Tag: inspection industry

Handling Claims Made Easy

March 8, 2022

By Bill Erickson, NPI, Inc.’s Executive VP Every inspector fears the day when they’ll have a claim filed against them. Whether it’s clearly your fault or not, it can feel like a giant weight coming down on you. You can quickly find yourself exhausted from spending time and money trying to resolve the problem. However, just a bit of preemptive work on your end could make claims not as scary. Expect to get a claim at some point. Try as you might to avoid a claim altogether, it’s unlikely you’ll dodge one forever. But don’t worry, you’re not the first and certainly not the last person to deal with a claim from a disappointed customer. You can’t control every situation, so the best thing you can do is try to prepare for what you can. Preparing for the fact you’ll face a claim one day will give you a head start when you’re actually faced with one. Claims are intimidating, but proper preparation will make them less overwhelming. Don’t push a claim to the back burner. The worst thing you can do after you’ve received a claim is to put it off. It’s likely that your insurance provider details the

Flipped Upside Down: What to Expect When Inspecting a Remodeled Home

February 15, 2022

By Jon McCreath, NPI, Inc.’s Technical Supervisor & Training Administrator Flipped homes are becoming more and more common on the housing market. Nearly 6 percent of all home sales in 2020 were from flipped homes, with many counties and states seeing continued increases. It comes as no surprise with the popularity of home remodeling shows and flipping becoming a popular choice for people looking for additional income. But they can oftentimes be troublesome for you and your clients. Flips Fraught with Issues Like professionally constructed homes, flips can have a variety of issues. Some of the most common involve structural defects, faults in the plumbing or HVAC systems, insect infestations, and improper wiring or other repairs. All of these can lead to a buyer racking up thousands of dollars in repairs on top of their already expensive purchase. Usually, first-timer flips have more problems, but rushed remodels are also notorious for flaws. As a flip project goes on, the investor will start losing money and might cut corners to try and break even. This comes at the expense of a future buyer. Legal Gray Areas Along with rushing a job, some flips may not have all the right paperwork. While

Why You Should Add a First-Aid Kit to Your Toolbox

February 8, 2022

By Jon McCreath, NPI, Inc.’s Technical Supervisor & Training Administrator While on the job as an inspector, you’ll have lots of different tools with you. Each one has its own purpose so you can do an effective job for your client. Some of them are also designed to keep you safe. Before you head out for work, make sure you’re keeping yourself protected. Lowering Risk Inspecting a property can be a riskier business than most people think. Heights, air pollutants, and even animals mean you have to be alert at all times on the jobsite. The equipment that you use will help lower your chances of a risky situation ending poorly. One tool that you should incorporate in your practice is a first-aid kit. If you ever get injured while working, you should tend to it as quickly as possible. (Of course for more severe injuries, calling for medical assistance is the best route.) Don’t Be Overconfident If you consider yourself lucky and haven’t ever been injured while working, don’t let your ego make you careless. You may not think you need to carry a first-aid kit with you, but anything can happen. Close to 3 million workplace injuries happen

The Top Qualities REALTORS Look for in Inspectors

January 25, 2022

By Kimberly Stevens, NPI, Inc.’s Marketing Coach As an inspector, you might already have an idea of the perfect client you want to work with. And when you get the chance to work with someone that fits it, it makes your job that much easier. The same holds true for your clients. Real estate agents have an idea of the inspector that they want to work with, and they always want to try and find the closest match. Good Communication You most likely prefer a client who is responsive, so it’s only natural that agents want the same thing from you. Agents handle multiple transactions each month and need to move quickly between each one. If the inspector they’re working with is hard to reach, it can delay the buying or selling process and result in a lost sale. While you can’t be available 24/7 running your business, do your best to promptly reply to agents. Set up your voicemail or consider a call center so that agents can leave you a message when you can’t answer the phone. If you plan on leaving town for a vacation, let them know ahead of time and set up your out of

Another Dollar: How to Save Money While Growing Your Business

January 18, 2022

By David Stamper, NPI, Inc.’s President & CFO Correctly managing your finances is necessary to be a successful business owner, yet it isn’t always the easiest thing to do. Close to 80 percent of entrepreneurs fail due to poor money management. If you’ve never owned your own business before, you might have a million questions about how much to save and what’s the best use of your money. Luckily, you can get things sorted out with a few tips. Common signs you have a money problem. Figuring out that you’ve got a problem with your accounting will help you know the right steps to take. You’ll know right away when you run into a cash flow issue. If you’re struggling to pay for your expenses and finding that you’re dipping into your savings, you’re probably hemorrhaging cash faster than is sustainable. When you first start out, you might not turn a major profit as you get set up. But the important thing is to not let yourself get behind in accounting for every dollar that comes in and goes out. Don’t try to outrun your spending. At first, the simple solution to not having enough money coming in is trying

Business Resolutions for 2022

January 11, 2022

By Kimberly Stevens, NPI Inc.’s Marketing Coach As we enter a new year, we look forward to new opportunities. About a quarter of people make a resolution to improve themselves in the new year. However, less than ten percent of those individuals will actually follow through on their goals. Here are some simple resolutions you can make as an entrepreneur to grow yourself and your business! Keep Learning One trait that every successful business owner has in common is that they never stop being a student. You can always find new ways to better yourself and make your business operate more effectively. This year, make it a habit to continue your education. This can be in the form of attending conferences, talking to fellow inspectors, and following news updates. Listening to audiobooks or podcasts is another easy way to get useful information. You can play them all day in your car through your phone! Clean Your Email List Email marketing is a highly effective way to stay in contact with your customers and reach out to new ones. But if you haven’t updated your mailing list in a while, you might not be seeing the results you want. Kickoff 2022

How Energy Audits Can Help You and Your Clients

January 4, 2022

By Jon McCreath, NPI, Inc.’s Technical Supervisor & Training Administrator Add-on services are a great way to upgrade your business. Your customers will feel better protected in their home, and you can add an extra revenue stream. One additional service that can be beneficial to add is energy audits. These audits help the homeowner understand where energy is being “wasted” in their home and how to decrease it. More Homeowners Going Green Preserving the environment and decreasing individual impact are important topics to a majority of homeowners. Close to 70 percent of homebuyers would prefer a greener home, with almost half willing to pay more for one. It’s estimated the average homeowner spends at least $2,000 a year on electricity costs. By lowering each monthly bill by a few dollars, the savings will really start to add up. Within the next few years, the green material market will reach over $360 billion. As more and more younger buyers enter the market, the demand for eco-friendly housing will only increase. Equipment Needed Performing an effective energy audit requires some specific tools. An infrared camera (which you may already have) will help identify any equipment that is inefficient or spot heat loss

Pricing Your Services the Right Way

December 14, 2021

By Kimberly Stevens, NPI, Inc.’s Marketing Coach Finding the right price for the services you provide can be pretty tricky. Set them too high, and your customers will look elsewhere. But price them too low, and you might find it hard to break even. If you’re a new business owner, you might be stuck in a gray area about the best way to set prices. Research is Your Best Friend The best way to figure out what’s a reasonable amount to charge is to check out other businesses near you. Look at their websites and see if they have their pricing listed. You can also look at what other services they add and any deals they offer. Just a little bit of leg work will prove to be valuable as you get up and running. Flat Rate by Square Footage One of the common pricing strategies among inspectors is a set dollar amount based on the property’s size. This system is mainly used for residential properties that aren’t as extensive as larger commercial jobs. You can start at the lowest size you commonly inspect and increase by a certain range to the largest. This helps ensure that you’ll get paid

Why You Shouldn’t Neglect Your Inspection Tools

December 7, 2021

As an inspector, you have a variety of different tools to help you do your job. Drones, electrical outlet testers, gas sniffers, and more all give you the information you need to educate your client. But with so many different pieces, it’s not uncommon for equipment to malfunction. What Can Happen The most obvious answer to what’ll happen if you don’t maintain your equipment is that it simply won’t work correctly, if at all. If this happens to you in the field, you can find yourself stuck in a tight spot. You’ll either have to scramble to replace the broken tool or reschedule the inspection. Perhaps the worst outcome is that you mark a component incorrectly on your report. This can lead you into a wormhole of liability and result in a costly payout and possible lost business. Do Your Research Beforehand To avoid having to constantly repair your equipment, look into the best tools for the job beforehand. There are lots of different brands on the market, and each has their own set of pros and cons. If you belong to an inspector message board, see what others have asked about. Read reviews on the products prior to purchasing

Tips to Streamline Your Report Writing

November 30, 2021

By Jon McCreath, Technical Supervisor & Training Administrator Every small business owner knows that time is one of your most valuable assets. The more time you have and the more effectively you use it, the bigger you can grow. For inspectors, one task that can eat up most of your day is putting together your final report. If you find yourself staying up late into the night to finish reports, you may need to rethink your process. Fast vs. Fine-Tuned First and foremost, it’s important that we differentiate between rushing a report and finding beneficial shortcuts. Remember that as an inspector, your report is your safeguard from liability. A quality report keeps you protected from possible repercussions and maintains your reputation. If you begin to rush through things for the sake of saving a few hours, it can come back to bite you. As a new inspector, it might take a while before you start seeing a difference in your writing time. That’s OK! It’s best to get comfortable first, and then you gradually start smoothing things out. Before the Inspection Saving yourself time on the job starts before you even show up at the inspection. When you book an

Beating Burnout: Tips to Keep Your Head Above Water for Small Business Owners, Entrepreneurs, and Workaholics

September 5, 2023

By Kimberly Stevens, NPI, Inc.’s Marketing & Business Coach Finding success in the workforce can often take a lot of dedication, commitment, and time. Especially in competitive fields, some can get the notion that any time off is an opportunity for someone else to catch up, or a risk that could lead to losing momentum. With this in mind, it comes as little surprise when those with an entrepreneurial mindset struggle with burnout. Too often, entrepreneurs and small business owners enter into “the grind” without knowing when to take their foot off the gas, leading to a major crash that can be tough to recover from. The good news is that burnout doesn’t have to be an inevitability. With the right mindset and by following the best strategies, burnout doesn’t have to be another hurdle for success and contentment. 1. Reevaluate Your Daily ScheduleA common cause of burnout is taking on too much. Entrepreneurs tend to spread themselves too thin, and they have trouble letting go of responsibilities. The classic mindset of, “If I want to do something right, I’ll do it myself,” also means that delegating more important tasks rarely happens. Having a strong sense of ownership in the

NPI Welcomes 12 New Franchise Owners in the First Half of 2023

August 22, 2023

National Property Inspections (NPI), home and commercial property inspection franchisor, is proud to announce the addition of 12 new franchises to their roster since the beginning of the year. Delivering comprehensive property inspections, NPI has a reputation for helping clients make informed investment decisions for over 35 years. With the addition of these new franchises, more customers in the United States will have access to reliable and thorough property inspection services. We’re pleased to welcome the following franchises who will be representing our brands in their local area: “We are thrilled to welcome these new franchises to the NPI family,” said David Stamper, President of National Property Inspections, Inc. “It’s exciting that they will bring our company’s brand, values, and quality inspections to new areas. Having worked closely with all our new franchise owners, I know they’re a great group of people who are driven to succeed. I look forward to watching them grow and reach their personal goals.” Stamper added, “We are excited to see our franchise network continue to grow. Our franchises offer a comprehensive suite of inspection services, including home inspections, commercial property inspections, and specialty services such as radon and mold testing. We look forward to

11 States Taking Action Against Radon

August 15, 2023

By Jon McCreath, NPI, Inc.’s Technical Supervisor & Training Administrator Each year, more and more people are becoming aware of the threat that radon poses to families and homeowners. The World Health Organization, along with the most prominent national and international health agencies, have been appropriately banging the drum to increase broad awareness of the odorless, colorless gas (which is now the second leading cause of lung cancer in the US, per the CDC). Even in states where radon’s presence is not as prevalent, experts are advising that the gas’ concentration can vary even from house to house. For home inspectors that have not yet invested in radon testing as an outlet for diversification, signs are pointing towards a higher emphasis on the importance of knowing your home’s radon levels. While radon testing can be a valuable service offering anywhere, here are a few regions of particular interest. High Presence in the Midwest and PlainsRadon levels are recorded in the units of “picocuries” per liter (written as pCi/L), perhaps better understood as one-trillionth “curies,” a unit created to measure radioactivity content named after Marie Curie. With radon entering homes through the breakdown of uranium gases in ground soil, the World

An Average Day In The Life Of A Home Inspector

August 1, 2023

By Jon McCreath, NPI, Inc.’s Technical Supervisor & Training Administrator There are many aspects of the home inspection industry that draw people into the profession. Entrepreneurs love the opportunity to become their own boss, others will be drawn to the flexibility inherent in the job, and still others are drawn to the unique technologies that are constantly innovating the industry. Professionals transition into the industry every year, but many do so without having a full picture of what life will be like as a home inspector. For those who are interested in making a career change, the best way to start off is by shadowing an active home inspector for a day or two to get a better feel of the lifestyle and nature of work. However, it can be understandably difficult to find someone willing and ready to train potential future competition for themselves. So, to bridge the experience gap, here is a breakdown of what an average day as a home inspector can look like. Disclaimer: Home Inspectors have an inherently flexible job that can be shaped to fit many different lifestyles and preferences. The described daily schedule in this article describes only one home inspector’s experience after

5 Common Interview Answers That Are Red Flags For Hiring Managers

July 25, 2023

By Kimberly Stevens, NPI, Inc.’s Marketing & Business Coach One skill that can be difficult to develop for small business owners is how to recognize red flags when they show up. Red flag interview answers aren’t just bad answers, they are the types of responses that should alert hiring managers that it might be time to move on to the next candidate altogether. All hires are important for small businesses, but nailing those early hires is pivotal when it comes to long-term success. This is why good business owners place so much focus on their early interviews. Entrepreneurs likely don’t have extensive experience with interviewing prior to starting their own businesses, so they often can’t reflect on the early warning signs of lousy employee behavior. While candidates who have a talent for answering interview questions aren’t necessarily always the best people for the job, there are some seemingly innocuous interview answers that should actually be major red flags for hiring managers. But First, A Few Thoughts On Delivery (A Message to Job Seekers)Interviews can, admittedly, feel intense, nerve-wracking, and anxiety-inducing. Although this might add even more pressure onto job seekers, there are a few behaviors related to anxiety that can

Standing Out From the Crowd with Content Marketing

July 18, 2023

By Michael Trimble, NPI, Inc.’s Content Marketing Coordinator Converting leads into actual customers can feel like an uphill battle at times. Business owners are tasked with finding an audience who might use their services, explaining why their service is relevant to that audience’s needs, and then providing enough evidence to prove that their services are more worth their audience’s time and money than the competition’s. Navigating all of these hurdles as one person is daunting, but owners should know that there is a workable solution. Content marketing is the life-blood for every business’ online activity, and more often than not, entrepreneurs that don’t have a good handle on their content marketing tend to have trouble engaging their clients. This is no reason to be intimidated, however. Small business owners have the opportunity to learn the gist of developing a content marketing plan in no time. But first, let’s discuss a few essentials. What is Content Marketing?Every social media post, blog article, infographic, and video tutorial released by a business is a form of content marketing. While content marketing can come in many, many different forms, they all have a shared intention to ultimately promote the use of a business’ products

Conducting Great Interviews as a Small Business Owner

June 27, 2023

By Kimberly Stevens, NPI, Inc.’s Marketing & Business Coach Starting a business is a remarkable accomplishment in itself, but making that first hire might be the most important part of a small business’s track for growth. The amount of time and effort that goes into a brand new hire is considerable, and costs incurred when it goes wrong can feel like a gut punch. But these mistakes can be avoided! Business owners who invest into their interviewing skills can discover potential issues far in advance, and determine which candidates have the perfect complementary skill set they’re looking for. The right candidate will feel like the missing puzzle piece for your business. To identify these partnerships with expertise, there are three important questions to answer during an interview. Does the Candidate Fit the Position?The first determination that a good interviewer needs to uncover is, of course, whether the candidate would have the ability to do the job for which they are applying. Candidates usually come to the table with varied experiences, and often their work history won’t include the exact position that they are applying for. This is where strong preparation from the interviewer comes in. Drilling the position down to