Attend any trade show in the home inspection industry these days and you’ll find at least one infrared camera, if not many, on display. In the autumn of 2006, at ITA’s Inspection Expo in Las Vegas, Flir was in attendance, as were several tool companies that offer cameras made by Fluke Corporation. HomeSafe Inspection, a franchisor that features its own infrared camera, demonstrated their technology at the show as well.

Are professional home inspectors sold on infrared technology? You would certainly think so, given the number of exhibitors with cameras for sale.

As a frequent trade show exhibitor, I have the luxury of getting tons of face time with my customer base. It’s not my charm or dashing good looks that has inspectors flocking to my booth. I’m the guy with the gaggle of goodies that beep, flash, or illuminate and come in every annoying color you can conjure up; the “toy counter” if you will.

Tools are to inspectors what shoes are to most women.

The biggest, baddest tool on any table is the infrared camera. Yet, I’d put the number of home inspectors in North America that own an infrared camera at some point south of ten percent. The cost, I’m told, precludes most from considering infrared technology. But cost isn’t the only reason inspectors are reluctant to embrace IR. I’ve heard infrared technology renounced by home inspectors because of the “increased liability” it introduces and I’ve heard it (IR) referred to as “the ultimate deal killer”.

“People know you can see through walls with that contraption, so what happens if you miss something? You see what I mean?” asked one senior inspector I spoke with on Long Island.

By this juncture, most inspectors know that infrared cameras do not give you the ability to see through walls. The camera will merely show the temperature signature of the wall surface. Building materials inside the wall system affect the surface temperature of the wall due to their respective thermal properties. Water, for example, has great thermal capacitance, so the presence of moisture within a wall system will create a temperature differential on the wall surface that is detectable with an infrared camera. Missing insulation is easy to see as well, provided you have sufficient energy transfer present.

So, to see or not to see, that is the question!

Would your client, who is planning to spend $250,000 on their dream home, want you to detect latent moisture in a wall invisible to the naked eye? Missing Insulation? How about termite or rodent infestation? You bet they would.

Will real estate agents absolutely abhor you if you’re armed with this technology? It’s possible; even probable. Does the ability to unearth more potential concerns with a home increase your liability? In my humble opinion, infrared technology enables you to protect your posterior more effectively.

The number of IR capable inspectors is on the rise, but those of you waiting for the prices to tumble further before taking the plunge, may want to reconsider. I spoke to an engineer at Mikron Infrared who believes that it’s likely that cameras with better detectors and higher resolution will be developed in short order, making today’s entry level cameras not less expensive, but obsolete instead. Mid-range cameras will then become tomorrow’s entry level cameras, with only modest decreases in overall prices being realized.

When using infrared technology, possessing the ability to intelligently interpret your findings is paramount. Flir and Fluke are aware of this and have instructional programs in place whether or not you’ve purchased a camera.

Industry giant ITA/Kaplan is banking on the success of infrared technology as well by offering, in partnership with HomeSafe Inspection, Inc., a 6-hour introductory infrared course, a 5-day enhanced infrared/acoustic course, and the ability to package the enhanced course with a lease/license of HomeSafe’s infrared camera and acoustic technology.

Operating a inspection business is as complex as the components of a high tech property mixed with components of a 100 year old home. 

To be successful, plan on being educated about all aspects of your business ranging from the “roof and attic” to the “foundation” of your company. 

Let’s start with your foundation.

Initial setup for your company

1. If you have partners create a clear and concise written agreement on responsibilities of each partner as well as a financial and profit and loss agreement
2. Obtain an EIN from the Federal Government (IRS) http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=102767,00.html
3. Set up your company as an LLC, corporation or sole proprietor whichever is best for your state and situation.  I would recommend seeking professional advice from a licensed CPA and/or financial planner.
4. Open up a bank account using your EIN number and business address even if your business address is based at home.
5. Set up an account to be able to accept credit cards — http://www.totalmerchantservices.com
6. Apply for and obtain a company credit card
7. Have your state inspector license or appropriate designation activated and in good standing
8. Shop for and secure proper Errors and Omissions insurance for at least one million dollars in coverage.  I would also suggest a possible corporate blanket especially if you have other inspectors on your team.
9. A company land phone line and cellular telephone is best.
10. Have a company website created.
11. Order business cards that includes email address and website information.  http://www.overnightprints.com
12. Order company letterhead or just a logo so you can attach it to a word document for correspondence
13. Office copy/fax machine
14. A high speed internet connection is a must
15. Create and order brochures with a current price list. Price list should be an insert and not part of the brochure.  This allows for easy adjustments.
16. Choose your electronic onsite inspection software as well as software to do your scheduling, business reports, data storage, etc.  Being part of the Inspection Support Network™ (ISN) and eInspections™.  I am sure I am biased of our product so to be an “unbiased” contributor to Inspectorchat.com, I will offer that if you want to “test drive” the most diverse reputable, growing inspection software leaders I would recommend you investigate

    A. eInspections™ onsite inspection report.  http://einspections.net
    B. Inspection Support Network™ (your office solution).  Call 800-700-8112
    C. Home Gauge -  http://www.homegauge.com
    D. 3D – http://www.3dinspection.com 

17. Choose or purchase your laptop, tablet or micro pc – http://www.dell.com, http://www.samsung.com, http://www.sony.com – Check out Chris Schuld’s article here on http://www.inspectorchat.com entitled “Time for a New Laptop; Picking the Cherry in a Field of Grapes.”
18. Secure an inexpensive durable digital camera.  If you are going to use it for only work get an inexpensive camera, they work great.
19. Consider company shirts or jackets.
20. Decide what tools you will carry with you on your inspection and in your truck.  Here are some suggestions;
    A. Carry 3 copies of your inspector’s license in case it is requested.
    B. Copy of your automobile insurance showing your inspection company as an additional insured.
    C. Appropriate ladders.
    D. Laser thermometer for checking temperature drops.
    E. Moisture meter.
    F. Water pressure gauges.
    G. Coveralls, disposable booties, safety goggles, mask and a hard hat.
    H. Bucket with a cup and towels for any needed cleanup.
    I. Basic hand tools to include at a minimum are; a volt stick, outlet tester, fireplace gas log keys (long & short), flashlight, Allen wrench, screwdrivers (regular & Phillips), extra batteries (9 volt, AAA & D), hand held lighter, 3 to 2 prong electrical adapter, bolt cutters, razor knife, light bulbs and appropriate fanny pack if you desire.
    J. Road side emergency kit.

    Your tools needed on your truck are certainly dependent on your area, weather, what type of inspections you perform and your personal business views.

21. If you are going to have inspectors who are not partners decide if they are going to be employees or independent contractors.  Check with IRS guidelines to insure what is best for your company while staying within legal guidelines depending on the specific workings of your company.
22. Create an employee and/or sub contractor agreement to be signed by all inspectors, sub contractors and office staff if appropriate. 
23. Choose what your pre inspection agreement will say.  Check with your state and local authorities as well as your Errors and Omission carrier.  Your state and national professional organizations such as

    ASHI (American Society of Home Inspectors)  http://www.ashi.org
    NAHI (National Association of Home Inspectors)  http://www.nahi.org
    CREIA (California Real Estate Inspection Association) http://www.creia.org
    NACHI (National Association of Certified Home Inspectors) http://www.nachi.org
    AII (American Institute of Inspectors)  http://www.inspection.org
    CAHI (Canadian Association of Home Inspectors)  http://www.cahi.ca
    OAHI (Ontario Association of Home Inspectors)  http://www.oahi.com
    
    These and other professional organizations can offer guidance as well as top notch education and networking.

24. Contact your vehicle insurance carrier about proper commercial coverage for you and your other inspectors if applicable. 

Now you have the foundation poured for your company.  Let’s talk about your business and detailed marketing plan in the future.  Look for my next article on http://Inspectorchat.com in the very near future. 

May you have success and good health as you pursue your dreams!

Dan Huber, CRS, GRI

Beleive it or knot the weigh you right tells your customers alot about the weigh you do business. Believe it or not, the way you write tells your customers a lot about the way you do business. A poorly written sentence with misspelled words and bad grammar tells your customers that you don’t pay attention to detail. If you are a home inspector or appraiser, a careless attitude is never the professional image you want to portray. Give your website and other business documents a more professional feel with the following ten writing tips for home inspectors and appraisers:

1. Check your spelling. If you can’t run a document through the spell check program on your computer, ask a coworker or friend to read through your writing and check for errors.

2. Be clear. Read your writing out loud. If it is confusing to you, or if it sounds choppy when you read it, your writing will be confusing and choppy to your customers.

3. Be brief. Less is always more especially when you are writing content for your website. Get to the point quickly and eliminate fluff.

4. Don’t capitalize random words. You only need to capitalize words that begin a sentence, proper nouns, and acronyms.

5. Write out acronyms. Write out the words and put the capitalized acronym in parenthesis the first time you use an acronym. Spelling out the acronym, even if you think everyone already knows what it stands for, is a professional courtesy. 

6. Keep it clean. You do not need to use the underline, italicize, and bold features or the exclamation point for emphasis. Good writing gets the point across without dirtying up the page with unnecessary marks.

7. Keep it clean, again. Although you may intend to be funny, bad language printed on a page or published on a website looks juvenile and unprofessional.

8. Use commas. Commas let your writing breathe. Use them to break up lists of words or to connect two sentences joined by “and” or “but.” Reading out loud will often help you determine whether a comma needs to be added in or taken out.

9. Have a personality. Professional doesn’t have to be stuffy. Writing that portrays your sense of humor or passion for your work will make an impression on customers looking for someone they can relate to and trust.

10. Forget the phobia. It doesn’t matter if you did poorly in high school English. People enjoy reading writing that is frank, honest, and simple. It doesn’t have to be flowery or perfect.