Thread: #$%@&*#$%!!!!!!!!!

So I get to my 9am inspection this morning at 9am which is for a past client. Nobody is home and I'm the 1st person there so I get cracking. I inspect the entire exterior and roof. It's now 9:50 and still nobody. I call the client and tell him I've been at the property for close to an hour. He states the buyers of his house backed out of the deal and they had to cancel this inspection and that his realtor was supposed to call me. No call or e-mail from anybody.

If he wants the inspection again at a later date, it just got much more expensive........if I will even feel like doing it. The lack of consideration displayed for somebody else's time and effort just rankles me to no end. Why does this $#!% only seem to happen to me on Saturdays and on houses that are not exactly right around the corner?

Originally Posted by Nick Ostrowski

So I get to my 9am inspection this morning at 9am which is for a past client. Nobody is home and I'm the 1st person there so I get cracking. I inspect the entire exterior and roof. It's now 9:50 and still nobody. I call the client and tell him I've been at the property for close to an hour. He states the buyers of his house backed out of the deal and they had to cancel this inspection and that his realtor was supposed to call me. No call or e-mail from anybody.

If he wants the inspection again at a later date, it just got much more expensive........if I will even feel like doing it. The lack of consideration displayed for somebody else's time and effort just rankles me to no end. Why does this $#!% only seem to happen to me on Saturdays and on houses that are not exactly right around the corner?

One good reason that reinforces why I do not work on weekends. If a person wants to buy a home they need to make some accommodations in their life and not in mine.

Originally Posted by Scott Patterson

One good reason that reinforces why I do not work on weekends. If a person wants to buy a home they need to make some accommodations in their life and not in mine.

Wise words Scott.

I'm always amazed how some people can't make themselves available to buy a house and it all has to fit in a neat little window for them.

A few years back I never call to confirm inspection. Now If I have any question about the parties I call.

A few time they did not do the inspection or no one answered the phone

Call first... Thats my new thing.

Best

Ron

Could be a karmic opportunity (gift) to re-examine/review procedures for personal safety and the continued gift of life uncompromised by newly missing arms, hands, fingers, face, eyes, nose, etc. after yesterday's post about the inspection the day before finding the tin of blasting caps & today's post where you indicated you tempted fate not only sticking around to snap FLASH photos but disturbing the area, relocating the tin to photograph it (evidenced by the photos), then opening the "pandora's box(tin)" of ancient blasting caps! http://www.inspectionnews.net/home_i...tml#post125008

"I never said I didn't open it......which I did. And yep, they were in there and in tact. Little copper tubes with a solid pack of whatever explosive material they contain."

Reflect, appreciate, and be thankful, despite not earning today, you are still capable of performing your livelyhood. Use the opporunity to learn. Sometimes the Universe hands us what we think is a set-back - its usually really a "whoa, you're missing something here" moment.

Hope you evacuated the home and called the Fire/Police Dept. from a safe distance away, for trained specialists to safely remove & deal with the likely crystalized and unstable explosives.

Copper tubes would be older than newer since aluminum was the norm by the 60s.

Originally Posted by H.G. Watson, Sr.

Could be a karmic opportunity (gift) to re-examine/review procedures for personal safety and the continued gift of life uncompromised by newly missing arms, hands, fingers, face, eyes, nose, etc. after yesterday's post about the inspection the day before finding the tin of blasting caps & today's post where you indicated you tempted fate not only sticking around to snap FLASH photos but disturbing the area, relocating the tin to photograph it (evidenced by the photos), then opening the "pandora's box(tin)" of ancient blasting caps! http://www.inspectionnews.net/home_i...tml#post125008

"I never said I didn't open it......which I did. And yep, they were in there and in tact. Little copper tubes with a solid pack of whatever explosive material they contain."

Reflect, appreciate, and be thankful, despite not earning today, you are still capable of performing your livelyhood. Use the opporunity to learn. Sometimes the Universe hands us what we think is a set-back - its usually really a "whoa, you're missing something here" moment.

Hope you evacuated the home and called the Fire/Police Dept. from a safe distance away, for trained specialists to safely remove & deal with the likely crystalized and unstable explosives.

Copper tubes would be older than newer since aluminum was the norm by the 60s.

Take it easy Francis.

I had one last week that when i arrived the seller came out and asked me what I was there for because some other inspection co inspected it a couple of days prior. Talk about pissed. Of course the buyer does not answer the phone when I call to let him know what a lovely person he is. I am sure he found someone to do it cheaper and did not have the guts to call and tell me.

Nick -- I believe it's "lighten up Francis."

Originally Posted by Jon Errickson

Nick -- I believe it's "lighten up Francis."

I thought I had that wrong Jon. Been a while since I've seen STRIPES.

me too... but i knew what you were referring to right away!

Try to push for payment prior to performing the inspection. This will pretty much eliminate the lack of consideration some people display with cancellations.

Interestingly while I was typing this out I received an email for a cancellation on an inspection. No problem, PayPal payment completed so I will just schedule another job for that day. My agreement states cancellations with less than 48 hours notice will be billed in full so I AM paid for the job.

Originally Posted by Scott Patterson

One good reason that reinforces why I do not work on weekends. If a person wants to buy a home they need to make some accommodations in their life and not in mine.

I constantly have folks, well, sometimes, ask me if I can start around five as that is the time they can get there after work. As soon as I say that I work days as well and like to be ending at 5 to 6 at the absolute latest the tune always changes.

I had folks the other day ask me if I could meet them at six at the home after they got off of work. It was right down the street a few miles. I started late so I could finish up before they got there. I called them about 5:45 and asked if they were on their way. They said as soon as they finish up eating and cleaning up they would be right over after that.

It was not a pleasant conversation once I received the check for the inspection. They wanted to get off work. Go home and clean up and eat dinner. Kick back for a while and then come over to go over the inspection. Nothing ticks me off more than liars.

Lets just say that I will not be receiving referrals from them. I had just a little to say about making special arrangements for them to be there later than my normal day thinking they were flying over after work. They had both been off work since 4 o'clock and only worked minutes away. The original request was that they would not be freed up from work until at least 5:30. I was there until 6:45 and did not get in until 7:15 so they could get off work, eat, clean up and pick their teeth and mosey on over after.

I love it how some people can't make themselves available to buy a house. It all has to fit within a neat little window of time for them. Just like Ted, I get some people who want to start the inspection around 5pm when they get off work (heaven forbid they use some of their vacation or personal time). My favorite is when it's the dead of winter, somebody wants to start the inspection at 5:30 pm, and by that time it's already been pitch black for an hour.

Had listing agent call and say the owner wanted the inspection delayed an hour because he had something to do.

This was 5 minutes before the inspection.

I was already setting down the street where I could see the house. At the same time the owner pulled into the house with a gal and about 45 minutes they left.

The gal had clothes on that showed a lot of her being.

That was the listing agent, and she just got another month extension on the listing.

Originally Posted by Phillip Smith

Had listing agent call and say the owner wanted the inspection delayed an hour because he had something to do.

This was 5 minutes before the inspection.

I was already setting down the street where I could see the house. At the same time the owner pulled into the house with a gal and about 45 minutes they left.

The gal had clothes on that showed a lot of her being.

Back in my bartending days we were able to call in drunk or having relations, I doubt his reason was the first one, but it might have been the 2nd.

Call the agent, pretent you are a buyer and schedule a showing. Then don't show up and tell the agent, opps. Sorry. Maybe that will make you feel better Pick a really big expensive house and schedule it for Sunday to really waste their time lol.

Always call and grill the weekenders. They better have a reason for Saturday only, and they know after our conversation that I expect them to keep their appointment. Getting paid in advance with a forty-eight hour window for cancellation is a great ideas. I know, afraid to ask for payments in advance is buying into the belief that it will scare off the client. When you ask all they can say is no, they can't eat you, and usually you can extract a down payment to lock in the deal. A down payment also stops them from shopping you. Many people do not know they have a deal until they hand over some sort of payment.

I used to get uptight about working weekends. Now, I either just say no, or I charge extra. That extra $200 puts me in a whole lot better mood come Saturday night. It buys a lot of beer too.

The extra 200 is nice, and the people dont seem to make a big fuss about it.

Originally Posted by Jim Robinson

I used to get uptight about working weekends. Now, I either just say no, or I charge extra. That extra $200 puts me in a whole lot better mood come Saturday night. It buys a lot of beer too.

Sat and Sun is just another day of the week. I can have my fun when I have no inspection on any day of the week....not just the weekends. But I also take six hours to do a report too so maybe I am doing something wrong after all!