Thread: Texas TREC SOP & 7A-1 - Drafts from 08/18/08

Attached are PDFs with the information currently at the Texas TREC website and on the Texas State Registry.

Documents up for review and comment before the next IC TREC meeting in October.

Information below is from the TREC Website:
=====================================

Proposed: New Standards of Practice and a Revised Standard Report Form - At its meeting on August 18, 2008, the Commission proposed new Standards of Practice and a revised standard report form, as recommended by the Inspector Advisory Committee. These drafts were developed based on comments TREC received about the previous drafts, proposed on April 28, 2008.
Please review the Standards of Practice, the form rules and the proposed new standard inspection rep-rt form.
If you wish to comment on these proposed rules, please state your comments clearly. If you have one or more concerns about the rules, we suggest that, for each issue, you specify the concern, the reason you believe it is a problem, and any suggestion(s) for improvement. We request that you do not simply submit a draft of the rules with your suggestions made within the text.
The Inspector Advisory Committee reviewed and considered all of the comments submitted in response to the April proposals. If you submitted comments at that time and would like the Committee to consider the same comments again, you must resubmit them.
The Inspector Committee will meet on October 10, 2008, to discuss comments received regarding these proposed rules before the Commission considers adoption on October 27, 2008.

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Nolan...it is interesting to see that you get about the same response that I do when posting updates to the proposed TREC SOP. Texas inspectors, in general, just don't seem to care too much do they? Once the proposed SOP is accepted next month and implemented, probably by year's end, then I'm sure many of them will be complaining to high heaven.

Originally Posted by Mike Boyett

Nolan...it is interesting to see that you get about the same response that I do when posting updates to the proposed TREC SOP. Texas inspectors, in general, just don't seem to care too much do they? Once the proposed SOP is accepted next month and implemented, probably by year's end, then I'm sure many of them will be complaining to high heaven.

Now that is simply not true. I no a few on this site , as a matter a fact most care about the posting. The post was not meant to be responded to but to help enlighten and pass along information.

I know it is sent directly to some folk and some, probably many are keeping track of it themselves.

Thanks Nolan. I appreciate the follow up.

I don't have any complaints with the SOP. The only complaint I had was the Mandatory insurance requirements. I sent my opinion in as well as more than likely hundreds if not many more that had complaints of the insurance demands. Did not seem to make a difference. Most of a make a decent living but most of us don't have the time or the money to hang out in Austin or make continued trips. So, the folks for that matter had the time and money to lobby and convince.

Yes, it is most definitely true. Of the approximatley 4200 inspectors in Texas probably less than 10% are even aware of the pending SOP revisions and <1% have taken the time to review and respond to them. I couldn't care less if comments are made here on this or any other message board. I would, however, like to see Texas inspectors more aware of the issues and take a more proactive role in having their voices heard directly to TREC.

Good observations noted.

Mike and I (and I'm sure some other HIs) have also distributed as much information as we can get hold of to various forums and other HIs.

As Mike noted it is interesting to keep hearing from HIs who are not currently 'up-to-date' with respect to the proposed SOP & 7A-1. In fact I was visiting with an HI (I was at his house that was having foundation work done) and he said he had 'heard' there were some changes pending. Well ... I gave him more than he likely wanted to hear, but now he knows and can read more to get up to speed.

Anyway ... it is a process it seems and does not always flow as smoothly or quickly as one would imagine.

FYI, lack of concern or the appearance of it is just not a Texas phenomenon. I would say that this is common in about 90% of those who work in the home inspection profession.

This post is to 'bump' my original posting of the proposed SOP and 7A-1 form.

I did not ask for comment one way or another ... simply: "Here are the documents for your review."

As Richard noted on another thread I did post them here for viewing.

It is up to each TX HI to review the proposed and compare it to the existing and make their own determination about their understanding from same.

Yes, there are changes and you have to decide the impact to you and your current inspection mode/process/style.

If I inspected a property to "only" the TX SOP I would not be providing my clients the excellent service they are expecting. I am typically above and beyond the SOP from the git-go. From the level of service I try to provide I've already been inspecting most of what is proposed.

Richard - Tnx for the reminder in the other thread.

What percentage of Texas home inspectors belong to an association? That would seem to be a way to raise awareness of pending issues.

North Carolina has a HI state association (nclhia.com) with multiple chapters across the state. The association makes a point to distribute information about pending legislative and licensing board issues to its members. While only ~25% of the licensed inspectors are members, that is more members than some of the national associations have in NC.

Recently the association was able to get a bill passed regarding privilege licenses. This involved contacting HI's across the state to contact their Representatives to request support for the bill. Some HI's were paying privilege license fees for each town and city they worked in. Others paid no fees. As an industry, we were able to get a state privilege license fee implemented so we would not have to pay fees in each municipality. Those who had not paid any fees were unhappy that now have to pay the $50 annual to the state but those that had been paying $1500 to all the various towns were pleased.

This is a priviledge license, not the same as a Home Inspector License. HI's were already licensed in the state with a $150 a year fee.