Home Inspectors are not all the same – Pick Wisely!

Buyers should have their new home inspected prior to the actual purchase. Quite often it is a condition I insist on as part of the contract. It is not because I do not believe the Sellers’ disclosure or the integrity of the other agent working with the Seller. I just cannot rely on their ability to know the problems and then disclose them in a meaningful manner.

The home inspection protects the buyer and gives some peace of mind, along with a Home Warranty, as the family moves into their “new” home. It does not eliminate all the questions and concerns, but does eliminate many of them if the inspection is does by someone who has the buyers’ best interest at the heart of their service.

The current problem in Florida is that most any one who wishes to pay the fee requested by the state to be a “licensed” home inspector will get the license – thus being known as a “professional home inspector” to anyone looking on the MyFlorida.com website.

This is NOT acceptable to me or any of my clients. I only work with true professionals. These are the home inspectors who have something substantial behind the license issued by the state. However, not everyone looks for the same background credentials.

A great example of this is reflected in the following response to an e-mail questioning the qualifications of one of my approved home inspectors (this is reprinted with permission of the home inspector):

Uniform Wind Verification Inspection Reply
This is a true story - the names have been changed to protect their identities


To all it may concern,
On July 15th, 2008 I was asked to perform a wind verification inspection for the Smith's.(not their real name)

Yesterday I learned that my qualifications were put in question as to be able to perform the inspection for my client.

I see by the e-mails forwarded to me that even though I have attained more than the required education needed to perform these inspections and even though I am a leader in my industry with over 13 years experience in performing home inspections and even though I serve on the legislative committees for both the National Association of Home Inspectors and The Florida Association of Building Inspectors and even though I helped pass the successful Home Inspector Licensing Legislation scheduled to take effect on October 2010 and even though I've been asked to serve again this year (legislative session 2009) on the amendment of either Senate Bill 2860 (Uniform home Grading System/Hurricane Mitigation) or HB 2234 Regulation of Building Inspection Professionals since the two bills accidentally contradict each other I find out that I am not thought to be qualified to perform an inspection that encompasses about 5% of what my typical home inspection involves.

I see by the e-mails sent to me that I am considered to be not qualified because my name does not appear on the DBPR website. That's correct - it does not. Home Inspectors are not regulated by DBPR, not yet. Not until the successful implementation of the licensing bill I helped pass takes effect. DBPR has in the past and continues to resist regulating the home inspection industry mostly because we are not large enough in number to make regulation of our industry fiscally worthwhile for them or the State of Florida. Secondly, on our own, home inspectors have developed a significant self imposed continuing education requirements that truthfully exceeds what will be required under the new home inspector licensing law by about 100%. It was very difficult to get support from many seasoned home inspectors for the bill because it is generally thought to be too soft.

Next I see that because I am not listed on the My Safe Florida Home website I am not qualified. If you visit the My Safe Florida Home Website you will see that in order to be listed on that website you have to:

Step 3: YOU must OBTAIN employment with a WCE as a direct employee or sub-contractor in order to BE LISTED AS AN APPROVED INSPECTOR ON THE MY SAFE FLORIDA HOME WEB SITE AND receive inspection assignments. (please be aware the capitalization and underlinings are not my embellishments, that's the way they appear on the website).

I have exceeded the education requirements but chose not to get involved in the My Safe Florida Home Wind Mitigation Inspection Program.

I already have developed enough of a core inspection business built up by my own word of mouth referrals. (you won't find me listed in the Yellow Pages either) I did not want to risk my reputation by involving myself in that program which would take away from my core business. You could say I chose to stay with the lady that brought me to the dance. Aside from that, Orlando had only a small percentage of the limited number of My Safe Florida Home inspections done under the now defunct program since it is not located in a high wind zone area of the state.

If website listings are what Homeowners Insurance company (not the real name) feels would qualify me to perform these inspections let me list some.

You can find me listed on the National Association of Home Inspectors website www.nahi.org

You can find me on the Florida Association of Building Inspectors website www.fabi.org

You are welcome to check out my own personal web page at www.JimNolan.name

You can also "Google" me and find articles I've been asked to write and other information. Click on the link below. I'm listed in numerous places right on the first page. (or simply Google "Jim Nolan, home inspector, Orlando FL" )
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=Jim+Nolan,+home+inspector,+orlando+fl&spell=1

I hope you will reconsider my qualifications. More importantly I hope that someone from your office would contact me (like your Government Affairs Director) so that we might work together with the Home Inspectors, The Realtors, the Home Builders and the Insurance Industry to finally come up with a meaningful solution to the Real Estate, Home Construction and Property Insurance crisis' in our state. Together we can do it.

Thank You for your time.
All The Best,

Jim Nolan
Home inspections By Nolan
8935 Jonathan Manor Dr.
Orlando FL 32819
407-876-3724
NAHI CRI #990007 FABI RPI-0590
Orange County FL #3100-0005495
NAHI Florida Charter Member # 008

Jim’s report was accepted - - not surprisingly. He good at what he does.

Be sure to ask some questions before, during and after your home inspection. Before to make your selection, during to understand the process and concerns regarding your home; and after to be comfortable with your reflections on the results of your report.

If you have questions, I would be happy to help you.