Why I do what I do:
What gets me out of bed besides coffee? Teaching and learning about homes. I even won a company award for teaching the most homeowners about home repair.
There is no manual for homeownership, and plenty of youtube. I want to be a resource, not a burden to the process.
It really bothers me that the common theme in most inspection reports is that everything should be done by a licensed, qualified contractor. I don’t believe that to be true. Yes, everything could be hired out, but that is not an option, or desire, for every homeowner. I want to help educate homebuyers about the homes they are purchasing. This education includes preventative, regularly scheduled maintenance you can preform, yourself, in order to save you from big repairs. The reverse of that is also true. Instances of seemingly ‘minor’ issues can be seriously threatening and should not be attempted by a homeowner who is not fully educated. When I give clarity and reassurance to you about how your home works, and how to manage it, I feel like I have done the best job I can offer.
I want to help homeowners determine if the house defects are worth the energy and money. I have tried to buy, or have purchased, several questionable homes in my personal life. I constantly shopped for homes that ultimately had structural issues, electrical issues, wet basements, old pipes, or funny smells. Having come from a “handy” family, my first home buying strategy was: “Don’t worry about that defect, everything is fixable.” Well, after years of home ownership, in many different houses, and many years in GC construction and Handyman work, about the only thing I still believe is: “Yes, everything is fixable.” It just depends on how much energy and money you are willing to put in.
I never want my clients to feel rushed.
It really does give me great joy to take away a lot of the mystery that surrounds homeownership. I want to give you time on an inspection to ask all your questions and get full advantage of the knowledge I can offer. It aggravates me to see people treat an inspection as a race to finish in under a certain time frame. If an inspection takes me 5 hours, great. If four of those hours is just your questions, that’s even better.
Because of this, I will never host more than 2 inspections a day. The very last thing I want to do is make you feel like you cannot ask the “stupid question.” You hire me to answer questions. That’s literally the point of this. Additionally, the “stupid questions” are typically the ones that everyone has, because there is no manual for homeownership. I spend time after the inspection creating the best report possible. I fill it with information pertaining to the specific house inspected, including illustrations and diagrams. Having more than 2 inspections a day would require me to take time away from writing your thorough report.
In addition, I highly recommend you be present for your inspections. I can fully explain a defect verbally better than it will ever be read in a report. A 50+ page report can be information overload. If you hear it a page at a time, it is easier to digest. In addition, I can explain what is serious, what is simple to fix, and what is not an issue at all. The more involved you are, the closer you come to walking away with the unwritten manual to your home. When I can get you a manual to your potential future home, you can feel good about making your choice on how to proceed.
I like to have fun and I want home inspections to be fun. Home buying is stressful enough. Your home inspection doesn’t need to be another stressor. The more nervous the buyer, the more energy it gives me to make the process less stressful for you.
I am a straight forward business, not looking to add unexpected fees. The price quoted is the price charged. If I cannot inspect a system that is normally within the IL Standard of Practice, it is only a $50 trip charge to report on the system when it becomes available. For instance, if the water is off at the time of inspection, but can be turned on at a later date, I will return as soon as possible to inspect the plumbing and update my report. After the inspection, if the seller claims a repair is made, but you do not feel comfortable about it, I can follow up on the requested repair for just the trip charge fee. It is important to me that you move forward with peace of mind.
I am honest in my business dealings, report writing, and opinions. I tell my clients I am honest, because if I am honest, I do not have to remember a lie. I do not have alternative motives in down playing defects or causing false alarms. I am there strictly to be an asset and to help those involved.
I guarantee to have the report to you within 24 hours of the start of the inspection. I will refund you $100 from your inspection fee if that is not possible. Your attorney review and inspection period is limited, often 5-10 days. You need to schedule the inspection and get the report in order to respond to the sellers in a timely fashion. I will do my part to help move the process along, not hinder it.
I do not want to disappear after the report. That is not where I want our relationship to end. If you live in your home for a year and have questions later on, please use me as an available resource. I truly enjoy helping clients with their homeownership questions. Please allow me the opportunity to work for you.
