were posting at the same time, and he thought it odd as well. I used a standard 250 day work year – maybe you guys don’t follow that. But, it sounded a bit odd. Comments Mr. Casimiro?

Cheers!
Caoimh*n P. Connell
Forensic Industrial Hygienist
Forensic Industrial Hygiene (http://www.forensic-applications.com)

(The opinions expressed here are exclusively my personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect my professional opinion, opinion of my employer, agency, peers, or professional affiliates. The above post is for information only and does not reflect professional advice and is not intended to supercede the professional advice of others.)

A.D. Miller
04-21-2009, 07:05 AM
Hi Gents –

It seems that Mr. Miller and I were posting at the same time, and he thought it odd as well. I used a standard 250 day work year – maybe you guys don’t follow that. But, it sounded a bit odd. Comments Mr. Casimiro?

Cheers!
Caoimh*n P. Connell
Forensic Industrial Hygienist
Forensic Industrial Hygiene (http://www.forensic-applications.com)

(The opinions expressed here are exclusively my personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect my professional opinion, opinion of my employer, agency, peers, or professional affiliates. The above post is for information only and does not reflect professional advice and is not intended to supercede the professional advice of others.)

CPC: This is just another fine example of how this profession needs to raise the bar at the entry level. When you make the license available, as the Texas Real Estate Agency obviously does in this case, to total schmucks, then total schmucks will apply and proceed to propagate, and inundate the profession with his ilk.

Glad to see someone else there passed elementary school math. But then, you are not an inspector.:D

Rick Hurst
04-21-2009, 07:49 AM
What these guys are doing is claiming the HI is one inspection and the WDI is another inspection.

Can add up quickly if you do it that way.

I figure I'm pushing the 1 million mark.:D

Done 6 this morning and I've not left the office.

rick

Matt Fellman
04-21-2009, 08:18 AM
Please Drive Thru.......

A.D. Miller
04-21-2009, 09:29 AM
What these guys are doing is claiming the HI is one inspection and the WDI is another inspection.

Can add up quickly if you do it that way.

I figure I'm pushing the 1 million mark.:D

Done 6 this morning and I've not left the office.

rick

Rick: Even if you are correct, the numbers still do not add up. No apprentice works that often. Not here. Not anywhere.

Maybe he's counting structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, appliances, gas lines, sprinkler systems, each optional item, WDI, etc. each as a separate inspection on each property. In that case, you've probably done at least 6 or 8 million. Will that be paper or plastic?:eek:

Rick Hurst
04-21-2009, 10:04 AM
Rick: Even if you are correct, the numbers still do not add up. No apprentice works that often. Not here. Not anywhere.

Maybe he's counting structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, appliances, gas lines, sprinkler systems, each optional item, WDI, etc. each as a separate inspection on each property. In that case, you've probably done at least 6 or 8 million. Will that be paper or plastic?:eek:

Your probably correct.

As far as the paper of plastic? I feel guitly for not having one of those green "Earth" bags.:rolleyes:

Rick

Wayne Carlisle
04-21-2009, 11:33 AM
Did you guys ever stop to think that there may be several inspectors working as sub-contractors within his company.

As far as inspections go, in the municipal world, inspections are counted individually. A frame inspection would count as four inspections. Building frame, plumbing top out, AC rough, and electrical rough.

We have to justify our existence to the public. Get the numbers where you can! Think about it! You actually are making several inspections at one time. AHJ's are not as independent as HI's where you (HI's) don't have to justify the amount of inspections to anyone!

A.D. Miller
04-21-2009, 11:41 AM
Did you guys ever stop to think that there may be several inspectors working as sub-contractors within his company.

As far as inspections go, in the municipal world, inspections are counted individually. A frame inspection would count as four inspections. Building frame, plumbing top out, AC rough, and electrical rough.

We have to justify our existence to the public. Get the numbers where you can! Think about it! You actually are making several inspections at one time. AHJ's are not as independent as HI's where you (HI's) don't have to justify the amount of inspections to anyone!

Wayne: You are obviously either not reading the original post, as well as the subsequent replies, or this is not a thinking cap day for you.:D

Wayne Carlisle
04-21-2009, 11:51 AM
I have been accused of not using my thinking cap a few times! :(

I was trying to justify the numbers for him! He does say things like "we" and "our inspectors" !

He could have more money than you and I combined and just bought the company and decided to get a license for himself. Just playing devils advocate! It is possible......maybe......:rolleyes:

Ted Menelly
04-21-2009, 12:09 PM
Hype and fluff is all. Hype and fluff.

Doesn't sound any different than any other marketing from most of the inspectors around here. Highly detailed home inspection. I don't put a sample of mt report on my site because anyone can find anything to pick at. His sample doesn't look so over the top detailed to me. Nice pictures. I personally would have lterally written a report on that roof that it is in serious need of replacing. Just because you don't have a check box anymore for in need of repair does not mean you cannot say that something needs repair or replacement.

He did not do 5000 inspections in that time frame. He cannot have anyone working under him with the license he has. He has to work under someone else.

His whole post is nothing more than him posting keywords on a blog (this site) for marketing his home inspection business. His entire site is an attempt to sell clients that visit his site. The idea of having possible clients think they are getting more or better info from him than any other inspector is his entire site. Asking for links exchanges, the key word filled posting on this blog etc etc is all fluff and hype and pretty much the norm for what I see from a good portion of inspectors out there.

Shoot. All my past work docs burned up a 1 1/2 ago. I personally have done countless inspections. I could say I have done 10,000 but I won't because I have not. Nor could I prove what I did anymore with all my records gone

Jerry Peck
04-21-2009, 12:36 PM
Got to admit ... sure is a strange way to introduce yourself ...

In stead of 'Hi, my name is ...' it's "Welcome to INSPECT-A-HOME" as though we went there to see him ... :rolleyes:

I'll let you Texas guys address all those other issues.

Dang, let's see, I did a home inspection which consisted of 1) an electrical inspection, 2) a mechanical inspection, 3) a plumbing inspection, 4) a roofing inspection, 5) oh, I looked at the structure, 6) oh, 5 major appliances, 11) termite inspection, and ... let's stop there, I just did 11 inspections!

A.D. Miller
04-21-2009, 12:48 PM
He could have more money than you

Wayne: That would put him in the majority.;)



just bought the company and decided to get a license for himself. Just playing devils advocate! It is possible......maybe......:rolleyes:


Wayne: Right, I didn't think of that. Makes me sad to think that others have that option.:(

Wayne Carlisle
04-21-2009, 12:54 PM
Dang, let's see, I did a home inspection which consisted of 1) an electrical inspection, 2) a mechanical inspection, 3) a plumbing inspection, 4) a roofing inspection, 5) oh, I looked at the structure, 6) oh, 5 major appliances, 11) termite inspection, and ... let's stop there, I just did 11 inspections!

Jerry...you would make a good AHJ inspector! Giving the taxpayers their monies worth!:D

Jack Feldmann
04-21-2009, 03:20 PM
To try to answer Mr. Connell's questions,
Travel time for me might be 4 minutes like yesterday, or 1.75 hours like a week or so ago. Second job might be 10 minutes away from the 1st, or 1.5 hours. It really just depends. When I was in So. CA, a lot of my jobs were within 20 minutes of my house.

Inspection time can also vary a lot. I'm sure there will be (and already has been) lots of discussion about how much time it should take, etc.

I do my reports on site for the most part (probably 90%), and I have for almost 20 years. I find I can work pretty well this way, others can not. Doesn't make me any better or worse than them, just different way of doing the job.
Most of my inspections are in the 2.5 - 3.5 hour range. That's from pulling up the the house, and driving away having already loaded the report to the web site.

That said, I have done condos in less than 1.5 hours, and been in a 1000 SF house for 6 hours, and had to finish the report at home.

For the most part I do 2 inspections a day. If I have a big house, I only do one. If it's a legal case, I only do that one, and it may take longer than one day, but 99.9% pf them have been no more than one day on-site. I have done 3 per day, when I have several condos in the same day.

When I was in So CA, I frequently did 3 per day, and once in a blue moon 4.

Let me know if you have any more questions.

Jerry Peck
04-21-2009, 04:59 PM
Doesn't make me any better or worse than them, just different way of doing the job.

Agreed.

I would typically drive 2 hours one way to my inspections, spend the day there, drive back, drive back and spend the next day there, sometimes even a third, fourth or more days there, then spend a day or two on the report, depending on how long I was at the house.

I averaged 2 per week, sometimes 1. That was for the last 4 years I was in business.

Prior to that I was working my way from 2 per day to 1 per day to 1 per 2 days, etc., to where I ended up. My fees went up as my inspection time went up and inspection numbers went down, which was my intent.

I think I did 70 inspection my last year in business, most 3-4 day 'inspections' (including the report). I had several 4-5 days, and not rare for a 6 day inspection, one was 8 days. But that was what I was trying to do.

Caoimhín P. Connell
04-21-2009, 05:04 PM
Thanks, Jack -

That seems to be the time my Inspector spent on site for my houses. And he too, mostly generated his report on site - and did a damn fine job as well, I might add.

Thanks again.

Caoimh*n

Ron Bibler
04-21-2009, 05:08 PM
Your probably correct.

As far as the paper of plastic? I feel guitly for not having one of those green "Earth" bags.:rolleyes:

Rick


I see people with these Green bags that they got off the floor from the back seat of the car. The place that the kid puts his shoes all over after walking in dog &^*^ And then gets in the car. So we now have Dog %$%$ in the carpet then we have the Green bag with the Fresh Dog *&_(* STUFF That is now on the table of the check-out stand at the safe-way store that im going to put my USDA Cuts on. :mad:

I will have the good old paper bag please...

Best

Ron

Billy Stephens
04-21-2009, 05:31 PM
.
Nice pictures.
.
I really like this one of All The Tools We Use.
* gotta admit he has some tools :rolleyes:
** unless he photo shopped . :D
.

wayne soper
04-21-2009, 06:14 PM
Welcome to Big Tools Inspection Company. "We may be small, But we have big tools" No job too small no tool too big:D

Billy Stephens
04-21-2009, 06:24 PM
Wayne,

You just Wish You Had Some Cool Professional Tools. :D
*like his Black & Decker Stud Sensor. :eek:
.

Brandon Whitmore
04-21-2009, 06:49 PM
I am not defending the original poster in any way, but..............

There are 52 weeks in a year. Say you work 5-6 days a week depending on the week. Let's just say a guy is a workaholic and works 5 days a week 2 weeks a month, and 6 days a week the other 2 weeks. If he did 3 inspections a day he would be at 858 inspections for the year. Multiply 858 inspections a year x 6 years and you come up with 5,148 inspections for those 6 years.

There was a year during the peak of things when the owner of the inspection outfit I used to work for told me that I hit the one- thousand mark for that year (I think more than one). No I can't prove it as I don't work there any longer, nor do I feel the need to do so. I am not bragging, and I sure didn't see most of the money that was made. Working conditions were horrible and the fast pace was not sustainable. I realized that I needed to work for myself in order to make sure my client's got the best inspection possible. Keep in mind that it was not 1,000 full house inspections. There were usually 3 + inspections a day, with at least 2 of the jobs being full inspections. I'd say about half of the days it was 3 full inspections, the other half a combo of condos, re- inspections, partial inspections, etc. We were a larger inspection firm, so drive times were minimal.

Quantity does not equal quality, and I'd sure hate to see the reports that I used to crank out.

What I wouldn't give for one job a day right now...........

Rick Cantrell
04-21-2009, 06:58 PM
What a warm welcome for a first time poster.:D

Billy
You know that all it takes is a ladder and a flashlight... he has twice that much.

Ted Menelly
04-21-2009, 07:23 PM
I am not defending the original poster in any way, but..............

There are 52 weeks in a year. Say you work 5-6 days a week depending on the week. Let's just say a guy is a workaholic and works 5 days a week 2 weeks a month, and 6 days a week the other 2 weeks. If he did 3 inspections a day he would be at 858 inspections for the year. Multiply 858 inspections a year x 6 years and you come up with 5,148 inspections for those 6 years.

There was a year during the peak of things when the owner of the inspection outfit I used to work for told me that I hit the one- thousand mark for that year (I think more than one). No I can't prove it as I don't work there any longer, nor do I feel the need to do so. I am not bragging, and I sure didn't see most of the money that was made. Working conditions were horrible and the fast pace was not sustainable. I realized that I needed to work for myself in order to make sure my client's got the best inspection possible. Keep in mind that it was not 1,000 full house inspections. There were usually 3 + inspections a day, with at least 2 of the jobs being full inspections. I'd say about half of the days it was 3 full inspections, the other half a combo of condos, re- inspections, partial inspections, etc. We were a larger inspection firm, so drive times were minimal.

Quantity does not equal quality, and I'd sure hate to see the reports that I used to crank out.

What I wouldn't give for one job a day right now...........

Amen

March picked up to be a great month as well as April before Easter. I have now been about sleeping half the time since Easter. Well, marketing half the time and knapping the rest.

Yes.............I would love to be back to a very comfortable inspection a day. But, I am talking 6 days a week. Then I would be happy again. I would take 2 a day for three days and nothing the rest of the week. Anything but this up and down crap.

John Casimiro
04-21-2009, 07:53 PM
Whoa, indeed...a warm welcome! Getting to the point, 6 years is a very short time folks. I am a full time maybe even an overtime inspector...I have 3 kids to feed. Actually those numbers are correct even more so than now, I do alot of Inspections multi-units, townehomes, I also get alot from hurricane Ike inspections about 40 % of those BIG numbers...

My whole family is in the real estate industry, mother is commercial broker, the wife is a relator, sister is a realtor and supervisor for HOA...etc
I'm very blessed to have a good jump start!

Thanks for your input!

John, and If you say so I'm da Man!

Caoimhín P. Connell
04-21-2009, 08:18 PM
Very well, then John - and Welcome!

(It's a tough crowd)

Caoimh*n

A.D. Miller
04-22-2009, 02:39 AM
Whoa, indeed...a warm welcome! Getting to the point, 6 years is a very short time folks. I am a full time maybe even an overtime inspector...I have 3 kids to feed. Actually those numbers are correct even more so than now, I do alot of Inspections multi-units, townehomes, I also get alot from hurricane Ike inspections about 40 % of those BIG numbers...

My whole family is in the real estate industry, mother is commercial broker, the wife is a relator, sister is a realtor and supervisor for HOA...etc
I'm very blessed to have a good jump start!

Thanks for your input!

John, and If you say so I'm da Man!

JC: If you can just make it past the initial greetings here, you stand a chance. Looks like you may be made of the right stuff.

But then, I am rather curious. Just what the hell do you do with a stud finder on an inspection?:D

Ted Menelly
04-22-2009, 07:22 AM
Whoa, indeed...a warm welcome! Getting to the point, 6 years is a very short time folks. I am a full time maybe even an overtime inspector...I have 3 kids to feed. Actually those numbers are correct even more so than now, I do alot of Inspections multi-units, townehomes, I also get alot from hurricane Ike inspections about 40 % of those BIG numbers...

My whole family is in the real estate industry, mother is commercial broker, the wife is a relator, sister is a realtor and supervisor for HOA...etc
I'm very blessed to have a good jump start!

Thanks for your input!

John, and If you say so I'm da Man!


Not that it is any of my business but being a real estate inspector I would be wildy guessing that you did all those inspections under someone elses license as you just hsave a real estate inspectors license.

Also working 6 days a week for five years you have to have done 3.2 or better a day 6 days a week for five years.

If you are counting walk thru inspections from a huricane then those are not home inspections.

And the big question is how are you doing any of these inspections thru referrals for you under a real estate inspectors license with out working under a Professional Real Estate Inspectors license.

The next question (sorry about all this but you opened it all up with your intro) Why would you work for five years under someone elses license with all those real estate folks throwing you inspections all the time and only taking a percentage from the person you are working under.

If I am not mistaken if you advertise for work as an inspector and work under someone elses license then you must advertise that license # you are working under. I know that when I moved here getting close to five years ago (even though I was an incorporated inspector) I could not advertise anywhere to anyone until I took the TREC required and approved courses and testing and received my Professional real estate inspectors license.

I had to sit on my duff and bring no income in until I completed the requirements which between classes and scheduling test was at least 3 months slowly eating my funds away

Like I said, sorry but your intro opened it for the curious and put the questions to everyones brain cells.

Jerry Peck
04-22-2009, 07:51 AM
I'm sure that all he did, was to hit every forum/board he could find, register, and post his "ad".

That is all that is, an "ad" for his services, and, if you are somehow interested, you can "For Link exchanges and more please contact us."

Certainly NOT the way to introduce yourself to a board with other inspectors, this was 'just another board' he spammed.

Billy Stephens
04-22-2009, 08:10 AM
I'm sure that all he did, was to hit every forum/board he could find, register, and post his "ad".

That is all that is, an "ad" for his services, and, if you are somehow interested, you can "For Link exchanges and more please contact us."

Certainly NOT the way to introduce yourself to a board with other inspectors, this was 'just another board' he spammed.
.
Well Yeah.

But The Man Has Tools !:D
.

Richard Thacker
04-24-2009, 06:35 PM
Lets face it 6 out 5 people are bad with math...and home inspectors are two of them.

Stuart Brooks
04-27-2009, 09:20 AM
What these guys are doing is claiming the HI is one inspection and the WDI is another inspection.

Can add up quickly if you do it that way.

I figure I'm pushing the 1 million mark.:D

Done 6 this morning and I've not left the office.

rick

There is an inspector in my area that counts not only WDI but Radon tests, Septic field walkovers, well water test samples, mold tape/swab tests.