Those of you who are opposed to this bill can use this link to produce a letter which will be sent to Governor Crist.

The Governor must act on SB 2234 no later than Friday, June 30, but could sign it any minute. This is a terrible bill that will hurt consumers and the profession. Others in Florida are using a Realtor site to e-mail support for this bill. Are you going to sit by and watch them drag you down? Act now! And tell everyone you know to do the same.

Florida Inspectors have succeeded in getting the Governor to veto past terrible bills. You must do it again. It will take only a minute.

Go to this link now Veto SB 2234

If it gets vetoed, it will not be because of you and your 'troops'.

It will be because a few are scaring contractors, engineers, architects and municipal inspector into thinking they will be harmed by this in that they will no longer be able to 'do home inspections' because of this (unless they get a 'home inspectors' license).

If the scare gets big enough, the contractors will do it in, not a measly few followers of you and your posts.

Me, I think it's bad, not because it is licensing, but because it is not a strong bill, like I've proposed in the past, the ones you freak out over big time.

But, just the fact that you want it to die as much as you do is enough for me to let it pass and get signed into law - if it does. Even though I dislike it.

Oh well, the compromises we must all make.

__________________
Jerry Peck, Construction / Litigation Consultant
Ormond Beach, Florida
Construction Litigation Consultants, LLC ( www.ConstructionLitigationConsultants.com )

Sounds as if you are conflicted, have you tried counseling? Apart from that you are small-minded in your thinking, this bill will have no affect over me or my business either way it goes, but it will negatively affect our profession for years to come. I know concepts like the greater good might be hard for someone like you to grasp (that is most likely why you were drummed out of ASHI) but you might want to give it a shot before you take that long dirt nap, don't you think?

Jerry,
Don't you know it is too late for you to be against it? After all, it is all your and Jeff Hoopers crowds fault...........according to "a reliable source"

6/26/07, 7:16 AM
James H. Bushart
Home Inspection Services of Missouri
NACHI Member
User Name: jbushart
Location: St. Louis, MO
Posts: 5,116


Re: Local Realtors support FL legislation

You can thank the Jeff Hooper and Jerry Peck crowd for presenting that image of the home inspector to the opposition to use to push their agendas. How very unfortuante we are to have people like them in our profession.
--
"To know what you prefer instead of humbly saying Amen to what the world tells you you ought to prefer, is to have kept your soul alive." Robert Louis Stevenson

__________________
Eric Van De Ven Magnum Inspections Inc. (954) 340-6615
www.magnuminspections.com
I still get paid to be suspicious when I got nothing to be suspicious about!

Best laugh I've had in quite a while.

"reliable source"

WoW! That's a stretch ain't it?

Jeff and I somehow are in cahoots with real estate agents!

Hot Dam, and I thought "reliable source" was funny! ROFLMAO

Attached Images

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__________________
Jerry Peck, Construction / Litigation Consultant
Ormond Beach, Florida
Construction Litigation Consultants, LLC ( www.ConstructionLitigationConsultants.com )

I knew it, I knew it, I knew it. That explains all of the "thoughtful and kind" things I have heard Realtors say about you two!

That is right up there with the Realtor who called me a "Drama Queen". It must be the heat!

Meanwhile, it appears as though some of the local contractors are also against this bill. That may cause it to be vetoed. Not, the minions from "the largest home inspection organization in Florida".

__________________
Eric Van De Ven Magnum Inspections Inc. (954) 340-6615
www.magnuminspections.com
I still get paid to be suspicious when I got nothing to be suspicious about!

The theory is that they (contractor, architects, engineers, and coded inspectors) have a "right" to do "home inspections" ... regardless ...

And that no licensing law should stop them from "their right".

Like, wow, man, Yeah baby ... most architects/engineer/contractors/code inspectors are out there doing "home inspections" as we speak.

Hogwash.

They will be allowed, by their current and existing licensing, to do as their current and existing licensing allows them - within their discipline and licensing. Nothing less ... and nothing more ... just like now (except that they would need to degrade themselves ... to get a friggin' "home inspectors" license. Which, by the way, is 'far beneath them' and that getting a "home inspectors" license would 'bring them down' to a commoners level ).

We (HIs) all KNOW *they* "know it all", right?

Now you're making me puke, man.

__________________
Jerry Peck, Construction / Litigation Consultant
Ormond Beach, Florida
Construction Litigation Consultants, LLC ( www.ConstructionLitigationConsultants.com )

Jerry,

Be careful, if you are truly against this bill then you are in violation of FABI's by-laws and subject to dismissal, with you out that would leave what, 20 or so members.

I heard that last weekends conference was a complete ghost-town, the vendors were crazy-pissed off they say you FABI guys are so tight you squeak when you walk, were you there?

Judging by the defensive posture being taken by the supporters of this bill in Florida attempting to ensure that you do not get credit for any veto, Joe, it would appear you are closer to victory than many think.

Best wishes for success and a 16th consecutive year of fighting off the bad guys.

Who are the "supporters" of this bill? The "defensive posture" tact is similar to the penny stock boards saying when "bashers" show up, it must be a good stock!

I guess you never read Jerrys proposal. Maybe, if you are nice and he still has it, he will print it out for you.

I proposed a bill two years ago. It was too simple for the powers that be to grasp.
Here are some highlights:
1) Everyone who was in business as of the effective date was grandfathered in. No exceptions.
2) All inspections were performed to a set of standards (ASHI, NACHI, FABI), you choose.
3) All had to abide by a code of ethics, again, choose which one.
4) Limitation of liability 1 year from the inspection date, major defects only. Major to be defined as damage greater than $5,000.00.

Class one inspector: Passed the National home inspectors exam and code of ethics test.
Class two inspector: Same as one with these additions: Has completed 1,500 inspections or been in business for 5 years. Has maintained 60 hours of ceus yearly.
Class three inspector: Same as one and two with these additions: Performed 3,000 inspections or been in business for 10 years or more. Code certified in all areas. Note: Only a class three inspector can perform new home inspections.

Those were the broad strokes.

The problem with the current bill is that it only serves those that paid for it. It does not protect the public in any way and in fact, harms them, as an inspector who has met the requirements and never completed an inspection will be on par with a 10 year veteran.

Licensing needs to happen to legitimize the profession, not just for licensing sake.

__________________
Eric Van De Ven Magnum Inspections Inc. (954) 340-6615
www.magnuminspections.com
I still get paid to be suspicious when I got nothing to be suspicious about!

I read Jerry's proposal.

I also read his justification of it on a restricted "members only" message board when he explained how it was necessary to go - initially - with a law that would garner support from the most number of inspectors....and then, once in place, lobby to modify it to make it stricter. He explained how it is easier to modify an existing law into a restrictive measure, than to get a restrictive measure passed.

Quite sneaky, but it failed, too.

Oh, and legitimate inspectors do not need "licensing" to make themselves legitimate.

Maybe in your eyes and some other home inspectors eyes, but ask the average consumer how they feel about licensing.

Although it may not be right, perceived value is sometimes more important to some than actual value.

__________________
Eric Van De Ven Magnum Inspections Inc. (954) 340-6615
www.magnuminspections.com
I still get paid to be suspicious when I got nothing to be suspicious about!

The average consumer is not interested in licensing.

Not in one state has a consumer led group involved itself in the licensing process.

Licensing has nothing to do woth consumers and everything to do with one group within the industry attempting to control another.

It is time to start moving in the other direction, now that the tide that once threatened to take over all states has been stopped, and let's start getting some of these idiotic laws off of the books.

Back when Jerry proposed this they figured that only Jerry & Jeff Hooper qualified for Class Three Inspector Status, that idea was so slick that the only place they could discuss it without falling down was in a handicapped toilet with grab-bars.



The last thing that pro-licensing inspectors who use state licensing regulations to eliminate their competition and enhance their market want is for some informed consumers nosing around their slick marketing plan that is disguised as legislation.

Q: Riddle me this... What is the one association who shuns, ridicules and looks down on home inspectors that use conventional & internet marketing to expand their business and refuses to spend one dime honestly promoting their own members in the marketplace?

A: FABI. Why is this you may ask? The simple answer is that FABI abhors conventional marketing and has decided to back whatever POS legislation that comes out of Tallahassee in a vain attempt to drive their competition out of business, that in a nutshell is their marketing plan. Don't be snowed by flowery forked-tongue speech designed to only pay lip service to consumer protection. The only thing they are out to protect is their turf.

It is only a matter of time before Florida succumbs to state HI licensing, I believe the only way to beat the licensing marketeers at their own game is to involve the consumer and all true independent consumer protection groups (this notion is what cost Janet Swandby her job with ASHI), that plus eliminating the grandfather clause will go a long way in promoting & enacting fair and sane state HI licensing. Let the legislators begin to get an earful from some incensed voter who becomes aware how pitiful this bill really is and things may begin to change for the better.

Licensing solves nothing.

Joe Burkeson

So, I guess you think that anyone should be able to do new or phase construction inspections?

Several others could qualify for Class Three status. The idea behind it was to try and elevate ALL inspectors and eliminate the "minimalist" inspectors.

I realize that you and Harvey AKA............. think that all established inspectors are trying to secure their business while at the same time, eliminate yours. That simply isn't true. There is plenty of business to go around. Not to mention, in my proposal and I think Jerrys, EVERYONE was grandfathered in. No one would be put out of business!

As for your rambling against other associations, I have always felt that they are nothing more than glorified boys clubs. We do need licensing in order to at least start somewhere. Good enforceable licensing. Not the wishy washy crap that half of the bills/laws are now.

__________________
Eric Van De Ven Magnum Inspections Inc. (954) 340-6615
www.magnuminspections.com
I still get paid to be suspicious when I got nothing to be suspicious about!

I never said any such thing those are your words. What I do believe is that a 10-year apprenticeship is ridiculous; and again I reiterate that at the time Peck came up with that nonsense he & Hooper were the only two who qualified.

There are many home inspectors who come to this profession from decades of licensed construction experience and should not have to kowtow to the dictates of a smoke-induced Jerry Peck wet dream.

When I started in this profession I joined ASHI and told them they could accept my previous 18 years of state licensed construction experience in lieu of the 250 required home inspections, they declined, I walked with my money, NACHI was glad to have it and me. Two years later after 250 NACHI inspections I rejoined ASHI, just because I could, no one dictates terms to me I make my own way.

In regards to New Construction inspections anyone who can verify construction experience of 10 years or more and is able to pass ICC certification or holds a construction license should not be excluded from performing New Construction inspections, thanks for asking.

Joe, Licensing is needed. Just imagine what would happen if all of the licenses, drivers licenses, doctors licenses, pilots licenses, were considered null and void and there were no licensing requirements at all.

__________________
Eric Van De Ven Magnum Inspections Inc. (954) 340-6615
www.magnuminspections.com
I still get paid to be suspicious when I got nothing to be suspicious about!