Thread: parr and pb but are there other companies that will hire for disaster inspections?

Hi, I am signed up with PB, and have a good friend that does inspections for them. I understand all of that, but another guy I know is working for insurance companies I think, doing disaster inspections in Houston etc, but gets up on a ladder etc, and makes a lot more money per inspection. Does anyone know how you get involved in that?

Similar Threads:

• Re-Inspections
• Code of ethics planned for property inspections - Stuff.co.nz
• Pre-Listing Inspections
• Home inspections key to helping buyers make sound decision - Chicago Daily Southtown

You can start here.

Thanks, does anybody do that type of work currently, and if so what companies, and how do you sign up? Also wondering if anybody knows where the PB headquarters are located in Louisiana, they have not called me for deployment, and I am thinking of trying to get in front of them?

Originally Posted by peter foreste

Also wondering if anybody knows where the PB headquarters are located in Louisiana, they have not called me for deployment, and I am thinking of trying to get in front of them?

PB's headquarters is in Winchester, VA. To my knowledge there are no field offices remaining in LA at this time. (A buddy still working in LA was told as much the other day when he needed forms.)

I have bad news for you. If you have not been deployed you most likely will not be deployed at this late date. The number of inspectors still in the field is down dramatically from several weeks ago and those inspectors are inspectors with experience. I seriously doubt they will be deploying any more new inspectors on this disaster.

Thanks, that is what I was afraid of. I will wait until next season I guess.

That's the reality. The number of inspectors needed follows the number of applications FEMA receives. The first few days of a disaster FEMA will have received a certain number of applications and the contractors will deploy inspectors based on that work load (and the anticipated upcoming work load). As areas open up (roads cleared, power and services restored, etc) and more people return home to assess their damages (and FEMA advertises for everyone to apply) the number of applications goes up so more inspectors are needed.

At some point the number of new applications received by FEMA level off and start to drop. That's when the contractors start sending inspectors home because there is simply not enough work to go around to keep all the inspectors busy. The contractors do not need to deploy brand new (i.e., inexperienced) inspectors when they are sending experienced inspectors home.

2 1/2 months into this disaster (Gustav) the work remaining is going to be a mix of some new inspections and a lot of reinspections (e.g., corrections [where the original inspector made some sort of mistake] and appeals). The contractors really need experienced inspectors to do these reinspections, not brand new inspectors.

If I were you I would forget this disaster and make sure all my training (workshops and on-line training) is up to date for next year. Keep an eye on PB's website for small disasters they are awarded and volunteer for some of the small ones other inspectors don't want to work (e.g., West Virginia Spring floods). That will help you get some experience and move you closer to being deployed on a large disaster (e.g., hurricanes).

Thanks again for all of the info, I think you are correct, I will wait for next year.

Good News everyone

By mid May or early June a website will be coming online that will provide some much needed information about how to be prepared for and what to expect in the field for the FEMA housing project deployments by Parr or PB disaster services. Keep watching for www.inspectivid.com
This website is not sponsored by either company and will give you the real world view of this work.

Tom Myers

I'm registered with both PaRR and PB. I was deployed by PaRR this last time.
WHAT A CLUSTER F! IMHO, don't bother. They don't hire local people because of possible conflict of interest so the inspectors come from far away.
By the time you pay for rental car, lodging, food, gas and whatever, you got nuthin!

Due to the very poor organization by PaRR and FEMA, I was not able to get in more than 5-6 inspections tops per day. Overall I averaged $249 per day for the 50 days I was out.

When it was all over, my expenses were far in excess of that considering my ongoing expenses at home did not take a vacation while I was gone. I cannot afford to just "break even" for two months so I will NOT be doing that again.

Originally Posted by Dana Bostick

I'm registered with both PaRR and PB. I was deployed by PaRR this last time.
WHAT A CLUSTER F! IMHO, don't bother. They don't hire local people because of possible conflict of interest so the inspectors come from far away.
By the time you pay for rental car, lodging, food, gas and whatever, you got nuthin!

Due to the very poor organization by PaRR and FEMA, I was not able to get in more than 5-6 inspections tops per day. Overall I averaged $249 per day for the 50 days I was out.

When it was all over, my expenses were far in excess of that considering my ongoing expenses at home did not take a vacation while I was gone. I cannot afford to just "break even" for two months so I will NOT be doing that again.

Then you are going to have the bleeding hearts saying "you are not suppose to be doing this to get rich but to help those in need" Yeah, right. That may be part of it but why would anyone want to disturb their entire life for a couple months to just break even. After all, is that not why everyone works for a living, to hopefully get ahead and not just to pay everything they bring in just to break even and go thru the hardship to boot.

I remeber that convo took place during the last disaster and just had to laugh out loud. Disrupt your entire life and not be able to pay all your bills and be hundreds if not a 1000 plus miles away from home and family because you must have a kind heart and help those in need. Uh huh. thats ahy you are working, to help someone in need, yep, you and your family.