Random Rant with Fellow Inspector Rico Sandoval And Yes He Brought The Beer!

Be Advised! This is my longest podcast so far because Rico talks too much when he's drinking. Yeah, Rico brought beers and whiskey to the podcast to me drunk.

Sunday Random Rant with Fellow Inspector Rico Sandoval About Many Topics such as beer, Whiskey, Lawsuits, Inspector Insurance, Tips for new home inspectors, home inspection business and marketing tips and advice for realtors.

Long winded Rico interviews John about why he chose the home inspection business, John shares great stories with Rico about his early years as a home inspector.

 Thank you to our Episode Sponsor Guitar Ninjas
https://www.guitarninjas.com/

John Laforme
Home Inspection Authority
https://www.homeinspectionauthority.com/

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Transcript

John Laforme: 0:00

Buying a home. Don't panic. Just listen to the rest of this podcast Alright everybody, welcome back to another episode of home inspection of Straight Talk podcast with me, John laforme. I'm a CREIA certified home inspector from Los Angeles, California. And the topics we discuss on this podcast are about buying homes selling homes, inspecting homes. So if you're a home inspector, home buyer, real estate professional, this podcast is definitely for you. Alright, everybody, welcome back. Today's topic is about nothing. We're just going to chat. I'm sitting here with Rico sand the ball. One of the guys who I used to pick his brain, I don't know, three, four times a day about report writing and all this other nonsense. Years ago when I got started. It was it was it was fun. Yeah. How are you doing? Rico? How are you? So you had fun trying to teach me? It was it was fun. But then again, I lost contact with you because you stopped calling. Oh, I get smarter. I get a little smarter. Well, which is a good thing.

Rico Sandoval: 1:27

What's that? She said for our beers? Ah, that's

John Laforme: 1:34

a mystery person just dropped off our nuts. I mean, some nuts. That's not getting it out right now. Okay. So Rico? Yeah. What is going on with you, man? It's good to see you. Likewise, man. It's been a while. It's been quite a while since I've seen you in person. Yes, we've chatted a few times recently, and stuff like that. And and then you commented on Facebook about the podcast, or the video, or the Facebook ads, that YouTube videos. And then what you had posted a podcast on one of the home inspectors

Rico Sandoval: 2:05

page, I think it was home inspector locker room or there was a different one. And it was on foundations. Okay. And you know, the good thing about this industry or any industry as doesn't matter how long anybody's been doing it, you're always learning something new, always owe your opinion of something's gonna be a little different than mine. And you may look at it in a different way.

John Laforme: 2:31

You know, like, go and go into the monthly meetings that I go to Korea meetings. Right. You know, I may be hesitant sometimes to go because well, I heard the speaker before. All right, I'll go. And then I take one little bit of a morsel out of it. To learn from and I you know what, right? Light bulb?

Rico Sandoval: 2:50

Yes. Because you might have the same information all the time. Right, but then it resonates with one particular person. Yeah. And that's what happened when I heard your podcast on foundations because you get a lot of foundations. Moreso than I do.

John Laforme: 3:07

crawlspaces. Yeah.

Rico Sandoval: 3:08

crawlspaces. Yes. So we

John Laforme: 3:10

can change that if you'd like, because I can't stand doing them anymore.

Rico Sandoval: 3:15

No, I'm okay. I don't like crawlspaces.

John Laforme: 3:19

There, it's not that exciting anymore. You know, I've done 1000s of that's crazy. The first

Rico Sandoval: 3:24

thing I do when I see this crossface is I measure the opening. And I go by this and

John Laforme: 3:29

then you measure yourself? Well, let's see. square peg round hole. That's,

Rico Sandoval: 3:37

that's pretty much what it is. And then and then the good thing about the crawlspace is, is that it has ventilation on the outside so I can easily just, I know what I'm looking for sure. And just zooming in with the camera and putting that in the report.

John Laforme: 3:54

Give you an give you an idea. Of course not. It's not not the best way, but it'll give you an idea of what's going on to this. If you see a massive leak or something actually dripping you know, I've caught I've caught drain pipe leaks just by walking by a crawlspace. Yes. And I heard it leaking. Yeah, because it was so heavy. It was just drip pouring right into an already existing puddle. That's been good. It's been leaking for so long. So another thing too about looking at crawlspaces from the outside is you can use your flashlight in the event screens and find a supertanker. Yep. Bam. See one bolt. It's anchored now not going to see all of them because chances are you got lucky and saw that one right there in the opening of the vent screen. With all the other ones are staggered. You don't know how many there are. Yeah, speaking of

Rico Sandoval: 4:39

anchoring, have you ever had an issue where it is anchored? But the customer is a structural engineer, and they want you to count every

John Laforme: 4:50

bolt? That's when I say kiss my ass? Yeah, that's what that's that's nonsense. First of all, you're not required to do that right? If you follow any kind of standards, you're not required to do that, right? You want,

Rico Sandoval: 5:03

he wanted me to count them, and to measure how far they were from each one to another.

John Laforme: 5:07

That's exactly what the standards say not to do, right.

Rico Sandoval: 5:11

And this guy was a structural engineer, he was coming in from San Francisco moving down to LA. And I told them that we don't, we don't do that. And ever since I haven't heard from that realtor. So I don't know if it was that case, or they're just their buyers just got discouraged from this market.

John Laforme: 5:37

It's hard to say, you know, but sometimes that's a blessing. Yeah, people stop calling you. Right? Because usually, those are the people you don't want to deal with. And the reason why they're not calling you back is because, you know, you actually, you know, said no, right now, you actually say, Look, this is not what I do. And some people just want you to bend all the rules. And they understand the consequences that come with that. It's huge consequences. It is it's it's not worth business from one person who might give you a couple of jobs a year, it's not even worth that for someone who gives you three jobs a month, right? The headache, the headache of going down the lawsuit, rabbit hole is not good in any business. And it's what people don't seem to what people don't seem to understand about the legal aspects of stuff is it is time consuming. It's an inconvenience beyond your belief, and you don't know. You just gonna say Oh, I'm just going to sue you. That's their attitude. I'm just going to sit well, go ahead. And we'll see who will see who hangs the longest when the runs out of money.

Rico Sandoval: 6:45

When that happens. I turn around and say I'll see you in court.

John Laforme: 6:49

That's it. That's all I can do. That's all you can do it. It's not what we want to say no, but they kind of put you against the wall.

Rico Sandoval: 6:56

That's one things that I learned as soon as I mentioned lawyer or lawsuit. I'm done. I'm out of here. Yeah. See, you call me and we'll see you in court. Yeah.

John Laforme: 7:05

So yeah, that's not fun. I thought it's something else that you mentioned a little while ago, the anchoring back to the anchoring real quick. Yeah, I had a job a few months back. And I had inspected the house. And then they asked me to come back and do some indoor air quality sampling and so forth. And some mold sampling because I found some problem areas. And so I came back on a different day, like a week later. And list and the buyer's agent who's a nice guy, I know the guy I've worked from a few different time he goes, Hey, John, by the way, you know, I know you mentioned in your report there was anchoring but foundation guys were here and said there was no anchoring. Oh my God, that's interesting camera. Let me show you some. Yeah, took my flashlight. I flashed put my flashlight in six of the crawlspace openings, event screens. And I counted six bolts as like, how are they taught? He goes, You gotta be fucking kidding me. Foundation guy was trying to get him to spend money on a retrofit, that he didn't even need

Rico Sandoval: 8:08

that. And that's the problem. That's ridiculous. That's the problem. And every single inspection, when we recommend something, they get a second opinion, which rightly so they should get a second. That's what we're telling them. Yeah. But the contractors are they know the client is not going to go into the house. Yeah, they know, they could tell them anything. Yep. They know. They could tell them what's not their foundation crack, you know, buckling. Walls and whatnot. Yeah. And they just want to upsell them. And that's, that's unfair. And I think that's the that's the advantage of having home inspection. From a home inspector that knows what they're looking for. It's unbiased. Has no,

John Laforme: 8:56

we're not trying to upsell you anything? No, yeah. No,

Rico Sandoval: 8:58

nothing. Nothing at all. Yeah. But unfortunately, it does happen.

John Laforme: 9:03

Yeah, it does. It definitely does. So hey, go. Let's go back in time a little bit. Yeah. Let's go back in time to when I met you. I met you from Eric. Eric. Richard, you still talk to Eric? No. Is he around?

Rico Sandoval: 9:19

I don't know.

John Laforme: 9:20

I don't mean just don't talk to me anymore. Okay. No,

Rico Sandoval: 9:22

I lost. I kind of like ruffle the feathers on a lot of home inspectors in my area.

John Laforme: 9:29

Now, why would you do a thing like that Rico, shame on you.

Rico Sandoval: 9:33

A lot of it has to do with pricing. And a lot of it has to do with service. Not that I give a better service. But I tell them. There was one home inspector that he was doing free poor inspections with every home inspection stupid. So I talked to him and I said what are you doing? First of all, you're making me look bad. and everybody else looked bad. Yep. And your liability is huge. Okay. And so he started charging. And then that same person, I said, Listen, you need to start doing sewer inspections. So I'm telling my competitors to do what I'm doing. So I don't have to be the only one. There's so much business out there, John. I don't understand why home inspectors don't work together.

John Laforme: 10:29

Yeah, I know exactly. That's exactly my point. Yeah, that's, that's exactly my point. Lost Los Angeles, how many houses are in Los Angeles? Oh, my goodness, a lot. A billion. It seems like there's a billion of them. A lot is no, there's, there's so much. There's so much work out there for I mean, there's so many inspections, inspectors out here inspection companies, I know quite a few. Right. And a lot of them have multi guys. They have multiple inspector firms. I don't I don't really think too much about that. I just I just do my thing.

Rico Sandoval: 11:06

And I learned that I yeah, I'm so much of a okay. If there's a new person that gets into the industry, in my area or anywhere else, my name always gets thrown out there. And I like it. Because I like to teach which, which I understood that now, if I ever retire, I think I'm going to teach Home Inspections are

John Laforme: 11:31

so well you better get on top of that, buddy. Because I've already started building an online training.

Rico Sandoval: 11:35

I could be one of your instructors. You go. See, that's that's the thing about working together. You could you could teach your strong points at St. Teach my strong points. Yep. And so going back to Eric Richards, great guy, love the guy. But he doesn't talk to me because of the pricing issues on home inspections. He does the same service that I do. He includes the same protection that I do. And but his prices are lower. And I'm like you're you're under charging everybody

John Laforme: 12:12

working for free. And with a lot of liability that goes with it. Well,

Rico Sandoval: 12:17

he said in a lower standard.

John Laforme: 12:19

Yeah, unfortunately, that's you know, that's, there's a lot of guys out there that do that. Yeah. And that's and I was we can do is separate ourselves from that by just sticking to our prices. I know what my inspections entail. And I'm not going to be at a house for no less than two and a half hours. I don't care if that house is up to 2000 square feet. I'm there for at least two and a half hours. Even if it's 1500 square feet, it seems like I'm still there two and a half hours. Well, it's a lot to look at.

Rico Sandoval: 12:49

It's a lot to look at. And the client deserves that. The homebuyer, absolutely, yeah, they deserve that they deserve an educated inspection. They deserve have other answers. Other questions answered? Yep. The they deserve that. Otherwise, it doesn't justify our fee. Right? Because you and I could inspect the house and then go on to the next to the next to the next one.

John Laforme: 13:15

Yeah, we could try to do volume. Yeah,

Rico Sandoval: 13:17

I stopped doing volume. I stopped, I only do two a day. And that's it. And if I get one right in the middle of the day, that's all I'm doing. Not because I don't have time to do the rest of that. Another home inspection is just that I believe the buyers deserve. There's money worth and that's where the value comes in.

John Laforme: 13:37

Yeah, that's that's a good point. That's a good point. I don't try to do more than one a day. The only time I do more than one a day is if I have multiple, really good customers of mine. Requesting my service. Yes, I always want to take care of your your relatives who who believe in you and call you on everything. So I always fit them in. So even if it's gonna be gonna be a rough day, and maybe I'm doing like tomorrow I have a 5500 square foot house to do with the sewer. Wow. That's a big one. You know, and if one of my really good relatives called me, John, I gotta have it tomorrow. I would do it. Yeah, cuz I'm the same way. Because they're, they're always calling me. And they're always referring me to the customers because they liked my service. They liked the consistency of what I do. I'm not rewriting my reports. Every every time I have a new customer that everything's the same understanding and so forth. Yeah. So it's important. That isn't there's a lot of validity Validity to that. As far as you know, keeping keeping your clients happy. But then there's the unrealistic side of it, which is people calling out of the blue who you don't even know Yeah. Oh, can you come tomorrow? No. Yeah. Oh, can you come tomorrow and give me the report right when you're done? No.

Rico Sandoval: 14:57

Even though we can but it's different. Do you want photos?

John Laforme: 15:01

Yes, then I can't give it to you the same time. Yeah, it takes time to get photos together. Sometimes it got to be adjusted. You know, I really enjoy quality, dotting my eyes and crossing my t's on reports. I don't rush reports and I tell every customer the same thing. The report will be done when it's done. Yeah. And it'll be within 24 hours of me being here. Right. That's the best I'm willing to offer you if you need it sooner than you just gonna have to call somebody else. Yeah, I'm just being realistic with you. And they appreciate that. Some do. Yeah. Some somebody hang up on you. Yeah. Don't even say bye. Click Yeah. Yeah. That's always that's always entertaining. And then going into well, staying on the customer thing, the customer service and all that. You're only as good as your last inspection. Yes. So it's like we're trying to I guess what we're trying to communicate here. Everybody is? Sure you can do volume? Because let me break that down a little a little more. So there's inspectors who only want to do volume, which I call minimalist inspectors. Yes. Because their report is just a checkbox checkbox checkbox, and they're gone. That's all they do. They don't get into detail on stuff. Most of the time, they will not go into your house, they'll open the access hatch and go like this little flashlight and leave. Or they'll do the same thing in your attic. And those are the two areas that need the most attention. Yes, on every house, that's where the hidden stuff is,

Rico Sandoval: 16:36

because those are the two areas that nobody goes in.

John Laforme: 16:39

Right? That's where you find a lot of problems. So that would be a volume inspector. As a as opposed to just, you know, do what you can handle. Years ago, when I first started I had a buddy year or so where I was doing like three a day. Yeah. And that caught up to me. Yeah, it's just like, I started forgetting stuff from the previous house I was at earlier my gosh, shit, which one was that? And luckily, I was taking pictures of everything because it saved my ass. But I realized, okay, that's too much. It really is. Two days. Good. Two condos. No problem. Yeah.

Rico Sandoval: 17:15

Two a day. It's perfect for me. Yeah. And and I even though depending on where I'm at, like, I'm not going to do one in Irvine and the other one in Victorville. Right, it has to line up. Yeah, they don't line up. Either one I added to a different day. Or don't do it.

John Laforme: 17:38

Yeah. You got to say no, yeah. Well, I do it. But I can do it on this day. And if they're willing to wait for you if they really want you to wait, right. But you know, you talk about lining stuff up. It's kind of interesting, because I've noticed that I'll get random calls sometimes for like, you know, can you do? Like Santa Ana? And depending on my schedule, if I'm open that day, I'll say yes to it. Yeah, I don't mind taking a drive. I have to drive everywhere. It's not like I'm doing something new. Right? Where it goes like an hour. So and then within that same day, or the following day. I'll get another call. Oh, hey, can you be in like Torrance on? Oh, you know what, I'm going to be done. And that's happened me so many times. Yeah. That's like crazy weird and like, how the hell did that happen? Yeah, I've

Rico Sandoval: 18:25

been getting a lot of realtors and Brent, brand new realtors that, that I haven't worked with, right? They call me and say, Hey, you live in Lake Elsinore? Yes, I do. Okay, and the inspection like y'all, I'm okay, perfect. I live here to great town. And I give them my price. And they're like, but you live there.

John Laforme: 18:49

Stop talking so much. You gave me too much information where you go. I don't know. That's next time. So you know, it's about an hour drive. So yeah, here's my price. So

Rico Sandoval: 18:59

I like it when they asked me Do you Do you drive to Lake Elsinore?

John Laforme: 19:04

Yes every day.

Rico Sandoval: 19:07

Matter of fact I do. It's actually I'm on my way home inspection. Okay great. And and yeah, in the they really believe that the price should be lower because I live in town. Yeah, do you get those?

John Laforme: 19:25

Not yet. I haven't gotten one yet. I'd be honest. I haven't I haven't heard that yet. And I you know, I live in Burbank and I get calls from Burbank all the time. I tell them Yeah, I live in Burbank, right? No one ever says Oh, can you do it cheaper? Is that a cheapskate on the phone? Yeah. Yeah, don't don't Don't be cheap on the inspections. homebuyers. Be cheap on the blinds. When you move in, you know, yeah, don't don't try to save money on your inspector. That's that's that's just a bad thought. Bad logic. I don't believe in that at all.

Rico Sandoval: 19:56

The the inspection is a great investment. It is every buyer should want one.

John Laforme: 20:03

Yeah. And here's something that's I think most buyers don't even think about. And that is, well, I'm paying this guy, five 600 bucks for an inspection. But they don't think what? Well, when I get that report, there's going to be at least $5,000 worth of credits I could probably get just from that report. Mm hmm. Really head scratcher is that, does that math add up to you? Let's see, let's invest 500 or 600, whatever it is, and then maybe we can get back 4500 and credits. They don't think of that. And I'm not going to tell them that either. If they can't think of that process, is I've asked several realtors, what is the average amount of money that you get credited back on a house? Oh, 5000. That's why I'm saying that's why I think any home inspection report can recoup fourth of four to $5,000 worth of money.

Rico Sandoval: 20:58

Yes. Have you ever had clients that ask you? Hmm. Should I have the seller fix it? Or should I get credit?

John Laforme: 21:07

All the time?

Rico Sandoval: 21:09

What do you respond?

John Laforme: 21:09

I tell them to get a credit. Same here. Yeah. Because every time I've been called back to do a re inspection, nothing was done. Or it was done completely wrong.

Rico Sandoval: 21:21

Speaking of speaking of re inspections, what is your fee for re inspection?

John Laforme: 21:29

Minimum to go back is 250 an hour? One hour minimum?

Rico Sandoval: 21:33

Okay. Okay, I'm at 60% of my inspection fee, whatever the inspection fee is 60% of that, which is a little bit higher than 250.

John Laforme: 21:45

But that depends on what the callback is.

Rico Sandoval: 21:49

If it's one item or 20 items, because that's it's going to take me I'm going to invest Yes, a drive there. I have to drive there. So I back right in this gonna be the same amount of time as a home inspection. All right. And I think that's

John Laforme: 22:04

if it's a laundry list. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. A lot of stuff.

Rico Sandoval: 22:08

I just feel sorry, when when they have to pay that fee. And half of the items were not completed.

John Laforme: 22:16

Yeah, I usually tell them to put that fee on the seller.

Rico Sandoval: 22:20

Well, that's where their realtor comes in.

John Laforme: 22:22

I tell them anyway, the all the time. Yeah. Well, if I come back, and everything was fixed, yeah. Then they did a service. I don't tell him that. Yeah.

Rico Sandoval: 22:32

But I think a credit is much better. A credit

John Laforme: 22:35

is better, because it's just common logic. I mean, you're trying to sell something, right? Why would you want to put a bunch of your money into it? Just because you're selling it? So automatically, you know, we're humans, we just want to save money, right? I mean, it's really not that hard to figure out. So they're gonna get the cheapest guy.

Rico Sandoval: 22:52

So speaking of inspections, what's your take on listing inspections? I do? Do you? I have a love and hate relationship with listing inspections. Because

John Laforme: 23:05

let's explain to everybody what that means. First,

Rico Sandoval: 23:08

a listing inspection is before you sell the house before you put it on the market. You want to have it inspected? I think it's one of the best investments a seller. Yep. Can make absolute and they want that done.

John Laforme: 23:22

Yep. So it minimizes big surprises. Yes. It's definitely going to minimize big surprises. If you have a thorough inspection done. Yes. And then you can, you can have that you can have that already in your pocket and ready to go. If someone brings it up

Rico Sandoval: 23:37

in expedite. I believe that it expedites the process, because the buyer sees a report. Nothing that fix but they're going to get this much credit. And it saves. It saves two, three days. Absolutely. And that's huge

John Laforme: 23:55

in today's market that is priceless. So that's what

Rico Sandoval: 23:58

I love about those. Yeah, listing inspection, sellers inspection. I'm

John Laforme: 24:02

actually doing one next, this coming Friday.

Rico Sandoval: 24:04

I'm doing one on Wednesday. I'm doing one on Wednesday. And what I hate about it is if the buyer does get the home inspection, which they have all the right to do up against that other home inspector and God knows what's his experience if He's new. That new get thrown

John Laforme: 24:27

under the bus by a fellow comrade. Yeah,

Rico Sandoval: 24:31

I've done inspections when the buyer buys the house. And that house had a listing inspection. Yeah, and they want to give me the report and I don't want to see the report. I don't Yeah, I don't look at him either. No, I don't want to see I'm like, that's your report. That's, that's yours. So if they gave it to you, fine. Let me finish my and then would just compare notes, compare notes, you know, and, and the of course, they read that report so they know that Poor very well, yeah. So when I do my inspection, I add stuff that the other report didn't have and vice versa. That report has something that I didn't and you know, and me Tell me Hey, and the other report, it had this side. But you didn't mention it.

John Laforme: 25:22

Oh, you call that inspector for that question.

Rico Sandoval: 25:25

It could be hairline cracks in the stucco. It could be very simple that has to do with maintenance is deferred maintenance. Yeah, not. Yeah. He's

John Laforme: 25:33

a cosmetic.

Rico Sandoval: 25:35

Yes. Cosmetic. And that's all it is. So that's my love and hate relationship with, with listing inspections,

John Laforme: 25:42

I hear you know, it's not just other home inspectors, you can run into a problem with Yeah, a lot of contractors like saying, well, he should have pointed this out. Home Inspectors are supposed to do this. And like, do you guys just stop talking? Stick to what you know, and let us do what we know. Stop trying to what they're trying to do is be the hero. Yeah, to get that to get that, get that repair locked in so they can get that money and you don't need to take down the army. Right? When you're, when you're trying to do a job. Please stop doing that. If you're a contractor, it's just so stupid.

Rico Sandoval: 26:15

And if you're a contractor, and you listen to this, for the love of God, don't throw us under the bus. Let me explain to you. That's what I mean. They This is not a this is a this is not even a warmly. This is a hot lead for you.

John Laforme: 26:30

Yeah, you're there because of us. You're there because

Rico Sandoval: 26:33

of us. They're ready to sign a check. Over to you, because it's something that we recommend it if you want to be the hero and said, Oh, this looks good. You just talked yourself out of a out of a job. Yep. Because every contractor goes out there and as a free estimate. Okay, this is not a free estimate. My home inspector said that the water heaters leaking? Can you replace it? Don't show up and find something else that probably wasn't the tank, but it was probably something else in the water heater. It's right. Don't throw me under the bus if the water heater is good that this is about Yep. Okay, that I'm an idiot. It happens all the time.

John Laforme: 27:18

Yeah, it's it's ridiculous. And by the way, not all contractors. Don't charge for services for for roads. Yeah, some do. Oh, we're gonna charge you $89. How do I know this? Because I tried to have someone come here and do some electrical, put some recessed lighting in. Okay, well, well, the initial call is going to be at $9. But if we do the work, we'll take that off. I'm like, I am not paying you to give you my business. Click. I just hung up on him. That's bullshit, right?

Rico Sandoval: 27:49

So in our industry, that's really done. They're getting paid. But but they talk themselves out of it by saying that we're an idiot. There's no need of it. The bad thing about contractors is that sometimes they're willing to do the job. But the one Upsala kind of going back to the foundation guy that yeah, on the anchoring out there, they're ready for you to put just put what is required. Put what the minimum, right? Collect a check and leave. Yeah, if you find something else, you know, tell him afterwards, hey, this is what we also found. You're fine right now. But we could come back in a year after what we installed probably settles a little bit. I don't know we could come back in and do a courtesy inspection and see how it's performing. And we'll take it from there.

John Laforme: 28:41

Yeah, just the other day I went to I had to go back to a house because the seller sealed off the crawlspace. Completely, there was no access. So they did some somewhat of a remodel. Yeah. And they literally sealed it off. So they put new flooring down. So it was completely gone. So they had the sellers put it and I got to be impressed i i said by the way, before I come back, you need to send me a photo of that access. Because too many times I've gone back and the access wasn't adequate. I couldn't get in right, but too fat. So so the lady said to me a photo ad sends me a picture of the crawlspace and I was like wow, that was the nicest crawlspace access I've ever seen installed so quick. They had a handle on it and everything. The flush mount handle, like bam, right there. And I told them where to put it. I said the probably the best place would be in this closet here and they actually put it right there. Nice. And so it was great. So I was like Wow, I'm impressed and lady started laughing. And I told her I was impressed. So I go back and before I get a chance to go in the house, the buyers showed up, they weren't there for the inspection. Their realtor was there so I first time meeting them And then the guy goes, you know, we had an asbestos inspector come by and he said there stuff that you should have pointed out. I'm like, What? What? Exactly. So you had a, you had an asbestos inspector come by. And I believe His job is to point out asbestos. So what does that have to do with me? But I said, Oh, I said, maybe he doesn't realize that home inspectors cannot determine what is asbestos or what is not asbestos unless it's tested. And she goes, that's what I figured. Yeah. So I don't why why would he even throw me under the bus? If he's there to do the job? That doesn't make any sense.

Rico Sandoval: 30:42

That's my point. They're talking their way out of a job. They are. If contractors are smart, they would. They would go after our business with the same enthusiasm as we home inspectors go after realtors. Yeah, we're not there to screw anybody up. Now. We're there to help to educate, to inform. And to give them our professional experience. That's what they hired us for. Yep. That's true. So you ready for a beer?

John Laforme: 31:17

You brought bear?

Rico Sandoval: 31:18

Yeah. Good IPA. Oh, shit.

John Laforme: 31:23

John's getting drunk today. Yeah, it doesn't take much to get me drunk. And I bet you you just stay on that side of the table young man.

Rico Sandoval: 31:29

Oh, yeah. Can I keep my clothes on? Yeah, what do you got? Hola. El chico and IPA. Oh, look at that. The reason why they call it L Ching or an IPA is because this IPA is brewed with a Shingo blend of American hops. I guess that's the name of the hops Shingo.

John Laforme: 31:58

Oh, I thought you said shingle. Well, I was gonna say it was a composition or?

Rico Sandoval: 32:05

Well, it's c h i NGO. Chingo Chingo Kingo cane Shingo. czinger. Balance with mune. Monique malt mun ich and dry hopped for aromatic intensity that oh, that's in Spanish. So orally crank up your chin going factor

John Laforme: 32:31

Shingon is a band. Chin gonna say chin gonna chin go. Chin go. s ch right. Yes.

Rico Sandoval: 32:46

And broken barrel reserved. Oak harps Whiskey,

John Laforme: 32:52

whiskey and a bottle. Oh, shit. Good song by the way. Right. Wow, man, that's you bought me a gift, sir. Like this guy. Thank you, man. That's really I should be given you a gift for all the education you've given me.

Rico Sandoval: 33:06

Oh, man, you're good. Your friendship is a gift. I go being here as a gift.

John Laforme: 33:11

Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey. Yeah. You may not see me for a week after drinking this

Rico Sandoval: 33:19

right. I didn't even read the proof. What's the

John Laforme: 33:26

hope you brought some ice and stuff. Right here. Look at this guy. He's prepared Alright, let's check this out. This is my first beer podcast by the way.

Rico Sandoval: 33:43

Yeah. So John, which is gonna be one of your best podcast for like you said nothing.

John Laforme: 33:59

Yeah, no topic today. We're just gonna We're just chopping it up. This is unscripted. This is uncensored episode. 20 uncentered. unscripted and intoxicated. That's it.

Rico Sandoval: 34:13

Are you a beer drinker? No, because you're very good on your health. Well,

John Laforme: 34:17

if I'm going to drink anything, it'll be a beer. Years ago, when I was younger, I used to go out and drink like the rest of us. The rest of everybody did. But when I started when I hit my 40s I started having a really bad effects from hard liquor. Like I used to drink tequila shots. So much fun on tequila. We had so much fun on tequila, but I had to stop drinking that shit because that would be getting out probably get in a fight. I was like, violent. Yeah, I was in a bar. That would be like, you know, I'd be cool. But if somebody was like, start messing with me when I was on that I didn't care who it was. Um, it was kind of stupid.

Rico Sandoval: 34:58

If you haven't already I'm probably going to be the only Mexican you will ever meet in your life. Or no. That doesn't drink tequila because I'm allergic to the agave.

John Laforme: 35:12

Ah, wow. That's crazy.

Rico Sandoval: 35:18

Makes a Mexican allergic to the Gila.

John Laforme: 35:22

It could be a blessing.

Rico Sandoval: 35:24

But I love whiskey. I could drink whiskey, I could drink vodka. I stay away from worker. Because one is like that one guy that you get an argument with. at a bar, and just sneaks up on you.

John Laforme: 35:41

I actually like vodka. It sneaks up on you. It does you know what else sneaks up on you? What's that? Lemon Drops. I'm gonna do a lemon drop shot. No, it tastes so good. See, I stay away. It will sneak up on you and you will be out. I used to I used to take ISIS treat my friends to that years ago all the time.

Rico Sandoval: 36:02

What is it is a shot of tequila whiskey.

John Laforme: 36:05

It's no it's it's a vodka mix. Okay, and it just tastes like lemon. It tastes so good. You don't really feel the alcohol until it's later on. It's like whoa, then you just yeah, you're fucked.

Rico Sandoval: 36:17

Yeah, well, when I drink I don't get violent. I become the opposite of Ireland's

John Laforme: 36:23

you become a lover?

Rico Sandoval: 36:25

Not so much. Not so much. I love you, man. No, no. But I

John Laforme: 36:32

I love you, man. How many times have we heard that? Oh my god. That's so funny. You said

Rico Sandoval: 36:39

it. No, it's become. But I learned my triggers. Here's

John Laforme: 36:53

man. Cheers.

Rico Sandoval: 36:56

I learned I learned my triggers. So I learned what I am. Who I become when I start drinking. heavily. And

John Laforme: 37:10

and who is that?

Rico Sandoval: 37:15

Let's just say for example, you and I are drinking, having a great time. And you're sharing with me that your podcast is growing. And I asked you what what's missing? And you tell me and I try to give you that? And if it's 500 if it's 5000 Your job call right now probe by credit card. You're my friend. Oh shit.

John Laforme: 37:37

Is that what you do? Well, I'll be calling you more often. There's you know, I got a Jeep in the garage, and I want to do some really cool shit to it. So yeah, it was that credit card?

Rico Sandoval: 37:47

Yeah. Probably not the whole amount, but I'll do my best to get you a gift card for that or something, something. I ended up giving my money away. So I know that that's not even healthy. Because then I end up getting into debt.

John Laforme: 38:07

Getting in debt is no place to be. No getting in debt equals depression. Yep. And desperation. You know, as a young man, I made a lot of mistakes. I made a few and I was older, mostly when I was younger.

Rico Sandoval: 38:21

What's your take on that word? mistakes?

John Laforme: 38:23

Mistakes? Well, there's a lot of different meanings for that, I guess. So what topic you're talking about. But what I'm referring to is, I call I call them mistakes because in hindsight, I could have made a better decision.

Rico Sandoval: 38:37

Wasn't it wasn't a mistake, it was a choice. That's true. Okay. That's my thing. I

John Laforme: 38:42

mean, bad choices. Okay, let me rephrase that. I've made some bad choices, because

Rico Sandoval: 38:49

because I made some bad choices. And my kids asked me, So dad with the children framer mistake, a mistake. What are you talking about? Well, yeah, you know, that made you go places where you would? Well, it wasn't a mistake, because I knew

John Laforme: 39:08

it was a conscious mistake.

Rico Sandoval: 39:12

I knew what I was doing. Yeah. I mean, kids make mistakes. Yeah. You know, they're not they learn as they fall down. Yeah. You know, they don't know how the stairs threads are. They just want to run down with the skateboard and that's

John Laforme: 39:30

no helmet. Yeah, yeah, that's a little crazy.

Rico Sandoval: 39:34

So, um, kids. Do you take crayons, coloring books to your inspections if there's any kids, right?

John Laforme: 39:42

I try not to take my personal stuff to work. I figured my coloring time is probably not going to be appreciated when I'm at work. I'm supposed to be inspecting their water here.

Rico Sandoval: 39:57

So let's talk about sewer Inspections. I think that the sewer inspections are going to be up there with home inspections and termite inspections as it's going to be recom highly recommended.

John Laforme: 40:19

I think it's already there.

Rico Sandoval: 40:23

I think is going to become a law that every home sold should have the city of interim. The city, not the county, the city of Ventura requires that every home being sold, has to have a lateral sewer inspection. That's good. Yeah. But why can every city do that?

John Laforme: 40:46

Well, it's the same. I could same logic falls on a Why does LA City require a seismic shutoff valve in LA county doesn't? Yeah, still in California? I'm pretty sure was Ventura County not require it? You know, what other are the counties not require it in other areas? Some do some don't? How is that not a statewide policy for a state that has earthquakes all the time? It doesn't make any sense?

Rico Sandoval: 41:15

explain to the listeners what a earthquake Shut up.

John Laforme: 41:19

Seismic shut off valve. The typical brand is little firefighter that says it right on it's like a little Why try to talk about well, I'll describe it as I show a picture of it. Seismic shutoff valve is a little red box that connects to your gas pipe. I suppose seismic again,

Rico Sandoval: 41:39

as I go, as he not as I. And who installs is does is it the county or the plumber?

John Laforme: 41:51

Either can do it. But right there. Bam, here we go. So that's what they look like right here. If you're watching the YouTube version of this, you'll see this that just like a kind of like a square box there. Red says this one here says little firefighter out like I mentioned. But there's other brands out there too. And they come in different forms and fashions. Sometimes they have a I believe it's a vacuum that's connected to it. And I don't see him all the time. But when I first saw when I was like what the hell was that? Yeah, I had the research, like right here. See this one? Yeah, to see this one here has got like a vacuum line go into it. It's kind of weird how that works. I only seen like a handful of those in the years have been doing this. But seismic shutoff valve is there. So in the event of a seismic activity in your, around your neighborhood. It'll shake that that little firefighter and it'll activate a just little a little valve to close its neck. If you walked up to it and whacked it with some it would close and you would have no more gas to your house. So it doesn't take much for this thing to trip. And that's the purpose of it. So it cuts off the gas supply going into your house to avoid a bigger problem, like an explosion or something like that

Rico Sandoval: 43:17

in the event of an earthquake.

John Laforme: 43:19

Seismic activity. Yeah, earthquake. Yeah. So that's, that's what those are for. And what we were just commenting on is that they're not required everywhere. In California. It's just so stupid. I don't understand that. I want someone to look me in the eye and explain that, to me. The logic behind that it's California. California doesn't have cities that never get hit by earthquakes. It's a it's a blanket policy. The earthquake comes we all feel it?

Rico Sandoval: 43:48

Well, it's it's Los Angeles, it's the city of Los Angeles. We as home inspectors, we do not quote the code, the building code. That's true. But that's our guide. Yeah. So why is it that there's three different versions of the building code? There's an IRC, the International residential code, then there's California. Yeah, there's that lake,

John Laforme: 44:16

and then different and then different counties have their own set of rules. So how do you keep up at all that, you know? Like, let's talk about water heaters real quick, like condensing water heaters. The acidic neutralizer filters that should be on those, some cities are really on top of that, and they make sure that those are installed and that thing drains properly into a proper little, you know, pit area with filler rocks and stuff like that. So but other areas. They don't give a shit. It's just it's really hard to keep up with all this stuff. So What I do when I when I come across a condensing type water heater that requires a civic neutralizer as I just make a comment, look, your city may require this to terminate this way. You know, there's just so many unknowns, and there's so many different policies from city to city, UC Santa Monica is real big on that. Yeah. And there's other cities too. I'm not sure about Beverly Hills, for sure. But I know Santa Monica is down in that area. So

Rico Sandoval: 45:27

yeah. So what's your preference standard water heater or tankless? Well,

John Laforme: 45:37

I think they both get the job done. But understand if the electricity goes out, you have no hot water with the tankless.

Rico Sandoval: 45:44

Right. So what's the difference between a hot water heater and a water heater?

John Laforme: 45:51

What's the difference in a hot water heater? And a water heater? Yes. That's a good question. I look confused, because I like it a little

Rico Sandoval: 46:00

bit. There's no such thing as a hot water heater. Oh, it's a water heater. Everybody as the We're hot as

John Laforme: 46:11

Oh, yeah, I got you know, you got me, man.

Rico Sandoval: 46:13

It's useless. It's useless trivia check for him. Have you seen that picture?

John Laforme: 46:19

It's my first beard. Oh, I'm gonna get him.

Rico Sandoval: 46:22

Where's my critically put my

John Laforme: 46:27

credit card goes in the middle.

Rico Sandoval: 46:31

Have you seen that meme that goes around with two different water heaters? One water heater says hot water heater. The other one says just water heater. The difference is one has a bikini on.

John Laforme: 46:45

Now that would be a hot water. That's what I should have said.

Rico Sandoval: 46:49

So, John, I want to pick your brain on the California home inspectors standards of practice. What's your mean? Korea? Korea? Okay. What do you think about the standards of practice?

John Laforme: 47:03

I think there's a lot of holes in it. There is I think there's a lot of gray area that is just left for as individual business owners to decide on which way you want to go with it.

Rico Sandoval: 47:16

It's very limited.

John Laforme: 47:20

Yeah, well, I don't know.

Rico Sandoval: 47:21

I don't you don't you feel that if you if we stick to the standards of practice, the buyers not getting what they're paying for.

John Laforme: 47:32

Now, I don't believe that. You don't at all?

Rico Sandoval: 47:35

Well, we're not required to go in an attic. We're not required to walk in the room. We're not required to go into the house. But we do it anyways. That's what I'm saying is if we stick to the standards of practice, and don't go past that. I think the person that's losing is a homebuyer.

John Laforme: 47:57

I think we agree to disagree on that one. Okay. The reason the reason why I say that. Okay, so now it's getting exciting. Yeah. So the reason why I say that is Korea standards are about the five major systems of the house. Yes. Foundation roofing, electrical, plumbing, heating and cooling. Yes. So any home inspector knows, at most cases, plumbing is going to be in several areas of the building. Yes, it'd be in the crawlspace. It's going to be in the kitchen, a lot of times, it's in the attic, as well. So to properly inspect those systems, you automatically know that you need to poke your head in that attic and get in there if you can, and just hit the head with a flashlight and see if there's pipes up there. Make sure they're not leaking. So that's why I would disagree with you on that. I know it doesn't say get in that attic. But it does talk about attic areas and roof framing on the standards. So just just from

Rico Sandoval: 49:01

the access. Right and not crawling it.

John Laforme: 49:06

Are you saying it should say that you have to get in?

Rico Sandoval: 49:10

I'm just saying it's very limited. Like you said it there's well yes,

John Laforme: 49:14

you're right is it's all interpretation. It's how you hide? Do you interpretate what you're reading just like anything else, how do you interpret it? I think I think it's important to have it

Rico Sandoval: 49:26

Yeah. It's it's a guideline. Exactly. It's a guideline because I read the the standards of practice. And there are sections that says it's our job to inspect the roof components. But we are not required to walk on the roof. And I think in order to properly inspect the roof components are by walking on the roof.

John Laforme: 49:55

Sure, touching it is probably the best way to inspect

Rico Sandoval: 49:58

Yes, yes. If it's if it's safe to walk on, I mean, I'm not going to walk on something that's

John Laforme: 50:04

on top of a ladder that you carry with you a 12 foot. Okay? How many rooflines? Do you know that 12 feet?

Rico Sandoval: 50:12

On most of the single stories, but,

John Laforme: 50:15

sure, let's assume that that's a single story. Yeah, the two stories

Rico Sandoval: 50:20

are typically Composition Shingles, and clay or obviously, concrete tiles.

John Laforme: 50:27

Right? You're not going to walk on those anyway. No, we're not.

Rico Sandoval: 50:30

Yeah, we're not going to walk on those anyways.

John Laforme: 50:34

So if if you were a bird, what kind of bird would you be? Me? If you were a bird, what kind of bird would you be

Rico Sandoval: 50:43

an American bald eagle.

John Laforme: 50:44

Okay. So Now picture yourself as that American bald eagle and you're flying over roof. Do you think you can get a pretty good visual of what's going on there?

Rico Sandoval: 50:58

From an Eagles point of view?

John Laforme: 51:00

I can see really good.

Rico Sandoval: 51:03

I think they can. Yes.

John Laforme: 51:05

So visually, just looking at the roof. Yes. From the size of a drone, for example. To me is sufficient. Yeah. Because I use a drone just about every other day. They do a lot of two storey houses, a lot of clay, tile, roof houses, concrete tile, a lot of rooms that just are not accessible. There's no way to get to it. Except you have a 30 foot ladder, which I don't carry my ladders, my tallest ladders. 17 feet. Yeah. Okay. And the reason why I bought that one is because a lot of the homes I do are early 1920s. And those tend to be taller than a more modern house on the first floor level taller because across base can be really high. Or really low. But the roof lines at the edge of the roofs have typically taller. So that's why I carry one of those. The 13 footer was barely making it most of the time. I wouldn't need that. You wouldn't need this. I don't know what it is. I was gonna ask you. I was it. I don't know. I've been eating no. Our mystery mystery server, but that there? I've been eating though. Okay. I mean, I feel in an hour so anyway, yeah, I mean, yeah, the Korea standards, there's definitely gray areas. Maybe it was designed that way for a reason. But if something's unsafe, like a roof. Yeah, I'm not going to try to go on anything unsafe for a couple$100 Yeah, it's not worth it. I don't climb suicide ladders either. When the sad side of apartment buildings Oh, yeah, no. Way, dude. I've been on a couple and it was kind of hairy. And I was like, you know, what, am I doing this number? Is that Is that what they're called? I call them that. Okay, because one slippin you're done. Yeah. Yeah.

Rico Sandoval: 52:58

So, John. What's your opinion? Should California passed the home inspector licensing program? Sure.

John Laforme: 53:08

Why not? Well, I beat out all the knuckleheads. Right.

Rico Sandoval: 53:14

But three assault associations don't want us. So if it does kind of associations, well, they submitted it to the state contractor's licensing board. They said no. They submitted it to car California Association of Realtors. They said no. The latest one was the Consumer Affairs agency, which is a same agency that controls barbers nail salons. And they said no. And I talked to a couple career guys down in my area and I can we do our own? Because it takes a lot of money. But what is a lot of money?

John Laforme: 54:11

I don't know what that number is.

Rico Sandoval: 54:15

I really believe that California should have their own license. There's a catch 22 on everything. Absolutely. I think if we ever get into licensing I think is gonna happen. The license doesn't change anything. You're still the same. Good inspector or horror was better, right? I don't think that changes anything just like good. Realtors and bad Realtors good lenders, bad lenders. But I like you said I think it'll clear the industry. It'll clean it up. Because the ones that are serious, will be staying and the ones that are fly by night will not be here. All right. And I think the I think everybody's gonna benefit. But on the downside, I also see it where now we're gonna have a department telling us what to do and what not to do. That could happen in Florida, or Florida, you cannot use a tester to test the electrical. But test the electrical anyway. So how do you do that? In Florida, he counts unless they change it from last time I checked, when a first pass, he couldn't remove the dead front cover from the electrical panel

John Laforme: 55:44

in Florida and Florida, well, that's dumb. Yeah, that's what the problems are at. That's why it's a cover there. So you can look inside some people's logic, stone add up, sometimes I don't, I don't get it. But that's the difference between people, you know, people in general, this have different logic, different way of thinking, yes. One thing I've learned is don't ever assume the person next to you knows what you know, just because you do it every day. Right? So you got to talk to people, you know, and not expect everyone to even if it's you think it's common knowledge? Right? You know, do we always when we open a door, which way do we turn the handle? Either way? This way, that way? They're both open. Not always. Um, you know, so, yeah. So it's one of those things like, it's, you know, logic, what you think you might know, for next person, like, as I'm just saying, the person next to you may not understand that and share that same, that same logic of understanding? Well, you know, so. And that's something that's got to be said, for everything. Everything that we do.

Rico Sandoval: 56:55

What do you think the home inspection industry is missing?

John Laforme: 56:59

What's it missing? Your top three? Honestly, nothing comes up. Nothing comes to mind. Like it's missing something. What would you now if you could ask me that about realtors? I have a handful of things to tell you about that.

Rico Sandoval: 57:18

Okay, let's talk about realtors. Okay, so

John Laforme: 57:23

can we both agree that real estate is the business of sales? Yes. Okay. If you found this awesome truck that you really wanted to buy, right. And you we saw it drive by you a couple of times on the freeway like, Wow, that's pretty sharp. Look, I want to I want to get some more information on that. Maybe you went online and looked it up a little bit. And then you one day you just like, You know what I got today off? Or John canceled my podcast. So I'm going to get on the dealership, right. So what do you expect when you walk into that dealership? And a salesman runs up to you? Because that's what they do? Yes. It says, Oh, can I help you? What do you expect from him? Regarding information about that truck,

Rico Sandoval: 58:19

this safety features. Okay, let's save the features the fuel economy, obviously, with gas prices right now.

John Laforme: 58:33

So basically, in short, you expect him to know what he's trying to sell you? Yes. That's my point. Yes. My point is my experience with a lot of real estate professionals.

Rico Sandoval: 58:46

So that's what's missing.

John Laforme: 58:48

That's what's missing. Quiz to my original question. Right. That's, that's what's missing? Well, when you asked it, I thought you specifically talking about home inspection? Self

Rico Sandoval: 59:01

eye? Home Inspection, more of a

John Laforme: 59:03

broader question. Yes. Okay. All right. So we're on the right track. Yes. So what I meant by that is, what I run into is your job is to sell or help your client purchase a house. I really think it's important that you take the time to educate yourself on what a house consists of. Yes, on many different levels. And that is what I think is constantly ignored, day after day. After day,

Rico Sandoval: 59:36

why do you think it's ignored? Because

John Laforme: 59:39

no one's enforcing I've never taken a real estate license exam. So I don't know what they teach you. Okay. I'm actually a licensed Realtor. Okay, so how many of you knew that no, I didn't know that. I don't practice you can leave now. Cuz I thought you were a home inspector. No, he lied to me. No. real quick with though that's a different episode.

Rico Sandoval: 1:00:02

Real quick without going on a rabbit trail. I really started getting my home inspection license back in 2003 2004. Then my life when I'm a different direction, okay? And I never, I never went to take my state exam, I finished the prerequisites. Okay. I never took my state exam. years later. My kids, I tell my kids, I don't care what you guys do. Always finish wishes start. Sure. It's good advice. Well, guess what? They did that through the back of my face. Dad? Did you ever finished your real estate life? I guess for them. I went back and got my real estate license. Nice. I went back and got my license. Is that recently? Not like three years ago? Okay. It was like a year before COVID? Yeah, actually, four years, I think I need to do my continuing education courses. But it's active, I could buy and sell houses right now. I have it active to get my to have the Supra. And just make my life easier. But like I said earlier, it's a catch 22. I've lost business because of that. But that's a whole different conversation, you

John Laforme: 1:01:22

got to do anything, you got to give it 100%.

Rico Sandoval: 1:01:24

That's why I'm in home inspection. My strong point in home inspections. Besides that, what we do is plumbing. So going back to, but yes, I agree with you, I think Realtors should have

John Laforme: 1:01:39

more training on the components of a house.

Rico Sandoval: 1:01:42

If you if you go to my social media page, Instagram or Facebook. I describe myself as real estate product experts. Because that's what I am. That's what you are. We are a product, we are expert in the product that we're inspecting. I think the realtor, like you said, needs that because I'm thinking the same way. I don't know why there's not more classes that require realtors, right to know about more about the

John Laforme: 1:02:18

product, the more yet the more they know about a specific system. Because I expect my clients eyes to get a little bigger. When I tell them there's a pretty significant problem with one of the systems. But when their realtor looks at me, and their eyes go cross eyed, because they just like what are you talking about? Because they just that's a little concerning to me, because now they're making it worse on the client who's already in a panic about something they don't understand. But I have I just find that weird that real estate person is not. At least in the general area of what I'm talking about knowledgeable. I don't expect them to know what I know. But expect them to have Hey, okay, what's the water heater consists of, you know, they should understand that there's pipes going to it as a temperature relief valve coming off of it, which is a safety hazard. It should be strapped because we live in a seismic activity state, and, and so forth. So those those types of things. I expect them to know, but a lot of times they don't they just they just look lost. Right? And that makes and that makes their transaction harder to deal with. Because they're not taking the time to learn what's going on. I mean, if you've if you're brand new, I don't expect you to know much but what I'm getting my point is, I think during their licensing process, they should be required to take a course that is around what tennis

Rico Sandoval: 1:03:52

neck there is nothing because I know I took the right.

John Laforme: 1:03:55

So I mean, we're not the only inspectors they deal with. They deal with chimney inspectors. Yeah, termite inspectors, but sewer lateral inspectors, mold inspectors, roofing inspectors, there's so many different people they need to deal with. And if they can't balance that that group of guys who have come in to help them with their transaction, they're just making it worse on themselves. Well,

Rico Sandoval: 1:04:19

that's their information. That's how they're getting educated. Yeah, so that's

John Laforme: 1:04:23

what's missing. The answer your question? Yeah. To me. That is the same topic that keeps coming up in my experiences on a day to day basis. The auto

Rico Sandoval: 1:04:33

industry is not like that. Every salesperson knows that car.

John Laforme: 1:04:38

I hope so. Yeah,

Rico Sandoval: 1:04:39

I mean, if I go buy a Jeep right now, that guy's gonna know everything about that jeep, the sales guy. Let's hope so. Yeah, some of them don't. But the auto industry does that. Which is good. But the and this is not bashing realtors, it's more of awareness. Is

John Laforme: 1:05:00

that Yeah, we're not trying to knock anybody, we're just trying to help. And they bring up a very good topic for

Rico Sandoval: 1:05:06

the benefit. It's not just educating their buyers. It's really, if they ever get into investment, investment properties, they want to start their own flipping business, if they know the lingo, as opposed to, for example, if you talk to a plumber, if you talk to a plumber, and you ask them, Hey, where's the toilets gonna go? Instead of replacing the word toilet with the word flange? Where the toilet sits? Yeah. They automatically going to realize that this person knows what they're talking about. Yeah, if you talk to an electrician, and you tell them, if the GFS are going to be on a home run, system, you know, what does that mean? It means that the receptacle instead of saying outlets a receptacle, the receptor has to be on a homerun, which means is going to be wired directly to its own breaker to the distribution panel. They'll probably think twice on trying to pull one over you. Yeah, gotcha. Yeah, so realtors are the same way I believe they should take, like you said a class

John Laforme: 1:06:23

or really ask your home inspector. Questions. I don't I have no problem answering someone's questions like that. They really don't know that. Hey, John, you know, can you help me out? I don't really not familiar with this. Sure. What do you want to know? Now I'll explain to him what to be looking for. And I actually do that on sometimes when I'm when I see relatives doing their visuals or Abbott's when they're doing their Abbott's? Like, if I see him looking at stuff, I'm like, You know what? I noticed you don't look in here. This is this is a problematic area, maybe you should start adding this to your avatar like, Oh, I'm good. They're like, Oh, okay. And, and so they find that helpful and kind of put them in the right direction. You know, like, look around, I think was the bathtub. Old old building just bad maintenance, deferred maintenance and take a look right here. Like there could be a lot of damage here. You know, shower doors closed, just open it? Yes. Look, it's that little stuff like that. But

Rico Sandoval: 1:07:20

it's because homes don't come with the check engine light.

John Laforme: 1:07:23

And they don't teach you about homes in school. No, that's another problem. So I think I think education change, we're going to a different alley here. Real quick. Education schools. That should be finance education in schools, and how to live in a house in schools.

Rico Sandoval: 1:07:42

So saving this route. Which Shabak?

John Laforme: 1:07:48

Which up has nothing to do with homes homes?

Rico Sandoval: 1:07:52

Well, they do framing

John Laforme: 1:07:54

not when I was in school when I was going out. Not me. What do you 20? Oh, I'm 48. What are you?

Rico Sandoval: 1:08:04

Sorry, though.

John Laforme: 1:08:06

I wasn't woodshop in school. And there was nothing about building houses we had

Rico Sandoval: 1:08:10

we had Yeah, we should we build a shed. We had woodshop. We have auto body class.

John Laforme: 1:08:18

I did that to you. I'm

Rico Sandoval: 1:08:19

in high school. I only went to high school one one year.

John Laforme: 1:08:23

Okay. You're that smart? You only need a one year? Well,

Rico Sandoval: 1:08:27

I had my education. Just by growing up ask you questions. I'm very big on self self help, which is what everybody uses, but it's more. Seven provements I have no problem dishing out 10s of$1,000 in a year on seminars and nothing.

John Laforme: 1:08:49

So happens I'm going to be having a seminar tomorrow, there's only 10,000 So where is that credit card?

Rico Sandoval: 1:08:58

Because, you know, it's it's many, many people invest on themselves differently. Right? It's whatever makes up. That's what makes me validate myself. Right? Yeah. For self improvement.

John Laforme: 1:09:16

We can all use a little self improvement. I try to improve myself all the time. Yeah. Yeah, people skills, remembering people's names, which is my biggest downfall. Really? Yeah.

Rico Sandoval: 1:09:28

I have a little trick. When I write free get there, their their name? And even with realtors like the who? I was asking. I was meant to ask you. How do you spell your name? I've done that too. It works.

John Laforme: 1:09:48

What I've taught myself is to when someone says their name. I typically spell it out in my head. I spell the name out in my head and that helps me remember it. Oh, he's coming for number two, everybody.

Rico Sandoval: 1:10:03

Number two. But that's my limit though when I'm driving to and I have to be triggered. That's the reason why I'm eating these

John Laforme: 1:10:10

because I drink some water too.

Rico Sandoval: 1:10:12

I have to eat. But in what's that word I'm looking for anyways? St. Patrick's Day is this week. Who's that? Irish? You know? So we're gonna drink. Room temperature, room temperature.

John Laforme: 1:10:34

Temperature. Hey, John, you forgot that you forgot to bring the ice cold mugs.

Rico Sandoval: 1:10:41

But, John, let me ask you something. Why? This you? I think we're all young. depending who you ask, okay. You might be older than me in age, but you're younger than me physically. You're in better shape. You could probably run a marathon. I can't. or 5k whatever. But, um, I could be wrong, but I think this is going to be in your life. Your last career home inspections? Are? Yeah, okay.

John Laforme: 1:11:17

I would say so. Why did

Rico Sandoval: 1:11:19

you choose this home inspection industry as your

John Laforme: 1:11:24

my final frontier?

Rico Sandoval: 1:11:27

I want to pick John, the forums. No, this is your podcast. But I want to ask you a question. That's

John Laforme: 1:11:32

fine, man. You know, I have no problem with ask as many as you want. I know, why did I choose this?

Rico Sandoval: 1:11:38

Why did you choose this industry? And? And no answer the my reason why I chose it. Yeah.

John Laforme: 1:11:49

You know, early on in life, I when I started, I was, I was given a really, I'm not sure if the word given is the correct word. But I was given or I was exposed to a very strict worth ethic worth ethic. Work ethic, I'm sorry. This bears getting me already. That's my only drink too. And at a very young age, I remember my first taste of money. My first taste of making money was when I was 14, I had a paper route, I used to deliver the Lowell sun and Lowell Massachusetts, okay. And during the holidays and Christmas, my customers gave me bonuses like you wouldn't believe Christmas bonuses. I was like veil. So at a very early age, I was exposed to hey, let's make some money.

Rico Sandoval: 1:12:43

If you're if you if you're self motivated, you could get the extra. The one if you're if you're self motivated, you could get extra money. And in this case, it was your bonus.

John Laforme: 1:12:54

Well, I'm just saying I was I you know, I had no problem getting a job. And I was really young. And when I started making money and getting paid, I realized I could do things. I could, you know, buy this for myself. I didn't have to depend on my parents and I became very independent, financially at a very young age. And it wasn't because my parents told me to, but I was just I just understood, you know, I have to make a living. My parents are great. Don't get me wrong. But I just felt something was something in me I had this bug or I had to go work and and go go, you know, do something. I couldn't just sit around the house running back then we didn't have video games.

Rico Sandoval: 1:13:34

So I can't I mean, you didn't have Atari.

John Laforme: 1:13:38

Atari was about it. But it wasn't as addicting as the new stuff they get nowadays. But anyway, so I started out with paper roots and making a lot of cash. And then I didn't want to live with my dad for a while after my mom and my mom and dad divorced. And then I was introduced to his his new wife's brother, who was a contractor. And he had me going in there on weekends and changing doorknobs and putting hinges on doors

Rico Sandoval: 1:14:09

and all the little stuff. So you were 14 doing paper out and then that

John Laforme: 1:14:13

that lasted probably I probably I probably did def for over three years, four years.

Rico Sandoval: 1:14:22

So at 18 You're working in construction.

John Laforme: 1:14:25

Not in construction. Handyman stuff. Yeah. Just doing odds and ends, you know? And then eventually, I moved away from my dad's place went back to my mom's place because I just wanted to and then I got a job with construction company. That's when I started working construction. So I was about 18 and a half 19 around there and I had the best boss in the world and he taught me everything. Okay, you know, he was like a second dad. He just took me under his wing is very What's that?

Rico Sandoval: 1:14:58

Is it still with us?

John Laforme: 1:14:59

I don't I think he is. I don't know for sure I've lost touch with them a long time ago. And he was he was a much older guy. He was probably in his late 50s, early 60s When I first started working for him. So it's probably was a long time ago. He's probably no longer with us. No longer great guy named Buddy, Buddy Burton. That was his name, buddy. Green Mountain construction. Guess guess what the company logo was

Rico Sandoval: 1:15:26

a Green Mountain.

John Laforme: 1:15:27

Nope.

Rico Sandoval: 1:15:28

Don't tell me it was a koala. Gumby? Gumby?

John Laforme: 1:15:34

Gumby. Yeah. That was no he's like this the guy. I remember that. That was the look. That was the company logos. It was so fast. It was great. He had to be a T shirts and everything. If the Gobi

Rico Sandoval: 1:15:46

he never got a mouse, I never got in trouble.

John Laforme: 1:15:51

And that guy just taught me so much. He taught me how to how to treat employees. He taught me. He taught me how to read blueprints. I was I was laying out the buildings, but reading blueprints that were not before I was 20 years old. So I was I was doing stuff. I was doing big stuff at a very young age. And once again, I was financially motivated because I got paid well. And then he would subcontract these buildings we did. We're in Nashua, New Hampshire. They were three storey staggered buildings, apartment buildings, wood frame, all slab foundation wood frame. And then on the outside, so it's East Coast weather. So we put the styrofoam over. I'm sorry, we put this weatherproof drywall around the whole building. And I subbed that out. And then I would hire a whole bunch of Canadian workers who were already working for my boss, Canadian, a Canadian a. Yeah. It was

Rico Sandoval: 1:16:51

meant to be like essays. And for the record, I'm a Mexican. So I can say that. Yeah. So don't cancel us.

John Laforme: 1:17:02

So. So anyway, yeah, I just learned so much from that guy, like how to deal with people. And I had it I was running my own crew after work hours. So we'd work for remount construction all day, and then we'd stay two to three hours after in the summer because we had the light for it. Yeah. And we would wrap those buildings. And I made so much money doing that. I had like four cars, and I was 20 years old.

Rico Sandoval: 1:17:26

Yeah. How long did you do that for?

John Laforme: 1:17:30

I did that for a real quick.

Rico Sandoval: 1:17:33

What was your first car?

John Laforme: 1:17:35

What was my first car? Yes. My first car was a grand Torino for door my mom gave to me.

Rico Sandoval: 1:17:41

Wow, my was a Buick Regal 1980.

John Laforme: 1:17:43

Nice. I can't What was the year on that? I can't remember that. I can't remember the year on that. Had to be 7078 or something like that.

Rico Sandoval: 1:17:51

And it's okay. This is not a car show. Yeah.

John Laforme: 1:17:55

So you

Rico Sandoval: 1:17:56

did that? For how many years?

John Laforme: 1:17:59

It's a probably probably finished up doing that about seven years, eight years. Yeah, but seven years, eight years. Then he then the economy tanked in 89.

Rico Sandoval: 1:18:20

I remember what that's when we had Reagan and the Berlin Wall.

John Laforme: 1:18:25

I don't remember. I can't I can't pinpoint that. But it was around 89 When the ATM actually might have been sooner. There might have been 88. So yeah, so all the building just like stopped. It was kind of it was really weird. I wound up working for a union for a while. I was banging nails to get 25 bucks an hour. Just a bang nails.

Rico Sandoval: 1:18:48

You get that now?

John Laforme: 1:18:50

Let's say you get that now. Yeah, back then I was. Back then I was getting that I was really good money. Yeah. And I remember that company I worked for too. They wound up getting sued by a couple of the employees past employees because they weren't paying everything that was supposed to pay the Union or the Gumby, the union. Now the Gumby company agreement was great. No issues there.

Rico Sandoval: 1:19:14

So after the union, how long were you there?

John Laforme: 1:19:18

I moved out of there and came to California in 1993, but

Rico Sandoval: 1:19:25

in California sense. Yeah. Because I'm sure but it wants to know who is joining the forum.

John Laforme: 1:19:31

I'm just me. This little guy sitting here.

Rico Sandoval: 1:19:36

Little guy with the Rubicon Jeep parked in his garage.

John Laforme: 1:19:39

That's fantastic, man. I must have my ass to get that thing. So you

Rico Sandoval: 1:19:43

come to California. Yep. And you pick up in construction or?

John Laforme: 1:19:47

No, I went into I went into forklift mechanic forklift and worked for a very big company here called crown lift trucks. They're still around I see them. Yep. Yeah, my brother My brother Lenny, who's no longer with us, unfortunately passed away a few years back. He's the one that got me to come out here. So he gave me the opportunity to come here.

Rico Sandoval: 1:20:11

And but he stayed back home. No, he

John Laforme: 1:20:14

was moved. He had lived here for years prior to me getting there.

Rico Sandoval: 1:20:17

He says, John better come back here.

John Laforme: 1:20:18

Now I just he saw what was going on back home. And he's like, there's really not a lot going on there. Come down here, there's a lot more opportunity. And he hooked me up with the company he was with. Now, for a quick word from our sponsor, are you a music lover, I don't know how to play a musical instrument. And check out guitar ninjas.com Ellie's leading Music School for both kids and adults specializing in guitar, bass and drum lessons. Locations in Los Angeles and Orange County or worldwide with online lessons. A unique gamified way of learning to play music. membership includes access to our app and desktop portal loaded with lesson videos and other useful learning tools. To book a free trial lesson go to guitar ninjas.com and mention this podcast. Rock on I contacted you was it 2013? I think it was like 2013 Something like that? Yeah, that's when I that's when I was getting started. That's when I was taking it seriously is like you know what? I need to if I'm going to pursue this, I got to do it. 100%.

Rico Sandoval: 1:21:24

And how many homeless patches? Did you reach out? To? Uh, no, it was me and Eric Richards.

John Laforme: 1:21:29

I want to Well, Eric's want to refer me to you. He didn't want to help, you know, and I went on a ride along with him. Okay. And then he mentioned, you know, he said something like? He said something like, I know a guy who do better to help you. And he pointed me to you

Rico Sandoval: 1:21:55

interested? I'll take I'll take that as a compliment.

John Laforme: 1:21:57

Yeah. But it turns out, he didn't like me very much. You the other one, I think told me that. Um, I don't, as he said something about it was something along the lines of, oh, I didn't pay my dues. Or I should be I should be doing this longer before I have my own business. Because what Eric, I rubbed him the wrong way. Because, you know, I've, I've been a self employed person for a long time. And I know how to run a business. Right. And so running that running a business was not a challenge for me, learning a new business had its learning curves, of course, right. But business is business, right, basic fundamentals to run any business. So I think that bothered him that I was already accompany. Like, within months, and yeah, and I didn't, I didn't work for anybody. I never worked for anybody.

Rico Sandoval: 1:22:53

And it sounded like he, he probably felt threatened or he felt like he was waiting. I love to teach other home inspectors right now. I'm in the middle of training that guy. He lives in my area. And I talked to him, his name is Robert Coleman from one way home inspections. He, right now he's hungry. He's hungry. And I tell him, you know, we I kind of sat down with him and said, Okay, how much money you want to make a year. And he's like, Well, if I could make this much, then we broke it down. I said, Okay, well, this is how much your home inspection fee should be. Obviously, is much lower than mine, but you need to stick to this area. Like, it won't make any sense. We charge this amount if you're going to drive to La Downey or these other little cities, Long Beach or whatever. He lives in the Manaphy area. Wow. You know, just because I don't market that area.

John Laforme: 1:24:02

So he lives in a very low, not income, low, low populated area as far as housing.

Rico Sandoval: 1:24:08

Well, more more so like he's up against other home inspectors that charge way less than I do.

John Laforme: 1:24:18

So time to get out of that area. Well, eventually, he will eventually get your feet wet, of course.

Rico Sandoval: 1:24:25

So I felt like when I retired the I'm going to want to join your home inspection Institute of home inspections. So um, and I think that a lot of home inspectors, I really believe and, and I know you're going to agree with me on this, I think I don't

John Laforme: 1:24:44

know man. I'm listening.

Rico Sandoval: 1:24:48

80% of home inspectors companies are out there are technicians, not business owners. For it 20 Are The 20% or the business owners, there are successfully hiring inspectors left and right. I think I'm a little bit of both. And I believe you and I are the same. Because we hired we had people. And we just,

John Laforme: 1:25:19

and now we're alone again, which is for a good reason,

Rico Sandoval: 1:25:22

right? So we realize that, okay, I know how to build a business. I had two three companies to three inspectors, right. It's not that it didn't work out. For me, going back to the licensing in California, is it's going to clear up the industry because home inspectors right now they could call you. They want to work for you. Once they know how to do the job. They're gone tomorrow. And they take 1/3 of your business with the licensing. You could. Okay, you're going to come and work with me for six months, I'm going to train you get you ready to take the state exam,

John Laforme: 1:26:09

but they should be paying you. Yes. So I've learned, I had two or three different people work with me over the years. And a couple of my really thought were really into it. And it turns out, they weren't. So it was kind of, it's kind of a bummer for me because I put a lot of effort into it. It's very stressful training somebody,

Rico Sandoval: 1:26:28

it really is.

John Laforme: 1:26:29

It really is. Because not only am I trying to perform I paid inspection for a legitimate client who needs to know everything about their house, I'm trying to educate this person next to me, right. And, you know, some I get I get distracted easy. So I got to be careful with that, you know, it's like, do this and come see me when you're done. Don't wander around the building, you know. So there's a lot that goes into it.

Rico Sandoval: 1:26:53

So do you think it's easier to train a person that has somewhat knowledge of construction? As opposed to somebody that

John Laforme: 1:27:01

just I would, I would hope so if they know what a two by four is? Yeah, one less thing I gotta tell them about. They know what a copper pipe looks like? Well, that's another thing I'm not to tell them about. Yeah, I don't expect them to know all the different types of copper. But if they can identify a copper between a galvanized pipe, well, that's a that's a plus for them. It makes my day a little easier. Right. But I don't believe in this hiring inspectors just so they can go off on their own. Right? What unless they were paying you. Cool. If they weren't paying you, you just wasted six months of your time.

Rico Sandoval: 1:27:36

There. I know, inspection companies out there, John, that what they do is that they ask the prospective home inspector to sign an agreement. Yeah, that doesn't work a lot. Not not a non compete clause. The agreement is a training agreement, which means my training is valued at 35,000. Okay, so if you leave within a year, you owe me 35,000. If you leave after the year, you owe me 25,000. So it gets lower, lower, lower, so you could keep them for five years. For the 35,000. Whatever the balances are, pay you?

John Laforme: 1:28:31

Well, that's if they have the money to pay you. So what's a risk you're taking there? Hasn't there's a lot of holes in that game?

Rico Sandoval: 1:28:39

Yes. But do you think that's something? It's wise for somebody to do that? I don't think so.

John Laforme: 1:28:48

I don't know. My logic tells me. Well, going back to how to become a home inspector, let's talk about that a little more. That'll kind of tie into what you're asking me now.

Rico Sandoval: 1:29:00

Okay, how to become a home inspector in California. So

John Laforme: 1:29:06

another reason? Another reason was, for me choosing this this path is I had no I knew that I didn't need to hire people. Pass businesses have had staff. Yeah. And it was just a nightmare. I didn't want to go down that rabbit hole. There's just so many things that can go wrong when you hire a lot of people. So I've always been self efficient with business and I try to do as much as I can on my own. I do reach out like I have SEO people to help me with this current business. I do have, you know, computer people that stuff that I can't do that I'm not savvy with. But as far as having full time staff. I was always on the fence with it like oh, do I really want to do this? If I did it, I could take on this much more work and make this much more money. But what's more important My headaches, my feeling sick to my stomach all the time, or a much thicker bank account. I mean, my health is everything to me, yes, if I'm not a happy person, nobody around me is going to be a happy person. So those are the decisions you got to make. And that's a tough decision to make sometimes. So at the end of the day, I want to have a business where I only have to count on myself. Period. That to me is the ultimate American dream, I guess. self employed, no bosses, I call the shots, I take the calls, I want to take I neglect, I ignore the calls I don't want to take. If I want to take two weeks off, I can take two weeks off without going broke. You know what I mean? So that to me is the ultimate goal. So as a, if you want to be a home inspector, you need to know why. So what you want to be a home inspector?

Rico Sandoval: 1:31:01

So what's your best advice for the new home inspector? What kind of marketing should they do? How long should they expect business to start rolling in? If they stay consistent?

John Laforme: 1:31:13

I'll tell you what worked for me. Okay. I'll tell you what worked for me, when I really decided to jump into this. Okay. I was so focused. I was laser focused, I could cut a hole in that wall. I was so laser focused Superman and got nothing Superman. It was crazy as you can as Teresa, she was there for the whole the whole thing. And what I did was when I first got in, my biggest challenge was determining who's in charge? You know, it's not what I mean, who's in charge, I'm entering the real estate business. This is a section of the real estate business and make no joke about it. It's this is you are walking into the real estate. So who's in charge? Is it the brokerage companies? Is it the realtors? Is it other home inspection companies that may be pulling strings? There's a lot that has to be considered. Like, who is running shit is what I had to figure out. So I engulfed myself with any kind of conference, any kind of a training. I went to all of them

Rico Sandoval: 1:32:23

who is in charge, who is in charge.

John Laforme: 1:32:27

As a home inspection company owner. I'm in charge. I'm in charge of how my business is run. And that's what every home inspection company needs to understand.

Rico Sandoval: 1:32:39

So the new inspector you So your advice is, realize that you are in charge?

John Laforme: 1:32:46

Yes. Because now business is tough. Now, not everybody can can knows how to form a business, you're gonna fall on your face. Trust me when I first when I was younger, when I first had my first business, I fell on my face pretty hard. And yeah, I learned a lot from it. And I didn't do it for quite a while after that. And it wasn't for many years later than I started another business. But I knew and I learnt I learned a lot from that. So that's life, you just learn. I didn't have anybody what hold my hand and go, Hey, okay, do this first do that second, this third. I didn't have any of that. I just dove into it and just try to absorb as much as I could. So if I had advice for a new home inspector, I would tell them before you start doing any inspections, make sure you have your contract looked at by an actual attorney who is familiar with the home inspection industry, right? Number one, before you have anyone sign it, make sure it's been looked at by your own attorney. Don't just take a contract that you found from some other inspection company and just Oh yeah, I'm good. That is a big mistake. Don't do that. Get your pay that pay the money. Get your own contract for what your services provide, and make sure it fits you. And your lawyer is going to tell you that because that's your lawyer. Yes. Not everyone's lawyer. I'm a Korea certified inspector. But if I was to get sued, I don't expect Korea to show up and defend me right. So if I was going to use their contract sure I know using that doesn't mean they're going to come protect me if something goes wrong. It's not how that works. But and second number one was the contract number two insurance. Carry an insurance policy. It's not unaffordable. I don't I hear people say Oh, it's so expensive.

Rico Sandoval: 1:34:44

I pay I pay 2200 a year so expensive.

John Laforme: 1:34:48

If you're doing one inspection a month Yeah, it's probably expensive. But who's doing one inspection a month? You got to have insurance is this no way around that why do you have automobile insurance if you own the car, right? And there's no bank involved, why? It's smart. It's just good logic. Right? Right. Okay, are you gonna have to use that policy? Well, hopefully not. But it's there, right? So no one sues you personally, and takes everything you've earned and worked for all these years only takes one accident to lose everything. So that's why you have insurance. So number one, Contract Number two, insurance. Number three, what did I do to really make a dent and get my business off the ground and start getting phone calls, bought a nice pair of slacks. It's a nice shoes, and a nice polo shirt. And my logo put on it. I went to every single open house for months on every Saturday and Sunday. If there was one during the week, and I wasn't working yet, I would go to that one as well. I was just meet people go in. I had, by the way, I had business cards already made. i Sorry, I jumped ahead, I should have said that. Get some brochures made business, you know, get your company established. You need you need to have your company established. And what I mean by that is if you're going to do this legitimately, then do it legitimately have a business done. Have your business registered with the state of California, all that stuff, whatever state you live in, right, just do it, do everything right. Get through the jump through all the red tape and everything and just get it done right. And then you know, things will start happening. Next thing is you want to be able to be found, which means you need to be able to be found on the Internet. In today's world, that is huge.

Rico Sandoval: 1:36:48

Liz Becca up a little bit. All right. Open Houses. Okay. And I know you're talking about Internet. So along the lines of open houses. Did you visit offices did you do offers presentations?

John Laforme: 1:37:06

I did a few office presentations. I only did a few I never really got good. Not good reactions from people. I didn't think they really cared.

Rico Sandoval: 1:37:18

You know why? Brand new realtors? They don't know.

John Laforme: 1:37:23

I? Well, there's a mixture always is new. And there's all mixed in so

Rico Sandoval: 1:37:26

yeah, but most of them are most of them are new. So some the return on investment for Office presentation wasn't as good as so do you think of visiting open houses?

John Laforme: 1:37:43

You're one on one with people. They remember you that way. You want to

Rico Sandoval: 1:37:47

work with people in open houses? Yeah. Did you ever felt that you were wasting their time if the open house was busy?

John Laforme: 1:37:55

Oh, if that was the case, I would not try to talk to anybody. I would say I just want to drop off my card and leave. Got it with the brochure. Whatever. Carter brochure got it. Okay, you don't want to, you know, you don't want to step in the middle of someone trying to make a deal to sell that house. Oh, that's not a good thing. So you don't want to

Rico Sandoval: 1:38:12

Okay, all right. So don't be pushy. And then SEOs,

John Laforme: 1:38:17

a search engine optimization is SEO is very important. So if you have no experience online at all, or if you've never never had to have a website built or anything like that picture, make believe for a second you have a store on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, and you have a nice glass front on it. And all the all your competitive businesses right next to you, which that's all it is all competitors, right? Everyone's got these big glass windows come into my store, you know, I get them selling this Louis Vuitton whatever. Well, those are, those are their storefronts. That's my favorite brand. And that's people. And so they have a lot of foot traffic. Yes, people walking by, they walk in? Well, online, it's a little different, but it's kind of the same. So you want to have traffic online, so people can find you. So if two people type in home inspection in your area, you want your business name to pop up. So they click on it, and then they can contact you. In other words, if you're not there, you're not going to be found. There's no other way to find you. But search engine optimization and, you know, algorithms and everything else. It's it's very complicated stuff. But you need to learn the basics of it and how it works. So my advice would be get your website built before you go out into the field and try to sell business because they're going to look you up. Yeah. So if you don't have a place for them to go, you're not looking very good. And they're going to be able to kind of think twice about that. And a quick side note on that. I've met contractors on Home Inspection and they seem like really cool guys. He seemed like they had their shit together. And I tried to look them up and research them nothing, nothing. That's a red flag to me. So I don't refer him to anybody if I can't get any information on him. So that's what I'm talking about. So if you are walking into an open house, and given somebody your card with a website address, but there's no way to get to that website address, you look like a dummy. Yeah, you look like you're disorganized. And you've created doubt before they even get a chance to call you. So it's just not a good idea. So don't put the cart in front of the horse, don't start advertising your home inspection company without a place for them to look at you have a website with your services with a photo of yourself with your certifications. You know, whatever, is give them some place to land. So if they get into a position where they're going to make an offer, or their buyer wants to make an offer, whatever, then they can say, Oh, check this guy out. He seem legit. And they give him a card and has no website. There's no way to reach you this. You're just a phone number. I mean, come on. This is not 1980 it's 2022. Is you need to adapt. Yeah. And a lot of the old timers out there don't want to adapt. They just they just have the same old reports from 1980. And it's like, wow, really? Come on, guys.

Rico Sandoval: 1:41:27

I've had realtors that send me inspection reports to get a second opinion from other realtors that I mean from other home inspectors. That it's a check an actual checkbox. Yeah. The old form that I used to use

John Laforme: 1:41:44

came in read it. I got confused looking at it was handwritten.

Rico Sandoval: 1:41:47

Yeah. It was handwritten. It was like the copy of the old carbon copy that I used to use. Yep. It's, we're beyond that. Like you said it's 2022. So so the so

John Laforme: 1:42:01

so back to the main question you had the you know, visiting open houses is a great way to meet relatives one on one because, you know, not all open houses are super busy. And they'll just be sitting around they probably enjoy the company. Yeah, but don't walk in there. With your street clothes on. So probably think you just some idiot. Yeah. If you're gonna do it, get dressed up look nice. Comb your hair. You know, make sure you don't have these big old clunky work boots on. We're gonna get into home inspection home inspectors attorney attire, as well today because I see some ridiculous stuff out there and I just don't understand it. I see a little time myself. Yeah. How much practice is not coming to rebuild your house? No, you don't need to have these big old clunky work boots on. These are these construction tool belts. I mean, what are you doing?

Rico Sandoval: 1:42:53

No, me personally. I have a couple set of shoes depending on what I'm going to inspect

John Laforme: 1:43:00

right gotta be in the mud all day while you were bigger boots. Yeah,

Rico Sandoval: 1:43:03

exactly. If I'm willing to go on the roof and if depending on the day, depending on when to go to him and inspect the house and I know it's it's a ranch or whatever. I do wear different types of shoes Of course. Okay. I wouldn't be an urban like I'm gonna be in Irvine on Auburn and testing on Tuesday shorts and a tank top. No, not sure. I think that maybe No, I'm just kidding. Our different types of shoes right? And, and the tool belt is very important to me. I wear I wear not the traditional tool belt at the South the hardware store. I use the magazine, I go to gun stores. Right. And I buy the magazine pouches. Okay, because that's where if you buy the handcuff, yeah, the handcuff pouch that fits perfectly the

John Laforme: 1:43:54

is it for the fuzzy handcuffs.

Rico Sandoval: 1:43:57

No, not the fuzzy. Yeah, the hand cup pouch. The pressure regulator. Yeah, it fits perfectly there. Yeah. And the little small little pouch for the latex glove for law enforcement. My receptacle tester fits perfectly. Yeah.

John Laforme: 1:44:19

I did all that for years. And then I get I get kind of get tired aware and stuff like that. So it's always weighing down my pants. And my belt. I'm always pulling up my pants. So what I did was I found a really good pair of tactical pad tactical pants with lots of pockets, and they're super comfortable. I've been wearing these now for three years. No, I wear tactical pants, but that's where I put all my tools. Okay, I carry my iPad around my neck on a strap. Okay. So I don't have any tools exposed when you see me.

Rico Sandoval: 1:44:53

I need to carry my moisture meter, my guess. Detector. You put that on your pants.

John Laforme: 1:44:58

Oh yeah, it's pockets everywhere. I got my my small thermal imaging gun goes in here. My screwdriver goes in there. I got my receptacle tester.

Rico Sandoval: 1:45:07

Well, I have tactical pens. I think I should try that. Try it.

John Laforme: 1:45:11

It's just a lot easier. You're not getting stuck on stuff when you go into tight spot. It's just, yeah. You're not banging it on someone's furniture.

Rico Sandoval: 1:45:18

Yeah, yeah. Yeah.

John Laforme: 1:45:19

Give it a try.

Rico Sandoval: 1:45:21

I'll give it a try again for add another question. For you. Oh, you mentioned referring contractors. What's your take on Realtree? Referring three home inspectors.

John Laforme: 1:45:37

I think that's just them. Being cautious. Trying to try to keep themselves out of it's a it's a smart logic. I'll have a problem with it.

Rico Sandoval: 1:45:48

Okay. Conversation number two, though, we're gonna agree to disagree. I disagree with that.

John Laforme: 1:45:57

Okay. You want them all to call you?

Rico Sandoval: 1:46:01

No. No, they don't have to call me because guess what, I'm only doing two a day. can't do them all anyway. Today, I know that the most I want to do is 4550 a month if the if enemies businesses. Now, I think referring three a day increases the realtors liability. I really think so. Because the real estate industry in a way, Matt, did

John Laforme: 1:46:31

you say referring three home inspectors to the buyer? I mean, per home inspection. I mean per home? Yes. Oh, yeah. No, I'm okay with that.

Rico Sandoval: 1:46:40

Okay, we're gonna agree to disagree, right? Because I believe that the realtor increases their liability. The real estate industry is based on relationships. Okay. If if you tell a client to get their own home inspector, and go to the front office, they have flyers, well, you are ready directing them on where to go. And they're going to collect three from their office,

John Laforme: 1:47:11

right? I know where you're going with that. I totally agree with that.

Rico Sandoval: 1:47:14

So I really believe that when I bought my trucks, and you bought numbers of cars, and if I wanted to do something different to that my trucks to put a lift kit or whatever. They've always told me, you could go anywhere you want. But these are the guys that we use, because they're going to warranty, the suspension. If something happens, I think that same logic should apply when you're purchasing a house and you're a realtor and giving them giving your client three. Three choices can increase your liability, you could tell them this is a guy that we use called John Carr Rico. A lot of clients do do that. Because if you go outside of that, then pretty much you're on your own.

John Laforme: 1:48:02

Well, what what you if you don't already know, you probably do but if you don't, and a lot of the realtors. Whoever gets invited to the party, yeah, is subject for liability. Period. Doesn't matter how you got somebody there. If Rico's having a party at 1234 Main Street, and he invites John, the home inspector, Melissa, the realtor, Joe, the listing agent. And Eric, the termite inspector and pool guy went up. Yeah, whoever shows up is subject for liability if something goes wrong. Yes. Because you no one's getting around

Rico Sandoval: 1:48:43

that nobody, right. So that being said, I've never seen and I've done my research everywhere to see if a judge actually threw out a case against a realtor in the event of a lawsuit. Because the realtor did the due diligence and recommended three and the buyer chose Have you heard of such a case now? So do you think it's better to build a relationship with a home inspector, a lender a title guy? Sure. And and advise the client you know, these are the guys that we highly recommend because we

John Laforme: 1:49:27

there's nothing wrong with saying that no, no. But a lot of realtors don't like saying that because they weren't. They were trained to think the way they're thinking

Rico Sandoval: 1:49:37

they were trained to think the way that drinking but there's no logic they probably

John Laforme: 1:49:40

have no and they probably have not enough experience to know that they're referring a very reliable source is okay.

Rico Sandoval: 1:49:49

But there's no logic protected from that thinking. I don't see the hold

John Laforme: 1:49:54

of my hands over here. I'm like, Well, I'm like watching you and doing what you're doing now. You're a bad habit. Sorry.

Rico Sandoval: 1:50:00

I'm about heavy you have a second beer? I'm done.

John Laforme: 1:50:05

So, yeah, that's a it's a tough call. But you know, it's really is, you know, I take people's referrals all the time. Here's a funny story for you. I saw hired a guy a couple years ago to come here and clean all the windows outside a window cleaning company, okay. And he had a really nice little van and it was wrapped and it looks really good. I was like, it looks good, who did the job? He gives me a guy's info. And I gave it months of thought if I really wanted to wrap my van, what my business information. So I was like, fuck it, let me just go talk to the guy, you know, so I go see this guy. And, and I've seen his work. So I go see him. I've had so many advantage did to have a website. He did. And then I went to go see him and he, he, he didn't speak great English, but his staff did. Okay. And, and he was the owner. He was the owner. Interesting. So then we arranged to do the job. The price was reasonable. Right away, get with the designer, stuff like that. And and then everything just fell apart. It just, we scheduled it at the COVID thing hit. And he said, Look, I need to postpone. I lost my guy because he got sick. Like, totally understandable. No worries. I told him from the beginning. I'm not in a rush. I want this done. Right, right. I want to sign off on proofs. I want to stink down completely. I want to look great. I want to look great, I'm dry drive this thing every day. It's got to look really good. Otherwise, I'm going to take it off. So postpones it for the following week. Turns out that guy, his main guy, the one that did the rap I saw wasn't available. He didn't tell me. He told me all this was getting done in house. It wasn't. So he winds up doing the rap in his backyard and has another guy he subcontracts to, to come over and do it. They're applying my rap outside. winds blowing debris get underneath it. It was a nightmare. Supposed to be back the same day. I didn't get my van back for four days. Back and forth. You're losing money fight with each other, not losing money, have my truck. I was losing my I went to work every day. But anyway, it just the guy just should have told me in the beginning. Look, I lost my guy. I can't do your job. No, hey, thanks for telling me. He didn't waste he wouldn't have wasted my time. All he did was wasted my time. And he damaged my van. He broke the door handle on the van taken it off to the wrap on that repair would have been about 800 bucks. But when they pulled the door panel off, they broke the airbag panel inside. That's a safety hazard $2,000 repair. Who paid for that? Well, initially, I had to write my event. But I hadn't paid him. I only paid him half for the wrap that says at that point. So he said just take it to the dealer. Send me the invoice. I'll pay it no problem. He refuses to pay it. I was like, Yo, man, don't make me get on this whole this rabbit hole with you because I'm gonna lose, you're gonna lose and you're gonna lose big. So I'm not I'm gonna pay you back. Months go by no money, something. He just sent me anything. So I waited a few months. And then I filed a small claims against them. Here's the best part. I had to wait six months to get a court appearance because a COVID. Yeah. So everybody's been notified. Evidence has been exchanged. I show up. And he sent his mom to defend him. His mother. Turns out his mom, I had to mention his mom's name in the lawsuit because his business was in her name. So I found out a lot about him. So probably because he's too shady and probably been sued too many times in the past. He has his mom's name. So I had to she had to be one of the plaintiffs. One of the defendants. So I had to bring I had to use her name. So she had to show up. But he didn't even show up. The judge goes Where's someone's his name? I don't want to kind of mention his name. And the judges like where's him like, yeah, you know what you're on. I was one of the same thing. Where is that guy? judge looks at me goes him your evidence. So I hit on the paperwork. Slam Dunk. Done, done. I got a free rap. And he had to pay me back. 2400

Rico Sandoval: 1:55:12

Wow. Yeah, is that same rep that you have? Same rap.

John Laforme: 1:55:17

If you look at it closely, you see, it's all coming apart. Letters are all crooked. It's just a mess. But I haven't taken it off because I may get a different van because the lease is going to be up on that. And like maybe October I think, okay, so I may wait to decide on what to do with that. So.

Rico Sandoval: 1:55:33

So the point of this is get a good rap look professional.

John Laforme: 1:55:36

Right now the point of this was, I had a referral, but they can go wrong. Got it. You see what I'm saying? So

Rico Sandoval: 1:55:44

I thought things could go wrong.

John Laforme: 1:55:47

And rapid advance not bad. Because it does help because I have had several people walking by homes that I'm inspecting, stop me and say, Oh, can I get a card? Because they know what I'm there for? I want to get my house but they actually call so I've gotten business off

Rico Sandoval: 1:56:02

of it. I never did for my

John Laforme: 1:56:05

that's because you were driving too fast. I couldn't read it.

Rico Sandoval: 1:56:09

Well, I'm very big on people off. No, I'm very big. And looking. I'm very big on looking big. If that makes any sense. Like,

John Laforme: 1:56:25

I got processing this. I'm very big on looking big. You mean putting on a facade? Yes. That you're a multi truck company or something? Yes. Okay. Yes.

Rico Sandoval: 1:56:40

Less, less is more. Less is more. Yeah. Like, it's like, like, I've had my trucks wrapped. I've had trucks or wrap big. You know,

John Laforme: 1:56:49

your friend used to do that. Right? What's his name?

Rico Sandoval: 1:56:52

I'm not gonna mention his name because I don't want to give him business. He screwed me big time. Oh, man. I've invested money in that business and and it backfired. It's not his fault. It's my fault because I didn't put anything everything that we lost was because of him. But I lost because I didn't put it in writing. He's still in business. Right? So the only

John Laforme: 1:57:15

you didn't do the paper at the end of the paperwork. Any kind of deal needs paper homie.

Rico Sandoval: 1:57:20

It wasn't expensive.

John Laforme: 1:57:23

Reminds me we need to talk about you not getting paid before you go to work. I know what's going on with that the hola hola.

Rico Sandoval: 1:57:30

So

John Laforme: 1:57:30

that is not John approved. So

Rico Sandoval: 1:57:35

so I just put like like less is more like on my truck that I have now my work truck that I use now for personal because all my other trucks I just had him on the doors make it look like a big construction company like a big you know any? Have you seen those on the freeway? That's all he only did the temporary magnets. No, not even the magnets. No, it was decals. Okay, so it's permanent. It was permanent. Okay, but I removed them. But it looked like it was a big company because it was just like, like, we had truck

John Laforme: 1:58:10

52 on there.

Rico Sandoval: 1:58:11

2222. And it was just the doors and the back tailgate, just like a little corner. And it looked like you know, and when I went in, I put those reflector lights on. So when I go to LA or a place where there's parking is very hard to get. I just parked like in the red and just put the little reflector lights on blinking.

John Laforme: 1:58:37

Like your city City Truck.

Rico Sandoval: 1:58:42

Did my home inspection. Oh, that's funny. Dun, dun. So okay, so

John Laforme: 1:58:48

our last topic right now is going to be why you are not getting paid before you go to work.

Rico Sandoval: 1:58:52

The last topic because I don't like refund the money.

John Laforme: 1:58:56

What about your contracts? One of those getting signed? before? Before you go? Yes. Before you started before you go. Before I

Rico Sandoval: 1:59:03

start, both? Before I go, especially before I go. I even have everything on my email and I call a buyer.

John Laforme: 1:59:11

This no they do it online. Yes. Okay. Well, that's smart. But

Rico Sandoval: 1:59:15

I do both. Once you do it online. I do it there as well. So yes, I have my agreement signed, because my insurance my ear. No. It has to be signed before.

John Laforme: 1:59:26

Sure. Yeah, that's smart. I'm glad to hear you have insurance to you

Rico Sandoval: 1:59:30

know, well. Yeah. Insurance very big because I'm in a better I'm in the middle of a lawsuit right now. Oh, no, that sucks. Everybody's getting like you said, everybody that went to the party is blamed for it. Yeah. Yeah. So they're blaming me for stuff that I didn't tell them. But it's in the report. But it's in that

John Laforme: 1:59:52

report. And I told them and they know it's not a verbal agreement. Now look at that. They'll probably want to exit you off.

Rico Sandoval: 1:59:58

Well, I'm still fighting again. I get bills from my attorney. Gibbons from my attorney. And California doesn't require us to carry no insurance. So I was flat at that time I was under the radar. I should know better. And it's

John Laforme: 2:00:15

yeah. Or you didn't have insurance on this one?

Rico Sandoval: 2:00:17

No. Oh, no. No, but there are insurance

John Laforme: 2:00:22

out here. You're a living example of why I need insurance. Yes. They're coming out of your own pocket.

Rico Sandoval: 2:00:27

Yes. Yes. Out of my own pocket where there are insurance policies out there that will take this case. And they'll take care of it. But it's gonna cost me about$10,000.

John Laforme: 2:00:40

Do you have paperwork? Yes. Is there inspection agreement? Yes. Okay. So you had that? You got paid? Yes. And it's signed? And this is five years later? Yes. They filed the complaint.

Rico Sandoval: 2:00:53

They filed the complaint two years later, oh, two years after the inspection? Oh, two years after? Okay. Yes, two years after the inspection. So no

John Laforme: 2:01:01

one contacted you initially, to say, hey, we have a problem. Can you come check this out? No. See, that's that right. There is odd. It really is. It really sounds like you have a frivolous lawsuit.

Rico Sandoval: 2:01:14

I do. But because I didn't have you know, insurance. I'm paying out of pocket. Yeah. So that's why it's very important to have the proper coverage on E and O insurance.

John Laforme: 2:01:24

This is an ongoing lawsuit. Yes. And you should be careful what you say right now. Okay. So don't get into detail. Just give me a rough understanding.

Rico Sandoval: 2:01:36

I should be cleared. But get it you know, get your you know, coverage. Yeah. Yeah. Have no coverage. I

John Laforme: 2:01:46

told you that because we're recording

Rico Sandoval: 2:01:50

damn cheap going IPA. And are warm. So I have to

John Laforme: 2:01:57

the lawyer will thank me later. Yeah.

Rico Sandoval: 2:02:00

You know what, this this lawyer that I have? If you ever need them? Let me know. I know. I'm gonna

John Laforme: 2:02:05

I'm gonna talk to you. We're down here about my advice on what you should do next. Okay. I think there's light for you at the end of the tunnel.

Rico Sandoval: 2:02:14

There is, you know, there is I mean, I get bills every month. And I'm like, I'm dreading topping that email. Yeah. And then sometimes it's just couple 100 bucks sometimes is

John Laforme: 2:02:25

900.

Rico Sandoval: 2:02:27

That was it. Yeah. Because it had to go back and forth, back and forth, back and forth.

John Laforme: 2:02:31

And that's, and that's what their strategy is.

Rico Sandoval: 2:02:33

Yeah. Yeah. But, but yeah, so it's, it's very important for the new home inspector to get their

John Laforme: 2:02:41

contract first with their own attorney, you know, insurance next, because he, you know, is going to ask you for your contract anyway. Yeah, they need to approve your contracts. Yes. And don't do any job. Without that contract being signed? I'm going to say at least a day before, you want to always have that defense of saying, Well, you had it 24 hours prior to getting here. Why didn't you ask them? Yeah, as opposed to showing up and going here, sign this, I didn't have a chance to read it. You know, you know what I mean? So it's, yeah, cover yourself. Like if I get if I get booked today for a job Wednesday, everything's going out today. And I'm going to give them till tomorrow, to sign it to read it and sign it and pay or I cancel it. So because other people will be calling me for those time slots.

Rico Sandoval: 2:03:28

So what happens if it's for one of your very good referral partners, a good realtor, it's

John Laforme: 2:03:33

all the same for everybody. And I just a policy I made because I've been burned before too many times with checks taken me take checks anymore.

Rico Sandoval: 2:03:41

It's a good policy. Speaking of it,

John Laforme: 2:03:45

and my software allows me to do it very simply. And I think it's more efficient because when I get to the house, I don't want to deal with paperwork and payment, I want to focus on inspecting your house, right? So it just makes it easier for me.

Rico Sandoval: 2:03:57

Okay, that being said, and I know you're gonna probably bust my ass for this, but this was a special case for one of my very good realtors. I'm doing the listing inspection, sellers inspection. And she asked me, I would guarantee this can you submit it through escrow? Do you have any agreement through escrow

John Laforme: 2:04:23

if this desk wasn't 42 inches long, I'd be slapping you in the head. Well, this

Rico Sandoval: 2:04:29

is a one time deal. This is a one time deal.

John Laforme: 2:04:31

No, no, no.

Rico Sandoval: 2:04:33

This is this is a one time deal. And I told you

John Laforme: 2:04:35

you have a big heart. You have a bigger heart than I do. And you I know you I know you'd have known you long enough. Yeah, you you want to please people and you want to say yes, I get it. I'm gonna pull you back on that little bit. Well, this is a stick to a policy

Rico Sandoval: 2:04:49

I've done maybe in my career and I've been doing inspections since 2003. I think this is like my maybe third one through escrow.

John Laforme: 2:04:56

There have been this month you mean no third one in my whole career. Yeah.

Rico Sandoval: 2:05:01

And, and I tell everybody, it's I've had bad luck. And she said, Please, this is I'm going to, I'm going to guarantee it. Okay?

John Laforme: 2:05:15

Well, here's my logic behind no no paid for. So here's my logic behind it cuz some people have a hard time with Well, why do you? Why do you do that to customers? Or why do I do that the customers to hiring me for a job doesn't matter if they pay me today or the next day, I'll explain that. When someone calls to reserve your time, they're reserving you, your physical body to be somewhere at a certain time, right? Which means, if Joe calls me and books me for Wednesday at 9am, Sandy can't call me and booked me for Wednesday at 9am. Because I just made an obligation to the first guy. Right, right. So now, let's say you don't get paid. You haven't built them yet. And you're hoping you're going to get paid when you show up? Well, a couple things can go wrong one. They have nothing to lose if they cancel,

Rico Sandoval: 2:06:05

right? Okay, so what happens if they cancel the charge? Oh, hang on,

John Laforme: 2:06:09

I get that. So another thing is, let's say, you show up, they show up. And you're like, Oh, great. I'm going to get paid at the end of this. And then you do the complete inspection. Maybe it's a big house, maybe just spent four hours of your day there crawling on the shit going in attics? 100 degrees out? Who knows? And then you're all done. And you just gave him the guy to lay out, okay, well, yeah, this is bad, you need to do this. He says fucking, I'm not paying him. I'm not buying that house, he leaves, there's too many open doors that you are leaving to get yourself screwed. That is my point of why I set up my policy the way I have, I have a cancellation policy, I can explain that too.

Rico Sandoval: 2:06:54

I need a copy of that, if you don't, sure.

John Laforme: 2:06:57

So that is why I insist on contracts and payment in advance. If the customer is serious about the inspection, they're going to have no problem with if they're trying to string you along. They're going to not sign it. And you'll have to send them a reminder, I give people with typically 24 to 48 hours to sign up after that I get one more courtesy text, I need your attention on this. If you cannot commit, I cannot commit and I'm going to have to cancel your inspection. I do not want to cancel your inspection but your your back coming into a corner here. And the next person who calls for that spot is going to get it and you're going to lose it. So I try to explain that as nice as I can. But there are people in the world who just think other people are expendable. And I goes for anybody, me, anybody. They think you're expendable. And if they know you're going to flex like this and bend over backwards on this one. Oh, well, he did it last time, I'll just ask him to do it. Again. You're creating a bad pattern pattern and a unsaid policy of your business. Like I said earlier, when you talked about what kind of advice to give to home inspectors, you have to be in charge of your business. It entails making tough decisions. And yes, you might ruffle a feather here and there. But at the end of the day that there are legitimate people who you want to do business with are going to respect your wishes. And they're going to do what you need them to do. And they're gonna they're gonna understand the process. That's it. Very few people will give me static on what I do. Yeah, it's usually the people who are not serious, or someone who's trying to screw you over.

Rico Sandoval: 2:08:43

So if they cancel, do you refund the money or percentage,

John Laforme: 2:08:46

it depends on when they booked when the job is and when they cancel. So for example,

Rico Sandoval: 2:08:52

this is your cancellation policy. Yep. It's all

John Laforme: 2:08:55

laid out right in the contract. It says right be please be sure you're ready to confirm this inspection. A, A inspection cancellation fee does apply. Because you're reserving my time

Rico Sandoval: 2:09:06

and, and the cancellation fee. It's on the contract and the body of the email confirmation.

John Laforme: 2:09:12

Yep, it's everywhere.

Rico Sandoval: 2:09:15

Well, I need to use it.

John Laforme: 2:09:17

Sure. No problem. You can set the price at whatever you want the cancellation fee to be I just have mine the way I have it set. Okay, so you could change all that, but I'll send you the wordage okay, I'm telling you, man, it's just you know, we're writing reports for inspecting or driving around. I just tried to make life as simple as possible. And I'm a convenience kind of guy. I like convenience. And my software provides me with convenience. That's why you Specter.

Rico Sandoval: 2:09:47

I use horizon.

John Laforme: 2:09:49

I think I used that back in 1980. Now, kid, actually, you turned me on to that stuff?

Rico Sandoval: 2:09:59

Yeah, no, no. But at the end of the day, it's whatever works for you. Exactly. You know, it's what I tell people in all these new home inspectors is, which was the best software, you know, if if I use horizon, but everybody gives you a free trial. Yeah, use all of them and see which one works best for you. Because it's all about efficiency

John Laforme: 2:10:18

horizon to me was definitely on the top of the line when you when you refer to to me, back then. That was the cream of the crop. It had the best image gallery, the format was nicer. It just looked a lot more professional and up to date, like Turner came in Exhibit, Tara, just that his little lid off it, they just made it look way better.

Rico Sandoval: 2:10:41

Horizon it's it's a software is made for inspectors, by inspectors, and spec Torah. The founders were their brothers, right? Yep. And one of them used to be a realtor.

John Laforme: 2:10:54

One used to be a realtor and one used to do SEO. Right.

Rico Sandoval: 2:10:57

So that's a perfect combination. They're building another web for realtor web based for realtor friendly.

John Laforme: 2:11:06

And they know the web, right? Which is super important, right?

Rico Sandoval: 2:11:09

If it gets to the point, I mean, this it's gonna be a painful decision. If it gets to the point, if it is gonna affect my bottom line, because everything is moving towards, you know, online, and I know horizon is there. They're just not there yet. But spectra is there. Yeah. And I'm not promoting spectra. I'm not promoting horizon. It's whatever works for you.

John Laforme: 2:11:33

Yeah, there's a lot of different things. There's, there's a lot of some people part I will never understand about a home inspector discretion. Doesn't matter who it's with. Is Oh, that software's too expensive? Oh, that I don't have insurance because it's too expensive. Excuse me. Yes. Welcome to the world of business. Business. When you have a business you have expenses that you cannot live without Specter is more expensive on the horizon. Guess what else they pay for every month? Gasoline phone service? Yeah. How important is your phone service test these days? How important is your device? This is how important it is. You have to you got to understand when you're going into a business and running your own business, you there's expenses you cannot get around and if you want to make poor decisions over money over overpaying 80 bucks a month for a software if you're doing one inspection a month. I hope that would cover your software bill. Yeah. Unless you're working for free. Yeah. Which means you shouldn't be doing this anyway. You follow me? Yes. If you got to add up everything and if you are I think some people just don't do well with money. They just don't know how to manage money. I get it. We're not all perfect money but don't make no don't don't go stingy. Just like I said about the homebuyers. Don't be cheap on the home inspection. Be cheap on the blinds. These yes, no,

Rico Sandoval: 2:13:00

yes. These are the same home inspectors that are they tip more and at the at the favorite restaurant than they do on any software system that can make their life easier.

John Laforme: 2:13:14

Right? Right. It's all about it isn't making my life easier. Absolutely. That's I think we should end it there man. That's do it making life easier.

Rico Sandoval: 2:13:24

Make human life easier home inspector. So

John Laforme: 2:13:27

anyway, no, thanks for coming on. Dude. I knew we'd have a good little chat and you brought me a gift. I have a gift yet. Listen, everybody. If I invite you on the show, you may be required to bring a gift from and I want because I think Rico just set the bar. They raised the bar. This is going to the bar. Alright, that's it for the show. It was a long one and it was very random topics. Hope you enjoyed it. random shit. And I'll say thank you to Rico sound the ball from Vortex inspection group. Thanks for coming. Thank you. Okay, just a friendly reminder, if you're buying a home, don't panic, home inspection 40s got you covered. You can schedule us online by going to home inspection authority inspection authority for seven or you can call us at 800-950-8184. We offer general home inspections, mold inspections and testing sewer camera inspections, indoor air quality testing, swimming pool and spa inspections and light commercial inspections. Use specialized tools to provide the most thorough inspection possible such as drone or roof inspections that are not accessible, crawl bought or under homes and tight crawl spaces to get to those areas otherwise not accessible. And we use thermal imaging technology as well. So give us a call at 809 5081 for like I said you can schedule online at home inspection authority inspection authority for seven