Thread: Inspecting With or Without the client?

Originally Posted by Ted Menelly

Had a flood a month or 2 ago. Had to buy my third shop vac. It had been so long since I did that I hadn't carried one in years. It does make for an interesting day.

Yea, you should have seen the look on the agents face when the toilets were bubbling and water was coming up through the tubs and shower pans..priceless. So then, she went running out and came back with a roll of paper towels. I must have had the look of, "you gotta be kidding me".

To the original post,

I don't really care whether the client is there for the whole inspection or not but I definitely prefer that they wait until the latter part to show up. My reasoning is less distraction, more focus, and a more detailed, comprehensive and organized explanation/walk-through at the end of the inspection. If they want to stay for the whole thing, so be it and I will work with them. I do tell them (with a smile) not to get offended if I stay focused and am not chatty during the process.

I also always tell every client that my verbal summary of the inspection is not a complete description of everything I found and may not cover every little nuance. I tell them that the written report is the official final word and that the report is to be read from start to finish. There was an inspector in TX that recently got in trouble with TREC for saying one thing verbally at the inspection and writing something different in the report. Don't know the details but every one should be careful about how they verbally present their findings to the client.

As far as the topic of call backs after the inspection goes. I tell every client that if they have ANY questions after reading the report to call me immediately. I also tell them there are no such things as dumb questions if they are not clear about something. I try to make my report writing as clear as possible and with the aid of well taken photos (as well as location photos if needed), I rarely ever get call backs unless someone is looking for a referral for a contractor (which I do not give) or someone indeed needs a clarification (rare, usually first time homebuyer).

I want my clients at the inspection from beginning to end. It's the only time I have to establish a personal relationship with them so that if they ever have any questions or problems they will feel comfortable calling me instead of an attorney. So far it's works magnificently.

If you get distracted when a client asks a question, I think you just need to revamp your inspection protocol. I could probably do an inspection blind folded by now but I always have my inspection sheets witih me and I'm always marking them so that if I get interrupted by anything, I know exactly where I left off.

My inspection sheets are plasticized so that I can mark on them, photograph them back at the office, archive the photos, erase the markings on the sheets and reuse them. The only paper I use nowadays is one sheet for the home inspection agreement.

Originally Posted by Russel Ray

I want my clients at the inspection from beginning to end. It's the only time I have to establish a personal relationship with them so that if they ever have any questions or problems they will feel comfortable calling me instead of an attorney. So far it's works magnificently.

If you get distracted when a client asks a question, I think you just need to revamp your inspection protocol. I could probably do an inspection blind folded by now but I always have my inspection sheets witih me and I'm always marking them so that if I get interrupted by anything, I know exactly where I left off.

My inspection sheets are plasticized so that I can mark on them, photograph them back at the office, archive the photos, erase the markings on the sheets and reuse them. The only paper I use nowadays is one sheet for the home inspection agreement.

Thats a cool idea, re using the same forms. I'm not so "green". Actually, more like murkey pond water green.