I frequently get comments on my blog from people who say they could not do what inspectors are asked to do. Whether it is climbing on roofs, crawling through crawl spaces, traversing attics or dealing with dead rats, spiders, snakes and raw sewage----most say they couldn’t do it. This is really about the only thing that immediately comes to mind on the physical side of doing home inspections----all the rest is not nearly as humbling or all that difficult to deal with. There is a whole psychological side to doing home inspections that does not often get discussed that I think most inspectors could live without (although there are those that have business models such that one would swear they are not affected by it at all). STRESS. It can be very stressful doing home inspections. For every buyer, the inspection is maybe one of 2 or 3 inspections they will go through in a life time----while it is merely one of several hundred inspections the inspector will do in a year. Inspectors cannot afford to ever treat an inspection like it is not, “one of only 2 or 3 inspections they will go through in a life time.” This can be very difficult----perhaps the most difficult thing we do---and it requires a great deal of vigilance. When we go away from this principle all manner of bad things can happen----all with the end result of having unhappy buyers. This is called, “beginners mind.” The ability to see everything we do as if it were the first time. It is kind of like the beginning of a relationship where we are still wearing the rose colored glasses and still having fun. When we are stressed and not having fun it is time to step back, put the rose colored glasses back on and remember why we are there. It is this beginner’s mind that we must draw upon when we get to the inspection we have allowed 3-1/2 hours for and it ends up taking us 5 (“What do you mean there are 3 crawl spaces!”). The inspection taking whatever it takes is a beginner’s mind kind of attitude----and it is so true. When we have this frame of mind (on top of all that we have learned) we can truly take care of our buyers. And isn’t that what it is all about? Charles Buell Seattle Home Inspectors, ASHI Home Inspector, Structural Pest Inspector, Charles Buell Inspections Inc, Seattle, WA
While there are some aspects of the job I could live without, most of the things that really bother me don’t even make this list----although some only come about because of things on this list. For example the absolute worse thing for me about crawl spaces and attics is not how difficult they are to get around in sometimes, or the bugs and critters that are sometimes found in these places. It is the INSULATION in them that is more likely to get me unglued. English has no word to accurately describe how much I dislike fiberglass and rockwool insulation and that nice itchy feeling that one gets after being near it----that feeling that makes a person want a different skin to live in. Even thinking about it makes me want to go take a shower.
Click on the Rose 
to check out: AHA!---A Forum of Landmark Proportions---your Group
PS, for those of you that are new to my blog (or for some other "unexplained" reason have never noticed)
all pictures and smiley-face inserts (emoticons) (when I use them) have messages that show up when you point at them with your cursor.
DeCroe, is my "ethereal" home inspector assistant and occasionally flies into my blog and other people's blogs to offer assistance. To find out more about her beginnings just click on Raven.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Click on the Rose to check out: AHA!---A Forum of Landmark Proportions---your Group
PS, for those of you that are new to my blog (or for some other "unexplained" reason have never noticed)all pictures and smiley-face inserts (emoticons) (when I use them) have messages that show up when you point at them with your cursor.
My WORDLESS WEDNESDAY pictures and some selected POEMS & STORIES.
This is a really good post. Personally I think you have a lot more pressure on you than we as realtors do in many ways. Thanks for this writing
Thanks Charlie
I agreed with all of that! No inspection is "just another inspection..."
And as far as insulation goes, how about opening the attic access and having a glop of insulation come down right onto the sweaty back side of your neck at 10am. Then going through the rest of the day with that! I LOVE IT!
Not...
Mr Charles,
I like insulation and I am glad that I am now experienced enough to be a seasoned-pro.
Nutsy
Jay, do you mean the insulation with the coating of rat turds?----would that be what you mean?
Nutsy, but you are not supposed to EAT it!
Mr Charles,
Ha,Ha,Ha. That is very funny. Now, could I please borrow $5.00 for the next week. I will pay you back when you are in Bellingham.
Nutsy
That would be a NO
You have never had blown-in fiberglass insulation land on your collar and down the neck?
Jay the NO is to Nutsy, not you:)
I have never thought of your job as being stressful and I apologize. Thank-you for your insight...
Paul, you have nothing to apologize that I am aware of---are you alluding to something in particular:)
I can't say I'm a fan of the rat turd coated insulation. After the shower, you still feel like you're dirty.
The stress is another good factor that comes into practice. No two inspection are the same and it's never just another inspection, it's a big responsibility.
Suesan---me too. Regarding the responsibility. I see inspectors that treat law suits as just one of the costs of doing business----for them it is more important to get on to the next inspection than to be truly present for the one they are on. I am more interested in providing service than I am in calculating risk.
I would not want your job. I have a favorite inspector who is very good about pointing out what he likes about the house as well as showing the buyer the problems he has found.
He never says, "you should ask the seller to..." He always tell them what needs to be done to correct the problem without addressing who should do it.
Here is one of my first posts on how to deliver bad news. The one thing to remember is we are not the reason for the bad news, we just report it.
http://activerain.com/blogsview/888418/12-steps-to-deliver-bad-news-to-sellers
Donna, bad news is almost always about money----does fixing the problem "pencil-out" financially for the buyer or doesn't it. Buyers that get too emotionally attached to the home prior to the home inspection is a recipe for disappointment if they are on a very tight budget----and aren't we all these days?:)
The picture is nice. I have a bathtub with mirrors all the way around and it has always been fascinating to see the endless repetition in the mirrors from one side to the other. Your blogs are also pretty!!
Good post Charles,
You can't let it get old or routine.
Barbara, I see lots of bathrooms with these endless mirror installations----kind of fun to fool around with them with the camera.
Matt, thanks
Charlie, It is so true what you said above to Suesan. I know we have discussed this subject ourselves.
Many inspectors seem to be only in the home inspection business. They have calculated and accepted certain "risks" of being in the home inspection business. Law suits and complaints just go with the territory.
I think the mind set of the profession is wrong in many ways. This is a business about helping people to buy a home. Buyers look to inspectors for knowledge that they do not have themselves. This means that they are putting trust in us. That is a big responsibility and should cause some stress. But more importantly that trust should be taken with all the care it deserves.
Thanks for the reminder! Actually, most of my jobs need to be addressed with "beginner's mind." I gave up teaching computers to people when I got burnt out -- couldn't deal one more time with explaining how to use a mouse to a 75-year-old who wanted it to be a typewriter (although I have great stories from all the once-in-a-lifetime experiences going to people's houses to teach them!) :)
James, I do hope the industry is starting to change.
Shoshana, I think the princlple, like you say, applies to everything we do.
"I am more interested in providing service than I am in calculating risk"
Mr Charles,
My thoughts exactly.
Nutsy