Working RE Home Inspector - Issue 22

Now Reaching Over 30,000 Inspectors in Print and Online—Get the latest news at workingre.com

Home Inspector Working RE

Summer 2023,Volume 22

Mold Testing: A Winning Strategy for Inspectors Using Drones in Your Home Inspections Realize How to Monetize: Finding Your True Potential Improve Your Website’s Relevancy

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Summer 2023, Volume 22

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From the Editor

Readers Respond

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Mold Testing: A Winning Strategy for Inspectors

by Isaac Peck, Publisher

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Using Drones in Your Home Inspections

by Kevin Hesterberg, The DroneHanger, LLC

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Realize How to Monetize: Finding Your True Potential

by Peter Hopkins, ICC Certified Home Inspector

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Improve Your Website’s Relevancy

by Carla Heatherly and Elise Carlson Ross, HomeGauge

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Square, Plumb, Displacement and Basements: The Science Behind Your Inspection

by Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc.

The Results are In! A Role Delineation Study

by Uli Sommers, Examination Board of Professional Home Inspectors

AI and Its Impact on Home Inspectors

by Sanjay Maharaj, Eneris

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Mission Working RE Home Inspector magazine is published tri-annually to help home inspectors build their businesses, reduce their risk of liability and stay informed on important technology and industry issues.

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Marketing & Design Manager Ariane Herwig: ariane@orep.org

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Editor Published by OREP Working RE is published by OREP, a leading provider of home inspector insurance nationwide. OREP has a low cost, broad coverage E&O and General Liability policy that includes coverage for radon, infrared, termite, pest/rodent, lead paint, mold, drone, and more. Visit OREP.org/inspectors for more information or to get a quote today!

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Kendra Budd: kendra@orep.org

Graphic Design Associate Maria Cornelia: mj@orep.org Working RE Home Inspector is published tri-annually and mailed to home inspectors nationwide. The ads and specific mentions of any proprietar y products contained within are a service to readers and do not imply endorsement by Working RE. No claims, representations or guarantees are made or implied by their publication. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced either whole or in part without written consent.

From the Editor

Building Your Business

Readers Respond

By Kendra Budd, Editor

The warmer months are fast approaching! We tend to see a pickup in business as we get into the Spring and Summer months, which is good news for inspectors. After experiencing an incredibly slow November and December 2022, we are beginning to see a steady increase in pending home sales as we move into the Summer.

Inspecting in a Slowing Market You may want to revisit the “take a Realtor® to lunch” idea. In Oregon (and I presume other states) it is a conflict of interest and not legal to buy anything for Realtors®. You might be suggesting something that could get home inspectors in hot water with their regulating body. —Jay H.

While a number of home inspectors have “thrown in the towel” due to the slowdown, where there is a will, there’s a way.

Many home inspectors are using their downtime to (1) step up their marketing, (2) build deeper relationships with real estate agents, and (3) learn new skills and build additional services into their business. These slow months are serving as an opportunity for inspectors to plan for the future. As the old adage

by William Shakespeare goes, “Better to be three hours too soon, than a minute too late.”

Here are ways you can continue growing your business—come rain or shine. First, while traditional inspections might be slower in 2023, environmental testing is a rapidly expanding market and many home inspectors are building out that section of their business. In this issue, Working RE sat down with Ethan Thornberry, Director of Product Development at DiscoverBreeze to discuss the benefits of offering mold testing as an ancillary service alongside your inspection as well as building a stand-alone business segment in the environmental testing space. Opportunities abound in this field—helping many home inspectors diversify and grow their businesses.

To learn more, read Mold Testing: A Winning Strategy for Inspectors on pg. 6.

While many home inspectors focus on the number of home inspections, Peter Hopkins argues that the value per transaction is a better metric in his article Realize How to Monetize on pg. 16.

The sky is the limit, Hopkins reminds us, in terms of the value that inspectors can bring to their clients with infrared, sewer scoping, chimney scans, specialized pool and spa inspections, and so much more! There are so many specializations and “value-add” services inspectors can embrace that will not only set them apart from their competitors, but allow them to both diversify their revenue and earn more for every job. Hopkin’s target inspection fee is $1,000 per job!

Finally, for a peek into the future, check out AI and Its Impact on Home Inspections (pg. 38), where Sanjay Maharaj gives us insight into what the future of home inspection might look like as technology continues to develop.

Remember, we can’t control the market, but we can control how we respond to it. Here’s to your success! WRE

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Top 20 Home Inspection Mistakes I've Made There is a fundamental flaw with #6. When testing a GFCI outlet by only pushing the button you cannot determine if the line and load wires are reversed. If reversed the outlet will not trip as expected at the GFCI tested. —Richard Cacopardo

Home Inspector Sued By the Seller In reply to H. Bar nett.

We keep our lawn mower in the garage and it is one that folds and stands upright to save space. This guy said the dirt on the wall next to the lawnmower was mold. We also had an old sheet of plywood thrown up in the attic. Guy said that the roof was leaking because of how that piece looked. Never mind the fact the wood 2 feet above it still looked brand new and the roof was redone 3 months ago. —P.H WRE

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Mold Testing: A Winning Strategy for Inspectors

by Isaac Peck, Publisher

Whether you’re considering adding mold testing to your home inspection business or you’re already successfully offering mold tests to your clients, there are some important things you should know about this growing and lucrative business opportunity—both as an upsell to your inspection and a standalone service.

Working RE Home Inspector sat down with Ethan Thornberry, Director of Product Development at DiscoverBreeze, a leading manufacturer of mold and radon testing equipment, and Priority Lab, a full service environmental analytical laboratory, to discuss the latest developments in mold testing technology and how a home inspector can grow their business with mold testing.

Here’s what’s new with mold testing and what a home inspector should know.

Mold Testing on the Rise Hard data about how many mold tests are conducted each year is difficult to come by, but data from a variety of sources suggests that demand for mold testing is increasing steadily.

This evidence includes: Increased Disclosures: The National Association of Realtors (NAR), as well as its state associations, have been consistently integrating environmental and mold-related disclosures into their required transaction disclosures over the last decade.

Realtor® Interest: Realtors® are increasingly recommending mold testing to their clients for disclosure, liability, and service related reasons.

Consumer Interest: Over the last two decades, consumer interest in mold has grown steadily as a focus on “healthy living” and awareness around environmental and chemical hazards has grown.

Isaac Peck is the Publisher of Working RE magazine and the Senior Broker and President of OREP.org, a leading provider of E&O insurance for savvy professionals in 49 states and DC. Over 12,000 real estate professionals trust OREP for their E&O. Isaac received his master’s degree in accounting at San Diego State University.

Reach Isaac at isaac@orep.org or (888) 347-5273.

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Lab Activity: Environmental labs, and mold testing services specifically, continue to expand, with existing labs growing their footprint and new labs sprouting up to meet unique market demands. For example, Thornberry reports that business at DiscoverBreeze and PriorityLab has been growing by 20 percent Year–over–Year due to increased demand for mold services among real estate professionals, consumers, and remediation professionals.

Opportunity for Inspectors The increasing demand for mold testing services creates an opportunity for home inspectors. For inspectors that are not yet offering mold testing as a service to their clients, acquiring the tools and the training necessary is now easier and more affordable than it has ever been.

For home inspectors that are already offering mold testing, the latest technologies and tools available, combined with a strategic service and marketing approach, creates an opportunity to grow one’s home inspection business as well as build a stand-alone mold testing business to service contractors and consumers outside of real estate transactions.

“As more and more home inspectors have started offering mold testing, we are seeing Realtors® actually requesting it from inspectors in their networks. Ten years ago, it would be pretty rare to get a mold test. But nowadays, most inspectors I meet offer mold testing. The same thing is happening with sewer scoping. Offering additional value and services as an inspector not only helps you to better service your clients and be a onestop-shop for their needs, but it also allows you to diversify and increase your revenue per client,” says Thornberry.

Once an inspector makes the decision to start offering mold testing, gets the proper training, and chooses a lab, the next step is marketing and selling the service.

Selling and Marketing The modern homebuyer is typically already aware of the negative health effects of mold and is often receptive to paying page 8 8

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7page 6 a little extra to have their new home be tested for mold. “People are increasingly sensitive to environmental and toxin related exposures, especially in a post-COVID-19 world. While COVID and mold have very little to do with each other, people often link it in their minds. COVID really put having clean air and not being exposed to toxic substances front and center in people’s minds,” says Thornberry.

The primary way to upsell a mold test starts on the phone with your potential client, Thornberr y reports. “A home inspector’s client is typically spending close to $500,000 (or more!) to purchase their home. If you’re making that kind of investment, don’t you want your home to be in proper condition? Do you want nasty mold spores in your home that might shorten your lifespan or make you or your family sick? Making your clients aware of these facts can be incredibly effective—mold can make you sick and hurt your family,” argues Thornberry.

Even if the client declines mold testing, it is still a good idea to carr y mold swabs on ever y job. “One of the biggest things I could recommend to home inspectors is to carry swabs with you at all times. Have your equipment with you and don’t be afraid to test areas that you’re concerned about. A lot of inspectors won’t even take a swab unless they’re getting paid to do it. If you see an area that looks like mold, take a sample of it. When you get back to your office, reach out to that client, say: 'Hey, I took this swab of an area that I thought could’ve been mold. I can send this to the lab for $150.' This works on a couple of levels. If mold is ever discovered later, you can prove that you took a sample of it, made the client aware, and they refused lab services. What most likely happens is you make more money. It also increases the likelihood that they want to do a full analysis,” says Thornberry.

Having strong search engine optimization (SEO) is also vital.

Ensuring a good presence on Google and Bing for your home inspection and mold-testing services is integral to building your business. “You’d be surprised how many people are Googling mold testing and hit SERVPRO. In fact, SERVPRO has a whole separate phone line to decline mold testing work because they don’t want to do that kind of work,” Thornberry reports.

With the right sales techniques, mold testing can become a significant revenue driver for a home inspector. “Once people add mold testing to their business, the numbers increase by almost 10 0% every year. We typically see that inspectors are able to upsell a mold test around 40 percent of their inspections if they use the right techniques. At a average price of $350 per mold job, an inspector can run their own numbers for what that can do for their business,” Thornberry says.

Mold Waiver: Sales and Liability Protection When it comes to upselling mold testing as a part of your home inspection, a good practice is to have the client sign a separate "Mold Waiver" addendum if, after your best efforts, they decline to add mold testing to their inspection. A Mold Waiver addendum would be a separate, typically one-page addendum to your Inspection Contract that would say (A) you [the home 8

Working RE Inspector Summer 2023

inspector] has advised the client that mold exposure can cause a variety of negative health effects such as asthma, allergic reactions, and respiratory problems, and (B) the client has specifically declined mold testing and consequently releases you from any liability and holds you exempt from any claims regarding mold.

Using a Mold Waiver addendum is a good idea for home inspectors for two reasons, Thornberry explains. “First, it serves as a final sales tool that clearly communicates your value proposition to the client. They literally have to sign that they are refusing mold testing and potentially putting their family at risk. Some clients will decide to change their minds and purchase mold testing after reviewing the addendum. Secondly, it serves as a great tool for limiting your liability with respect to mold. If a client declines mold testing and then discovers mold in their home later, you’ve got evidence that they both declined the service but also specifically released you from liability for that exposure,” says Thornberry.

For DiscoverBreeze clients specifically, DiscoverBreeze provides its home inspectors with attorney prepared contracts for both the Mold Waiver addendum, as well as several other contract templates for mold testing services, including stand-alone mold testing.

Stand-Alone Mold Services For home inspectors that seriously commit to mold testing as a service, it often grows to the point of developing into a completely separate business, according to Thornberry. “We do have quite a few home inspector clients that have started their own mold-testing companies. Sometimes it is as simple as offering a stand-alone service with a different company name, or just building stand-alone mold testing services into your existing inspection business. It’s become ver y successful for them,” reports Thornberry.

Thornberry reiterates that SEO is a great way to grow this segment of your business. If you’re ranking on the first page of Google and Bing, you can build up a base of commercial and residential customers.

The second thing Thornberry recommends is partnering up with remediation companies in your area. Once you build up a decent amount of mold testing work on a monthly basis, you’re going to encounter a number of jobs where remediation ends up being the recommended option. “When you encounter situations where mold remediation is necessary, you want to refer these leads to your local remediation companies and use this opportunity to build the relationship. If a test comes back with high mold levels, you can refer them over to your local SERVPRO for example. Remediation companies can be an incredible source of referral revenue and the best way is to build that relationship is to bring them money (work),” explains Thornberry.

Mold remediation companies are a great source of work for home inspectors because they usually need a third-party to

come out and confirm the presence of mold, as well as do a mold clearance test after the remediators perform their work.

“Inspectors can make double revenue on every job because of this. You can test for the job, refer the job, and then get paid for a second test where you test to confirm they’ve remediated the mold and it is no longer present,” Thornberry says.

Cold calling remediation companies or bringing doughnuts to the office is not recommended here, according to Thornberry.

“The best way to build the relationship is to refer work to these firms. Don’t cold-call them and ask for the business. A lot of inspectors make a mistake by going to the CEO and saying: ‘Hey, we want to do this for you.’ Instead, you want to be able to go to them and say: ‘Hey, we have this property where the homeowner has some mold in their home, we don’t have anyone as a preferred vendor. We’ve heard great reviews about you guys.’ If you do that a couple times you’ll have a strong rapport with them and you’ll open up the relationship. If you can get in as a preferred third-party mold tester for the leading remediation companies in your area, you’ll be blown away by how much work is out there for you,” Thornberry reports.

Liability In addition to using a Mold Waiver addendum (as discussed above), home inspectors want to be mindful of two things with

respect to liability related to mold. First, you want to be sure that your E&O insurance policy covers you for mold. Mold is often excluded in a home inspector’s insurance policy. OREP’s base policy includes $10 0,0 0 0 of mold coverage at no extra cost (visit OREP.org to learn more).

The other consideration for inspectors is what additional protection is available from the lab the inspector is using.

PriorityLab offers enhanced coverage to inspectors for all environmental testing, if the home inspector is insured with OREP Insurance. “For home inspectors that are insured with OREP, PriorityLab will cover the first $10,000 in damages, including the home inspector’s deductible. In other words, if a home inspector had a $5,000 deductible, we would cover the deductible and then provide an additional $5,000 before the matter ever even made it to the inspector's E&O insurance. We have a lot of experience defending and supporting home inspectors in this arena and the offer that we’re making to inspectors is unprecedented in the lab space,” argues Thornberry. (Visit OREP.org/DiscoverBreeze to learn more about this offer.)

Service and Turn Times Whether you’re new to mold testing or already working with a lab, after you’ve got your sales and marketing in page 10 8

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7page 9 place, the last piece of the puzzle is serving your clients, per forming the mold tests, and delivering the results.

When it comes to selecting a lab, there are three primary value propositions a home inspector can look at: 1. Tur n-Time for Results 2. Cost of the Test 3. Readability and Usability of Reports According to Thornberry, one of the biggest pain points for home inspectors who offer mold testing is the turnaround time, “Because home inspections (excluding pre-listing) always occur within a real estate transaction, you need stuff done quickly. Lots of mold labs will upcharge for providing services within 24 hours, but PriorityLab charges a flat fee per report and you get your report within a 24-hour turn-time. This helps you deliver results to your client faster and stand out from your competition.”

Since the owners of DiscoverBreeze (the manufacturer) and PriorityLab (the environmental lab) are the same company, Thornberry says they are able to offer lower costs for home inspectors that add up over time. DiscoverBreeze produces its own spore traps, for example, and offers them to home inspectors starting at $3.80 per trap (with the cost declining

based on volume).

“This year alone, we expect to save our home inspector clients around $400,000 on just the cost of spore traps. Controlling the entire process allows us to offer lower costs and deeper discount s for home insp ectors. Additionally, our Breeze equipment is self-calibrating, so you don’t have to send it in and experience a few weeks of downtime every year unlike traditional mold pumps. Combined with the fact that we offer 24-hour turnaround time for only $20 per report, we believe we’re offering one of the highest quality mold testing solutions at the lowest price on the market today,” argues Thornberry.

Lastly, the quality of the lab report is a big issue. “Many other labs don’t even tell you there’s an issue, they will just put out a report showing the different levels of mold and 99 percent of consumers don’t even know how to read it.

This puts the home inspector in the uncomfortable position of trying to interpret the report and explain it to the client. At PriorityLab, our report says there’s either a problem or no problem. It is really easy to understand and we have a phone number on top of the report. The client can go over the report with an expert and we completely take that off the home inspector’s plate,” reports Thornberry. To learn more about DiscoverBreeze, visit https://discoverbreeze.com/. WRE

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Using Drones in Your Home Inspections

by Kevin Hesterberg, The Drone Hanger, LLC

Drones have become an increasingly popular tool for home inspectors in recent years, offering a safer and more efficient way to inspect roofs and other areas of a property. With the rise in the adoption of drone technology among home inspectors, it is important to stay up-to-date on the latest information and regulations related to their use in the industry.

According to a report by Research and Markets, the global market for drones in the construction industry, which includes home inspections, is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 33.22% between 2021 and 2028. This growth is driven by the increasing demand for drones in construction and infrastructure inspection, as well as advancements in drone technology.

businesses to adopt the new technology. According to a report

by DroneDeploy, the average cost of a drone used for commercial purposes is around $2,200, with some models costing less than $1,500.

In the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulates the use of drones for commercial purposes, including home inspections. Home inspectors are required to obtain a Remote Pilot Certificate from the FAA before they can legally operate a drone for their business. The certificate requires passing a knowledge test and undergoing a background check.

Home inspectors must also follow specific operational rules, such as flying below 400 feet, maintaining a visual line of sight, and avoiding flying over people.

Why Use Drones?

One of the most significant benefits of using drones for home inspections is the improved safety of home inspectors.

Traditional roof inspections can be dangerous and put inspectors at risk for falls and other injuries. Drones provide a safer way to inspect roofs and other areas of a property—reducing the risk of injury for the working inspector.

In addition to FAA regulations, home inspectors must also be aware of local laws and regulations regarding drone use. For example, some states have laws that restrict drone use near certain locations, such as airports, schools, and government buildings. Inspectors should also keep in mind privacy laws and ensure they are not violating any individuals' privacy rights when using a drone for inspections.

With the increased capability of high-quality cameras, drones also offer a higher level of accuracy and versatility when used properly, which can ultimately reduce liability for both the inspector and their clients. With a drone, inspectors can inspect ever y inch of a roof, including the most expensive areas to repair or replace. This is particularly important for areas that are difficult or impossible to access by foot, such as steeply pitched roofs or those with complex topography.

The cost of drones and associated equipment, such as cameras and batteries, is a factor home inspectors consider when looking to integrate drones into their business. The good news is that the cost of drone technology has decreased significantly in recent years, making it more accessible for small Kevin Hesterberg is a Part 107 Commercial Drone Pilot with over 265 Hours of flight time. He has been working in the Home Inspection field since 2008. He founded The Drone Hangar, LLC in 2019 which specializes in drone sales, repairs, service, and consulting. He is very passionate about the safety and quality benefits that drones can provide the Inspection industry and to their businesses.

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In addition to improving safety and accuracy, using drones in your home inspection can also save time and increase efficiency. Drones can quickly capture high-resolution imagery and footage of a property, allowing inspectors to identify potential defects and issues more quickly and with more detail than traditional methods. This can ultimately lead to faster inspections and more satisfied clients.

Safety It is important, however, for home inspectors to ensure they are properly trained and equipped to use drones for their business.

In addition to obtaining a Remote Pilot Certificate from the page 14 8

7page 12 FAA, inspectors should also undergo training specific to using drones for home inspections. This includes learning about flight planning, camera operation, maintenance and troubleshooting.

Inspectors should always make sure their drone is in good working condition before each flight, including checking the battery life, propellers, and camera functionality. They should also perform a thorough pre-flight inspection of the area to identify any potential obstacles and hazards, such as power lines, trees, or other structures that could interfere with the drone's flight path.

To ensure the safety and wellbeing of themselves and their clients, inspectors should follow a checklist for drone-assisted inspections. This includes developing a flight plan, conducting a visual inspection of the property from the ground, flying the drone to capture high-resolution imagery, and reviewing the captured imagery and footage.

Drones equipped with thermal cameras can detect temperature changes in the home, which can indicate issues such as heat loss, water damage, and electrical faults. This is particularly useful for inspecting roofs, where thermal imaging can identify areas where insulation may be lacking or where water has penetrated.

Despite the numerous benefits of using drones in home inspections, there are also some concerns that need to be addressed.

One concern is the safety of the drone itself. Drones can pose

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14 Working RE Inspector Summer 2023

a safety risk if they malfunction or crash into the home being inspected, potentially causing damage or injury. To mitigate this risk, home inspectors using drones should take appropriate safety measures, such as ensuring their drone is well-maintained, keeping it within their line of sight, and following all relevant regulations.

Other countries have their own regulations regarding the use of drones in commercial operations, including home inspections.

In Canada, for example, home inspectors using drones must obtain a Special Flight Operations Certificate (SFOC) from Transport Canada, which outlines the specific conditions under which the drone can be flown. This includes following strict safety guidelines, such as maintaining a minimum distance from people and property and avoiding flying over highways or other busy areas. As drone technology continues to evolve and become more widely adopted, it is likely that these regulations will continue to evolve as well.

Takeaway: the use of drones in home inspections offers numerous benefits, including improved efficiency, more accurate measurements, and the ability to detect issues that may be difficult to spot using traditional inspection methods. However, it is important for home inspectors to follow all relevant regulations and safety guidelines to ensure that the use of drones does not pose a risk to themselves or others. As the technology continues to develop, it will be interesting to see how drones will continue to transform the home inspection industry in the years to come. WRE

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That’s why you want a team with deep expertise in your corner. Specializing in home inspector insurance for over 20 years, OREP has built a network of attorneys who have been defending inspectors for decades.

OREP now offers its insureds PROFESSIONAL pre-claims assistance.

We’re proud to announce our partnership with trial attorney Geoff Binney, one of the nation’s most experienced home inspector attorneys.

When you’re facing a claim or complaint, you don’t have to go it alone or put your future in the hands of insurance adjusters who roll over and pay meritless claims. OREP Members enjoy professional support from Geoff Binney who provides pre-claims support and decisive response letters to shut down frivolous claims.

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Realize How to Monetize: Finding Your True Potential

by Peter Hopkins, ICC Certified Home Inspector

I remember when I started in the home inspection business

(1996). We made it a point to stick to the standards of practice and it seemed being the lowest price was a way of doing business. I believe people have become much more educated in the process of real estate nowadays and want more information. As a consequence, they are being accustomed to paying more! Isn’t that why we are so overwhelmed with work and no time? Information is everything—today’s businesses (and nation-states for that matter!) are collecting huge amounts of information, but many times have not yet figured out how to monetize that information.

Well when it comes to home inspections, I believe home inspectors are the most trusted individual in the transaction and they can monetize on a much higher value if they just would invest in their businesses and realize how to monetize! Home buyers are looking for information so they can not only renegotiate with the seller, but also avoid costly repairs and even maintain their home after they purchase. I remember when I bought my first house in 1999, I paid $286,0 0 0 and I thought that was a lot of money. At about that same time, $10 0 an hour was considered good money for home inspectors and a goal for many.

Nowadays, that same house is over $1 million and I am averaging close to $250 an hour. The home value has increased more than 3X, but my wage has only increased 2.5X. Something is wrong!

I still have work to do.

The basics at the lowest price is no longer my motto. My customers will pay top dollar to get the information they need to renegotiate their deal and protect their investment. I have figured out how to monetize my business and I am not done yet! Advanced ancillary services (beyond the standards) are the answer and I have been doing them since 2005 in my business.

My first run was with thermal imaging in 2005. I remember the article that same year in the Communicator magazine, Infrared Inspections: The Wave of the Future? And yes, I did purchase one Peter Hopkins has operated a successful home inspection company since 1996 (inspecdoc.com) and has personally performed over 8000 property inspections.

His company expanded into infrared in 2005, with the opening of SoCal Infrared (socalinfrared.com). He is the co-founder of United Infrared (UnitedInfrared. com), a national network of contract thermographers, which includes application-specific training and business coaching in a multitude of applications related to infrared technology and building diagnostics.

16 Working RE Inspector Summer 2023

Figure 1: Sewer Scan

Figure 2: Contractor sewer surgery

of those cameras early cameras. Investing $20,000 in a new tool was a lot of money at the time and still is today.

Today, thermal imaging now makes up over 50% of all the revenue my personal company generates, with some clients spending in excess of $25,000 a year with me for about a weeks’ worth of work. This simple change got me through the 20072010 downfall.

I was ready to make additional changes in 2014 and I invested in sewer inspections at a time when no one was doing them. (See Figure 1) I invested $7,000 in a quality sewer camera and searched and searched for training. So much so, that I realized there was nothing out there and plumbers in my area felt threatened by my genius moment, many of whom did not understand their own business, and were not so willing to share their knowledge. This was a learning experience for me when the light bulb came on.

Plumbers feel threatened that I am going to steal their sewer inspection business when in reality, their business is not the camera, it is the surgery in the system. They too needed to be educated on how home inspectors were going to be their BEST marketing campaign ever! And for free. (See Figure 2.)

Let’s look at the facts. Home inspectors scan it, report it, and recommend repairs (someone else has to do this, i.e. the surgery). page 18 8

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7page 16 Well I couldn’t find the training so I had to create it. I spent a year giving away the service until I built enough confidence to sell it. I started selling the equipment with the training being free and inspectors (the smart ones) started seeing the fruit was ripe! Now you can’t go to a home inspection conference where there aren’t others preaching the same story. For them, adding this ancillary service was a game changer. You will see no less than two or three other brands out there at every conference.

The last time I checked, there are now four or five training courses teaching this technology. Some of them were my students! I take it as a compliment to see the market grow, and guess what? We are not done yet. As a point of reference, SewerScans were included in over 40% of my transactions in 2022 and we are trending over 50% in 2023. The more inspectors offer this service, the more demand is generated in the market. It can only be a good thing.

Figure 3: Chimney broken at roof line Figure 4: Chimney pipe

I have noticed that more and more outside companies are showing up at my inspections in this never ending quest for information. I have a portion of my business in Los Angeles, CA and instead of just the usual pest inspectors and real estate appraisers showing up, now there are structural, chimney and sometimes HVAC guys showing up. Since pool inspections were always part of my menu and now infrared & sewer, what else is there for me? Sewer cameras appear to follow the same trend as infrared cameras. The wave of the future became a standard and we are seeing a very similar trend for sewer cameras.

Say hello to that hole Santa comes down called the chimney at that magical time of the year (See Figure 3). A little research in the chimney arena will expose a standard called NFPA 211.

This standard says that chimney inspections are suggested annually and upon a real estate sale or transaction. I wonder why they would want to do that. Well, I can think of a few reasons. Chimney fires are nothing to squawk at and buyers are (of course) looking to renegotiate the transaction, right?

What better than a $20,000 pipe that shoots flames out of it when it goes bad (See Figure 4). Enter ChimneyScan. I researched this market and found there was no one doing an excellent job of educating home inspectors about this opportunity, just a few companies that were out there performing them when called. Honestly, I would say this occurs on less than five percent of my inspections—more like two percent. Yet the standard calls for 10 0 percent.

The story here is home inspectors currently perform a Level I inspection for free (Level I, II, III are all defined in NFPA 211 standard). Simply running a camera up the flue makes this a Level II inspection which is the level that is recommended annually and at each real estate transaction. Running the camera up the flue will yield you an additional $175 or more—and that’s per fireplace. Imagine, as an inspector, why would you turn down the opportunity to make more money per job? (See Figure 5.) My company saw this opportunity in 2020 and retained the very experienced Jerry Isenhour to develop our w w w.chimneyscan.com certifica18 Working RE Inspector Summer 2023

Figure 5: NFPA 211 Standard for Chimney Scans

tion training for home inspectors. The N FPA 211 Standard explains that in order to be qualified, one must go through training, so we created the answer. As in any business, you need to be searching out the opportunities and again “monetize” on the opportunity. (See Figure 6.)

So this leads me to something I have been doing all along as a home inspector in California: pool and spa inspections. I noticed that on a few of my transactions, my clients elected not to hire me but to retain “a higher level of service.” This was probably determined by the ever increasing quest for information. Something has changed over the years since I purchased my first house and that is the cost of everything. Gone are the days of a $20,0 0 0 hole in the ground with water in it. A basic pool is more like $10 0,0 0 0 and is much more complex with digital controls.

Home inspectors have to get retrained on how to use all these new features but also create a better package for their business and—in my opinion—monetize along the way. There is a lot more information to be told about a pool and specifically concerning a question I have often been asked: Is the pool leaking?

The honest answer and the one most used by inspectors is: I don’t know! Unless we can see visible leaking at a pipe or the

has long existed in almost every pool store but who has time to take a sample to get it checked….Walla! (See Figure 8.)

The LaMotte Spin Touch was introduced to me and I felt I had a game changer with leak detection and chemistry analysis. Why not perform a better pool inspection and take my monetization to the next level? I realized that I could only do so much in a day so for w w w.poolandspainspectors.com, I decided to retain a well-known home inspector for the teaching part named Michael Casey, who graciously agreed to come on board to help us build this program. (See Figure 9.) My plan in 2023 is to double my pool fee by simply adding these two features to my pool inspection. It is easily done as the exchange of information is well worth the investment for the client.

Figure 6: Crack down a chimney

Figure 8: Spin touch

Figure 7: Mike Casey Leakalyzer

Figure 9: Pasi w/ Mike and Peter

equipment, this “unknown” has been a mystery until now. I was told for several years by an inspector friend of mine Bob Massanova out of Florida that he was using this device on pools called the Leakalyzer which could detect small amounts of water loss in a matter of minutes. I didn’t realize the power of this until I finally took the time to call Lance Anderson, the principal behind the company that created the product. Yes, in fact there is a product that can detect as small as 1/10,0 0 0 of an inch of water loss and it can do it in under 20 minutes.

(See Figure 7.)

At this point, I am realizing the pool inspection can be more than I have been presenting and it can answer that age-old question of “is my pool leaking?” I decided to take pools to one more level as I wondered why so many times I show up and the pool is crystal clear, but the chlorine so pungent my eyes would tear up. Basically, just like sellers like to mask the problems, they also put chlorine bombs in the pool before the inspector gets there. The problem is that we are not taught all the negative consequences of bad water chemistry, or how the life expectancy of the pool itself along with the equipment is compromised by this very important condition. Let’s face it, pool service cleaners are often chemical jockeys and their profit potential is based on how many chemicals they use. What if we could use a computer to tell us the actual chemistry? Well this

Infrared, sewer, chimneys and pools, why stop there? I guess the limit is your retirement and you have to decide when that is.

For me I have many years left so my goal for now is for my average home inspection to hit $1,0 0 0. I am actually not too far off from there and do believe this will happen in the near future.

I hope the same for all the readers of this article, or at least the smart ones (no pun intended, I just wish good retirement to the rest of you). From here on out, my company is working on several more applications that can help home inspectors.

Soon to come is another course we partnered with Michael Casey on: w w w.FlueGasInspector.com. Although our world appears to be going towards an all-electric house, gas burners are still going to be here for a while. The problem is the poison released when these fuel burners are not working right.

Carbon Monoxide is an odorless gas that exhausts as a result of unburned fuel, and this stuff is a killer. As it turns out, there is a device that can read exactly how that appliance is running and if it is doing its job. Could not an inspector offer such a service for a price and would not a client be interested in such a life-saving service as part of their home inspection? Or possibly just the fact that this test might yield a result that can get them a discount on their overpriced house? You can make your own decision, but I see an additional Benjamin Franklin involved with each test!

There are so many more opportunities that are not currently being offered with home inspections. Another product we are in development on (2024) is w w w.SolarPanelInspectors.com and who knows what’s next. Obviously, there are so many more things like mold, radon, warranties, recalls and data mining of the house’s assets, and more!

The reality is this: changes are coming for most of us. We will have no opportunity to avoid change—outside of retirement.

The path you choose will be your own and you will have to make one, so choose wisely. For my part, I realize that my body is not the capable one I had 30+ years ago when I decided to get into the inspection profession. I like the idea of doing one inspection a day @$10 0 0+. If I took ten weeks of vacation a year (sounds good, right), and worked five days a week, (home by 2:00 pm, beer in hand), I would make a comfortable 20 0k+ a year! WRE Working RE Inspector Summer 2023 19

Improve Your Website’s Relevancy

by Carla Heatherly and Elise Carlson Ross, HomeGauge

A website is necessary for any business looking to stay relevant and connected to its customers, especially when running a service-based business. A home inspection website showcases an inspector’s services while connecting them with their clients and offering resources and online tools to conduct their business. In this article, we’ll explore how home inspectors can use their websites to gain customers and serve the community.

Develop a Content Strategy A concrete plan for your website’s content is essential for keeping your website fresh. When developing your content strategy, consider what your visitors are looking for when they visit your website—this will help you create content that meets their needs while driving more traffic to your website. Steady, consistent traffic signals to Google that your website is popular with users and will help improve your search engine optimization (SEO) over time.

Once you have developed your content strategy, it is crucial to stick to your plan. A consistent approach ensures you're putting out fresh content regularly, and visitors can find the information they need quickly and easily. Additionally, your content plan makes it easier to track the success of each page or article so you can adjust as needed.

A dated website signals to the visitor that you're not investing in your virtual storefront, and they will continue searching online for an inspector who does. When people leave your website without visiting multiple pages or completing a call-to-action (CTA), like submitting a contact form, booking an inspection, or calling you, it impacts your bounce rate. A high bounce rate tells Google visitors aren't interested in your website, and it will affect your SEO. The interface should be intuitive so visitors can easily find what they want without frustration. Review your website regularly so it remains relevant as design standards evolve. It's best to invest in a new website at least every three years to stay competitive and appeal to users.

With an organized approach to your website's content strategy, you will create a website that gives your customers valuable information. The better your content, the more likely it will be shared with others, which can drive more traffic to your website.

A pattern of increased traffic impacts where you’ll rank on the search engine results pages, or SERPs.

Additionally, your website must be secure and up-to-date with the latest security protocols. A safe site helps protect you and your visitors from potential hackers or malicious software.

WordPress is the most popular website content management system (CMS) and is considered a safe platform. You can further enhance your website's security with a hosting provider that offers Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology that encrypts your data, strong passwords, and other proactive measures.

Update Your Website Regularly Your website must align with recent developments in design and user trends, including a responsive design that displays correctly across multiple devices like laptops and mobile phones. Most people first search for a home inspector on their smartphone. The quickest way to lose a visitor is when they arrive on a page that doesn't load properly on their device, and the site is tough to navigate because it's not mobile-friendly.

Post Content Frequently Regularly update the content on your website so that it remains engaging for visitors. Your goal is to encourage repeat visits where your users return to your site for more information about topics that interest them. Add a blog page to share tips and advice for homeowners in your community.

Carla Heatherly is the Director of Web Development and Elise Carlson Ross is the SEO Team Lead for HomeGauge. HomeGauge offers inspection website builds for any budget, website hosting, and SEO services. With HomeGauge Web Services, inspectors can focus on what they do best—providing high-quality inspections— while leaving the techy stuff to the nerds. View HomeGauge website options online at: https://homegauge.com/one/websites.

20 Working RE Inspector Summer 2023

A good rule of thumb is to choose seasonal topics that appeal to your audience. For instance, write a blog on 'Fall Home Maintenance' in September, 'How to Reduce Heating Costs' in Winter, and '6 Easy Ways to Improve Your Curb Appeal' in Spring. Keep technical blogs about home inspections to a minimum since you'll get more interest and shares from a topic that helps a broader audience. Your site content is for the user, not for page 22 8

7page 20 you. Successful blogs will be helpful to visitors and offer tips and solutions for the community.

Videos are another great way to draw visitors to your site.

Whatever type of content you publish, make sure that it is original and not online anywhere else, or you may be penalized by Google for posting duplicate content.

Engage your customers regularly by adding a newsletter subscription option to your website. Newsletters are perfect for sending out updates to your subscribers, including special offers on your services, community news, and sharing helpful links, like your most recent helpful blog! Any clicks to your site will help boost your SEO and may even help you capture more leads for your business. Newsletters are also an effective way to build lasting relationships with customers and remind them about your services.

Optimize for Search Engine Visibility Search engine optimization (SEO) helps home inspectors reach more people online by improving their visibility within search engine results pages (SERPs).

First, submit a sitemap to major search engines like Google and Bing. The sitemap serves as a blueprint of your site that will help it be discovered and help search engines crawl and index the pages. Submitting a sitemap is a critical step for your website to be discovered and crawled by search engines.

SEO efforts should include technical work on the backend of your website, including setting keywords, meta descriptions, alt tags, internal links, quality outbound links, schema, and more. These techniques help search engines understand your website’s content so they can return your relevant pages in the search results.

One of the essential parts of a successful SEO strategy is consistently adding original, optimized written content to encourage search engines to re-crawl and index your site each time you add new pages. Doing so keeps your website positioned as a helpful resource for potential clients and will help you rank higher in SERPs over time. Stay on top of your website's per formance by installing Google Analytics and regularly reviewing the data. Analytics tracks how visitors engage with your website, and you can make changes or adjustments based on your data.

If this all sounds like a lot of work, it’s because it is! It’s more effective and efficient to hire a reputable SEO specialist to handle your website’s SEO than trying to figure it all out yourself. However, before you hire a company, verify they are using tactics that follow best practices and preserve the integrity of your website. Look for previous customer testimonials of SEO companies to avoid any red flags.

Social Media as a Tool Social media is a valuable tool to improve your digital presence by connecting with new prospects while building relationships 22 Working RE Inspector Summer 2023

with existing customers and fellow industry professionals. Post regular updates on platforms like Facebook and Instagram to share tips, photos, special offers, and stay connected with your community. Stay active by liking other posts and pages and sharing helpful information from other profiles. Keep your business profile neutral and welcoming by avoiding posting political and religious content.

Reach out to and connect with other industry professionals in your area, like real estate agents, electricians, and carpenters.

This allows you both to view and share each other's content and even refer clients looking for services outside of your expertise.

Networking on social media helps you build relationships with potential customers and industry partners and expands your reach beyond your own profile.

Use popular hashtags related to homeowners, real estate, and home inspections when posting on social media to make it easier for users searching these topics to find your business.

A solid social media plan helps you better understand what potential customers are interested in while driving more traffic back to your website.

Include Customer Reviews Customer reviews and testimonials are invaluable for ever y home inspection business. They give potential customers insight into the quality of services you offer, inform them what to expect, and build credibility and trust, leading to better conversion rates.

While there are many consumer review-based websites and channels, the one that matters most is Google Business. The quality and number of Google reviews will impact your local search and SEO, which are critical for service-based businesses. Respond to all reviews, positive and negative. A simple 'Thanks, happy to help with your inspection!' for positive reviews and a non-combative message like 'We're sorry to hear about your experience and will be contacting you directly.' for a negative review is all that is needed. People expect to see some negative reviews and will pay more attention to how you respond as a business owner than the reviews themselves.

While negative reviews usually cannot be removed, they will carry less weight if you ask clients who are satisfied with your services to rate you on Google.

Review building is free, easy, and necessary—simply send a follow-up email a few days after the inspection thanking your customer for their business and include a link to your Google Business page asking for a review. Most people are happy to do so on request.

To make it easy for visitors to see what your customers are saying, include a few reviews and testimonials on your website's homepage that link to a dedicated page for reviews. On this page, add a widget that auto-populates reviews from multiple places and shows them on your website. page 24 8

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7page 22 Monitor Analytics Install and monitor Google Analytics on your website to gain insight into how users interact with your site so you can identify your strengths and weaknesses. Analytics also provides key metrics such as bounce rate, pages per visit, and time spent on each page. By understanding these numbers, you can improve engagement through UX (user experience) design elements, like making sure navigation menus and content are easily visible and intuitively laid out.

Google Analytics shows how a visitor arrived at your website, whether a direct hit, through a search engine, from a backlink, or other links like a social media channel. You may be surprised that your most frequently visited pages are home improvement or home maintenance articles on your blog and your “About” page. Visitors want to know who they're doing business with, so we always recommend a friendly “About” page with your profile picture and some information about your hobbies and interests outside of work.

Key Takeaways A quality website that is optimized for search engines is essential for attracting new customers and staying competitive in your market. By following these steps or hiring a reputable company familiar with the industry to manage your website, you'll have a strong online presence and the right tools to grow your business. WRE

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Square, Plumb, Displacement and Basements: The Science Behind Your Inspection

by Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc.

Inspectors like checking whether things are on the level–or

should we say “plumb”? Is a wall plumb, or is it level? Is the doorframe plumb or square? And what about walls? Are they level, plumb, displaced or deflected?

Here’s a quick guide to these terms. I also show how a basement wall can measure plumb but have seriously defective movement and structural failure.

Think Vertical or Horizontal A traditional level tool has a bubble floating in a vial (See Figure 1). It can check both vertical and horizontal surfaces.

“Level” refers to horizontal surfaces; when a surface is perfectly level, the bubble floats within the markings.

Figure 1: Plumb, Level, Square

“Plumb” refers to vertical surfaces. A table leg, foundation wall or doorframe that is “plumb” is perfectly vertical. Again, the bubble in the tool floats within the markings when a surface is vertical.

Plumb can also be checked with a plumb bob, which is a weight hung from a length of string. A plumb bob always hangs perfectly vertical. Figure 2 shows tipping movement in a basement wall measured with a vertical plumb bob. The gap at the end of the plumb bob shows the movement or displacement of the wall.

“Square” refers to the relative position of two surfaces. If they meet at a 90–degree angle, the two surfaces are square. You can check this with a carpenter’s square tool. For a window, you can measure diagonally from each top corner to the opposite corner on the bottom; if the two measurements are different, the window is not square.

Deflection: The Wall or Floor Could Move Back Again When there’s evidence that a wall has moved, this indicates a need for further inspection. But what’s the correct term—is the wall deflected or displaced?

I prefer to use “deflection” when a structural element moves under load and will return to its original position when the load is removed. Floor framing is a good example. It’s designed for a small amount of deflection (See Figure 3). Often, the specification uses a deflection design criteria of L/360. This means

26 Working RE Inspector Summer 2023

Figure 2: Measure Wall Movement—Tipping #1

Figure 3: Floor Deflection Design L/360

that a floor joist appropriately selected to span 15 feet with an L/360 limit will deflect no more than ½ inch (180"/360) under maximum design loads. The floor may move/deflect ½ inch and this is within the design parameters.

Figure 4: Measure Wall Movement—Horizontal Crack

Displacement: The Wall or Floor Won’t Return to Normal Unlike deflection, “displacement” assumes that the wall or floor cannot return to its original position—for example, external pressure forces a basement block wall to move inward (See Figure 4). It’s unlikely that this wall could return to its original position, so that makes it displaced, not deflected. The exact measure of displacement is the distance an element has moved from its original position.

When measuring displacement of a basement wall, you should also note the length over which the displacement took place.

In this illustration: If the wall is 8 feet high, note that displacement occurs over four feet, not eight feet. You can measure displacement with a long level, a plumb bob or a vertical laser.

Determining the proper terms to use isn’t just splitting hairs.

Home inspectors must understand the correct terms to make sure they’re providing accurate information.

Can a Foundation Wall Be Displaced and Plumb?

Can a block foundation wall be displaced yet still plumb? Yes! This means you should never evaluate a foundation wall merely

Figure 5: Bulging Block Wall with Shear Crack

page 28 8 Working RE Inspector Summer 2023 27

7page 27

Figure 6: Measuring Shear at the Lower Block Mortar Joint

Figure 7: Shear and Pilaster Movement

by checking the condition of the interior wall or wall finishes, such as paneling. You should never check a basement wall by just measuring for plumb.

excessive pressure. Normally this results in lower wall inward displacement and is often measured incorrectly as outward tipping of the wall. The lower edge is in while the upper edge is out.

The Concept Seems Illogical When there’s a horizontal shear crack at the first mortar joint near the floor, the base of the block wall is pushed in (See Figure 5, pg 27). Excessive soil and water pressure will cause this type of failure and movement. The mortar joint is “sheared” apart from

But if the base shear and inward movement is combined with inward displacement of the upper wall, the wall and its interior finishes could measure plumb. Measuring the finishes gives no indication that the wall is failed; you will just not notice the bow in the wall from side to side. Just measuring the

28 Working RE Inspector Summer 2023

shine a flashlight down along the wall looking for horizontal movement/shadows.

In this case, inward shear movement is visible as a horizontal line parallel to the floor and a crack in the pilaster (See Figure 7).

This short, perpendicular pilaster reinforces the wall. A crack on the side of the pilaster has been patched, and the face of the pilaster has a small hole where the face of the block pulled away.

Paneling Complicates the Situation In this case, two by two furring strips were installed to hold wood paneling. With the paneling in place, none of these cracks were visible and the paneling was plumb.

Figure 8: Foundation Wall Shear and Displacement

wall for plumb will show no movement. You need to look for other issues.

Clues May be Elusive Typically, a shear crack at the base of a block foundation wall is hard to see (See Figure 6: Measuring Shear at the Lower Block Mortar Joint). If you shine a light at the right angle, a shadow near the shear crack may be the only visible clue. I always

Now let’s measure the bare wall with a six-foot-long level (See Figure 8). At the lower end of the level, it’s not evident that the wall is displaced about 1½ inches due to a base shear crack and upper wall inward movement. The original paneling was displaced about ½ to ¾ inch, because the top of the wall was also pushed inward. In most other areas of this wall, the paneling was not visibly displaced despite significant movement.

Got it? It is hard to see and hard to explain. The top of the wall is pushed inward along with horizontal inward shear movement at the base of the wall. It is pushed in and “bowed” 1½ inches page 30 8

Working RE Inspector Summer 2023 29

7page 29 from corner to corner but that simply is not visible unless a string is stretched from corner to corner. Since both the top and bottom are pushed in the wall measures plumb. Outside, the top of the wall inward movement was visible with a large gap from the siding to the top/center of the wall. This is shown in Figure 3: Floor Deflection Design L/360 (pg. 27).

The Takeaway Understand the terms level, square, plumb plus displaced or deflected. Use the terms correctly. If a basement wall has moved from it s original p osition that is displacement not deflection. A displaced basement wall will not spring back into its original position. A deflected floor joist may spring back in place once the load is removed.

Never base your evaluation of a foundation wall merely by observing the wall finishes, such as paneling. This limited observation may indicate moisture issues, but you’ll have no idea of the foundation wall’s true condition. If paneling or some other finish hides the foundation wall, your report should say that the wall is not visible and has not been inspected.

Take a picture of each wall for your records.

If you see basement wall cracks, shear cracks and displacement, identify this as a defect for further evaluation by a specialist.

30 Working RE Inspector Summer 2023

Depending on the local inspection standards, home inspectors may or may not use a level or plumb bob to check the basement wall. You need to be aware of all visible signs of basement defects.

Certainly, any moisture stains or active moisture intrusion into a basement calls for further investigation by a specialist.

Notify your customer of the issues in the report. If you see stains, always notify your customer that further water intrusion may occur. Suggest to the buyer and agents that the seller should be questioned about water stains and water intrusion.

Home inspectors and agents should never own a water intrusion problem by ignoring visible signs of moisture. WRE

Tom Feiza has been a professional home inspector since 1992 and has a degree in engineering. Through HowToOperateYourHome.com, he provides high-quality marketing materials, books for homeowners, and illustrations that help professional home inspectors educate their customers. Copyright © 2023 by Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc. Reproduced with permission.

Visit HowToOperateYourHome.com (or htoyh.com) for more information about building science, books, articles, marketing, and illustrations for home inspectors. E-mail Tom (Tom@htoyh.com) with questions and comments, or phone (262) 303-4884.

The Results are In! A Role Delineation Study

by Uli Sommers, Examination Board of Professional Home Inspectors

The Examination Board of Professional Home Inspectors

(EBPHI) has developed and maintained the National Home Inspection Exam (NHIE) since 1999. The exam is the cornerstone for entrance into the profession of home inspection in the United States and Canada. A key component of maintaining the exam is to perform a Role Delineation Study (RDS) every five years. The study analyzes the profession to understand what changes have occurred and updates the exam template from which exam questions are derived.

The work of updating the current NHIE content outline was primarily accomplished through the work of a Role Delineation Task Force (RDTF) comprised of subject-matter experts (SMEs) in home inspection. The RDTF was selected to represent different geographic areas and firm types. A panel of external peer reviewers was invited to critique the RDTF work product. There was a total of 1,216 complete survey responses received from the United States (1,194 responses) and Canada (22 responses). After carefully considering the characteristics of the U.S. and Canadian respondents, the RDTF determined that these respondents well represented the population of professional home inspectors with respect to key practice characteristics, including work setting, role, respondents’ level of education, types of firms at which they are employed, and demographic characteristics. The RDTF agreed that there were sufficient numbers of respondents in various subgroups to produce stable and interpretable results in these groups.

Canada EBPHI once again extended the studies to understand the practice of home inspection in Canada and to learn about similarities and differences between the NHIE’s domains, tasks, and knowledge base and Canadian practices. The results of the Canadian survey participants showed a very similar approach to the scope of inspections compared to the United States. Within Canada, five provinces were represented, with the highest number of respondents from Ontario.

Uli Sommers owns Sommers Home Inspections and has been a home inspector in the greater Portland, OR area for over ten (10) years. Uli is an Examination Board of Professional Home Inspectors (EBPHI) Board Member and Chair of the Exam Committee. She loves educating her clients and giving them tips about maintenance. In her free time, Uli enjoys activities like biking, running and going on extended motorcycle trips.

32 Working RE Inspector Summer 2023

N Alberta Bri sh Columbia Nova Sco a Ontario Quebec Total

4 3 2 11 2 22

%

18.2% 13.6% 9.1% 50.0% 9.1% 100%

Scope of Inspec ons and Results The overall structure of three domains of prac ce was retained from the exis ng content outline: Domain 1: Property and Building Inspec on/Site Review Domain 2: Analysis of Findings and Repor ng Domain 3: Professional Responsibili es

Time spent per Domain in %: 1.2

Property and Building Inspec on/Site Review

13.6

Analysis of Findings and Repor ng 28.3

56.9

Professional Responsibili es Other

The RDTF clarified and augmented the existing task and knowledge statements and incorporated emerging areas of practice such as alternative energy. A new task, identify and inspect common life safety equipment and systems to assess defects and issues that may affect people or the performance of the building, was created and existing knowledge related to life safety was relocated to it. To collect data on the extent to which ancillary services are provided by home inspectors, the RDTF created a list of 58 ancillary services that may be provided by home inspectors either as part of, or in addition to, existing inspection services.

The delineation process resulted in an outline comprising of 3 domains of practice, 19 tasks, 253 knowledge statements, as well as a list of 58 ancillary services. After the RDTF performed its work in updating the existing examination content outline, they obtained from a large cohort of home inspectors’ valid evidence for the domains, tasks, and knowledge bases.

The survey contained five components, with rating scales to validate each component, as shown on page 34. page 34 8

7page 32

Valida on Survey Components

Validation Survey Components SURVEY SECTION

NUMBER OF STATEMENTS TO RATE

DATA/RATING COLLECTED

Domains

Percentage of me spent per domain and learn level if performed correctly

3

Tasks

Frequently with which tasks were performed and the poten al for harm if the tasks were performed incorrectly

19

Knowledge

Importance for new Home Inspector to posses the knowledge

253

Ancillary Services

Whether performed, either as part of inspec on or as add-on/ stand-alone service

58

Demographics

Varied

9

Demographic and Professional Characteristics of Respondents • Respondents had an average of 11 years of experience • Respondents represented 49 U.S. states and five Canadian provinces • Respondents represented the North, South, Midwest, and West regions of the U.S. • 75% of respondents were sole proprietors and 25% worked in multi-inspector firms • 4 0% of respondents performed more than 200 home inspections annually

Years of Experience The survey respondents had an average of 10.8 years of experience.

Participation in Each Major US Census Region

13.1% 157 of 1194

20% 239 of 1194

NORTHEAST

239 of 1194

46.8%

WEST SOUTH

3 to 5

21.2%

6 to 10

27.2%

More than 10

36.4%

Total

100.0%

45-54 22.1%

0.9%

0

35.2%

1 to 100

25-34 7.3%

35-44 16.5%

Number of Home Inspections Performed Annually 60 p ercent of the resp ondent s p er for med less than 20 0 home inspections annually.

559 of 1194

1.9% under age 25

55-64 33.2%

15.1%

MIDWEST

20%

65+ 19%

Up to 2

24.0%

101 to 200

18.9%

201 to 300

Age of Home Inspectors

11.8%

301 to 400

9.1%

More than 400 0

100

200

300

400

500

page 36 8

34 Working RE Inspector Summer 2023

7page 34 Highest Level of Education More than one-third of the respondents has a Baccalaureate level or equivalent.

270 22.1%

High school/GED

Some College

Type of Firm(s) in which Employed 75 percent of respondents worked in sole proprietor firms.

Sole Proprietor

74.6%

25.4%

Mul -Inspector

23 1.9% 263 21.6%

Associate Level Degree

Membership in Professional Organizations Note: Multiple responses were permitted; therefore, percentages will exceed 100.

This table shows the number of survey respondents that are members in a home inspector professional association. More than half of the respondents (54%) were InterNACHI members and 40% were ASHI members

424 34.9%

Baccalaureate Level or Interna onal Equivalent Master’s Level or Interna onal Equivalent

186 15.3%

Doctoral Level or Interna onal Equivalent

15 1.2%

Other

23 1.9%

Total

1215 100%

Ancillary Services The RDTF delineated 58 ancillary services to be included in the validation survey. The respondents rated whether they performed the service as an add-on or stand-alone service, or whether they did not perform the service. Because of the

36 Working RE Inspector Summer 2023

ASHI

CAHPI

InterNACHI

40.3%

2.5%

53.8%

State or Provincial Organiza on

None of the Above

29.3%

10.6%

great deal of variability in how frequently survey respondents performed the 58 ancillary services, it is premature to include any of the ancillary services into the NHIE Content Outline.

Please see the 58 ancillary services shown to the right in the six charts.

Ancillary Services Regular Inspec on

Not performed

Add-On

203K inspec on

4-point inspec on Adhered Stone Veneer (ASV) moisture instrusion inspec on Aging in place inspec on Asbestos sample collec on Back-up generator tes ng

Building envelope inspec on Building permit history research Construc on consul ng

Crawl bot visual inspec on

Regular Inspec on

4% 5%

Neighborhood environment report

10% 11%

4%

12%

7% 4%

86%

6%

9% 3%

Not performed

96%

Pre-drywall inspec on

17% 29%

10% 3%

Residen al elevator inspec on

79% 43% 47%

17%

7%

76% 18% 14%

6% 6% 4% 2%

85%

68% 88% 94%

83%

Roof cer fica on or warranty

3% 5%

Seawall/dock/boat li inspec on

4% 6%

Seismic inspec on

2% 2%

Solar pool heater inspec on Solar water heater inspec on

5% 3%

Solar/photovoltaic system inspec on

4% 3%

Thank you On behalf of EBPHI I would like to thank the members of the RDS Task Force for all their work. I truly appreciate your commitment to this 10-mont h long project. Additionally, I want to thank all volunteers who reviewed the draft content outline and pilot tested the survey.

Jurisdic onal 3rd party inspec on Lead paint sample collec on

74%

24%

7%

69%

Irriga on systems inspec on

33% 50% 74%

3% 5%

92%

3%

15%

82%

6% 10%

Manufactured home inspec on

Regular Inspec on

Not performed

93% 92% 90% 96%

5%

3% 4%

23%

14% 12%

Mold sample collec on

4% 3%

1% 2%

3%

84% 52%

11%

37%

3% 4%

93%

4%

28%

68%

90%

Roof affidavit

Soil tes ng

20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

17%

16%

15%

7% 3%

Water quality sample collec on

5%

82%

Wind mi ga on

97%

Wind power systems inspec on

93%

Wood destroying organisms/insects reporting evidence

97%

Wood-destroying organisms/insects clearance report for...

90% 28%

67%

19% 15%

Well equipment inspec on

79%

92%

20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Underground fuel storage tank loca on service

Wildfire-related home hardening/ protec on inspec on

Not performed

Add-On 0%

20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

3%

Not performed

Infrared thermography

Meth house inspec on

Add-On

Sewer camera lateral inspec on

Industrialized/Modular housing inspec on

89%

Regular Inspec on 0%

0%

Manufactured home founda on cer fica on

89%

HUD/QRS inspec on

Sep c system inspec on

12%

Rental inspec on Residen al ADA/accessibility inspec on

54%

8% 13%

Radon gas tes ng

Radon mi ga on system inspec on

61%

94%

5% 5%

20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 2% 2%

94%

8% 3%

Home fire safety assesment and evacua on plan 88%

71%

8% 3%

88%

75%

22%

12% 5%

Geothermal inspec on

9% 16%

88%

4% 2%

Flood resistant construc on inspec on Floor level survey

60%

7% 5%

95%

4% 2%

Fire suppresion tes ng and inspec on

Add-On

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) tes ng

69%

7%

34%

11% 28%

Radon water tes ng

Exterior Insulated Finishing System (EIFS) moisture intrusion inspec on

86%

25%

5% 7%

74% 82%

Regular Inspec on

2% 3%

Energy efficiency evalua on

14%

Not performed

20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 6%

Electromagne c field tes ng

79%

21%

5%

2%

0% Drone visual inspec on

Pool and spa inspec on

Pre-backfill founda on inspec on

Add-On

91%

Add-On 0%

Regular Inspec on

20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

0%

66%

2% 2%

96%

2% 4%

94%

1% 2%

97% 28% 25%

10% 18%

47%

72%

Finally, thank you to all who participated in the survey.

Your input provides important information about the current and evolving standard in the home inspection industr y and helps EBPHI to create and maintain a high stakes exam for our profession. WRE Working RE Inspector Summer 2023 37

AI and Its Impact on Home Inspectors

by Sanjay Maharaj, Eneris

As the world becomes increasingly reliant on technology, it's no surprise that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is making its way into the home inspection industry. AI has already had a significant impact on various aspects of our daily lives, from the vehicles we drive to the banking apps we use. But what does this mean for the future of home inspections? If paper and pen were "Home Inspection 1.0" and today's app-based reporting tools bring us up to "Home Inspection 2.0," what does the next stage look like?

Some companies, like Eneris, are already exploring how AI can assist home inspectors in their work. In 2019, Eneris exhibited an early prototype of an AI-enabled app at the ASHI's InspectionWorld show in San Diego. They demonstrated the app to home inspectors passing by their booth, showing how it could automatically fill in the description and condition of an object based on a photo. For example, if an inspector took a photo of a clogged gutter, the app would recognize it and fill in the description as "Gutters" and the condition as "Clogged," along with additional notes.

The way that AI recognizes objects is through a process called "Machine Learning," which relies on humans to provide reinforcement back to computers in order to score the inference the computer has made. In other words, to teach a computer to recognize an object, you need to show it many examples of that object and provide feedback on whether it correctly identified it. Over time, as the computer receives more feedback, it becomes increasingly precise in its recognition abilities.

While AI may be able to identify and categorize certain issues, it will never be able to replace the human touch that a home inspector provides. An AI-based tool may be able to recognize a clogged gutter or a cracked foundation, but it won't be able to smell mold or hear a buzzing air conditioner. Home inspectors bring a highly localized human touch, empathy for their clients, and the courage to climb up into the attic.

to recognize it. This is where the experience and expertise of a home inspector becomes invaluable. An experienced inspector will be able to identify issues that an AI tool may have never encountered before.

However, that's not to say that AI won't have a role in the future of home inspections. AI has the potential to perform repetitive tasks and support humans with the processing of information.

For example, AI could be used to analyze thermal images of a home to detect heat loss and identify areas where insulation may need to be added. This would save inspectors time and provide them with an additional tool for detecting issues.

The key to the successful integration of AI into home inspections is to find the right balance between the capabilities of AI and the expertise of a human inspector. For example, AI could be used to assist inspectors by automatically flagging potential issues that need to be further investigated. This would allow inspectors to focus their attention on the areas that require the most attention, rather than spending time on issues that may not be significant.

Additionally, AI is limited by the data it has been trained on.

If it hasn't seen a certain type of issue before, it won't be able

Another way AI could be used is in the analysis of data. Home inspectors generate a significant amount of data during their inspections, including photos, notes, and measurements. AI could be used to analyze this data and identify patterns or trends that may be missed by a human inspector. For example, if AI noticed that there were consistently high levels of radon in homes in a certain area, it could be used to recommend that all homes in that area be tested for radon.

Sanjay Maharaj is the Co-Founder and CEO of Eneris Technologies Inc., which provides reporting software for home inspectors. He has 15 years of experience in software development and engineering management.

Sanjay is passionate about developing technologies that strike a balance between innovation and ease of use.

Overall, AI has the potential to be a valuable tool in the home inspection industry. It can save time, provide additional tools for identifying issues, and as AI technology continues to evolve, home inspectors can expect to see more advanced tools that help them work more efficiently and accurately. For example, AI can help identify potential issues that may be invisible to the naked eye, such as water damage or hidden structural issues.

38 Working RE Inspector Summer 2023

In the near future, AI tools may be able to scan the entire home and identify any potential problems. This would save home inspectors a lot of time and effort, allowing them to focus on other aspects of the inspection process. It could also provide homeowners with a more comprehensive report on the condition of their home, which could be helpful in preventing future problems.

One potential concern with using AI in home inspections is the possibility of false positives or false negatives. AI technology relies on data, and if the data is inaccurate or incomplete, the results may not be reliable. Additionally, AI may not be able to detect certain issues that require more human intuition or experience.

To address these concerns, it is important for home inspectors to use AI as a tool rather than a replacement for their own knowledge and experience. AI can help identify potential issues, but ultimately it is up to the inspector to determine the severity and significance of the issues.

Another concern is the cost of implementing AI technology in home inspections. While AI tools can be expensive to develop and maintain, they may ultimately save home inspectors time and money by streamlining the inspection process and providing more accurate and comprehensive reports.

In the end, the use of AI in home inspections is likely to be a balance between the benefits and drawbacks of the technology. While AI can help home inspectors work more efficiently and accurately, it is important to remember that it is not a replacement for human intuition and experience.

As AI technology continues to develop and become more accessible, home insp ectors can exp ect to see more advanced tools that help them work more efficiently and accurately. W hether it is through the use of advanced image recognition software or other AI tools, the future of home inspections looks bright. WRE

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