A Home Inspection Adventure

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Over the years I have inspected a lot of houses: old farm homes, brand-new construction, lake cabins, log homes, condos, earth-sheltered homes, barns converted to residences, shed homes, fixer-uppers, and homes that looked fine from the road but told a very different story once you stepped inside, along with many commercial buildings.

One thing I learned early on is that houses, much like people, reveal their true condition only if you slow down and really look. Fresh paint can hide a lot. So can charm.

Some inspections were routine, but others turned into what I can only describe as adventures, not because of potential danger, but because of what they revealed such as neglect, shortcuts, good intentions gone wrong, and sometimes remarkable care taken quietly over decades.

When I started in 1993, there was no credentialing required to be a home inspector. Anyone could legally inspect a home. There were no state standards of practice. I became a member of the National Association of Home Inspectors (NAHI) and followed their standards. I also tested and obtained a weatherization inspector license, just so I had some formal credential and for additional income.

To get started, I located a man who sat on the NAHI board of directors and had mentioned he was thinking about doing some training. What I didn’t yet know was that this was his first year inspecting homes, he was a retired heating contractor. We hit it off right away. I paid him $50 for every inspection I followed him on.

I bought paper inspection forms from a man in Minnesota, the same ones he used. On my very first inspection, he was late. I had just purchased a bag phone, and he called to say, “Go ahead and start.”

I had never done an inspection alone other than my own home. I pulled out the forms and told myself, Just do one page at a time. I was very familiar with construction. I had done all my own repairs such as plumbing, electrical, roofing, even installing our furnace so I understood the systems. But reading a book and doing an inspection while buyers trail you with questions are two very different things.

He eventually showed up, and things went fine. The buyers never knew anything was out of the ordinary. After about two weeks of following him, he said, “You’re good to go.”

Now the tires needed to hit the blacktop and I had no idea how to grow a business. Being capable and getting business are two completely different things. I was a retired farmer, not a business man I was naive, lacking confidence, and uncomfortable speaking publicly.

I started doing home buyer seminars. Honestly, if anyone hired me after those early talks, it was a miracle. I wasn’t a public speaker and didn’t know how to organize a presentation other than the occasional sermon when I filled in at church while serving on the board.

A couple of years later I began doing rental rehab inspections for Neighborhood Housing. They required loan and grant applicants to attend homeowner education classes, and I taught the home maintenance portion. That helped me tremendously.

Business was slow at first with only twelve inspections my first year. Inspections hadn’t caught on in our area yet, and many Realtors didn’t want anyone interfering with sales. Later they realized inspectors also protect them, not just the buyers.

The business grew slowly. It wasn’t until my eighth year that I could call it full-time. I added well and septic inspections, which required additional training, testing, and a pump installer license. Even though the state didn’t yet certify septic evaluations for real estate transfers, the service filled a major need in our rural area. Realtors appreciated having one person who could do it all—including radon testing.

In 1997, Wisconsin began credentialing home inspectors. A colleague from LaCrosse asked if I’d help start a NAHI sub-chapter in Madison. At our first meeting, inspectors from Milwaukee showed up—they had been thinking about starting a statewide association. My friend wasn’t thrilled, but I saw the value. Those men became the founding members of what became the Wisconsin Association of Home Inspectors WAHI.

In 1998, state regulation went into effect. Our goal from the beginning was continuing education. I, along with eleven other inspectors, served on the state committee that reviewed and approved testing standards. We were the first registered home inspectors in Wisconsin.

I served as vice president of the Madison chapter, then education director, organizing speakers and training. I trained another inspector from the Westby area who became a close friend (later 2 more inspectors). Ted and I would drive together to meetings in Madison. One year, during a day with 26 tornadoes, we turned back after repeatedly encountering blocked roads and tornadoes.

Over time, business demands made it harder to attend meetings regularly. I kept up with required education and attended major trainings in the Dells.

There were plenty of memorable inspections. I told Ted on his first day never to say “Oh my God” during an inspection. Naturally, during a particularly bad plumbing situation, he said it—and we both nearly laughed before regrouping and addressing the issue professionally with the buyer.

Most properties had minor defects—basement moisture being the most common, usually caused by poor drainage, gutters, and downspout issues. Furnace problems were also frequent, especially cracked heat exchanger’s. I always noted appliances nearing the end of their expected life—even if they were functioning—because you never want the phone call a year later saying, “You said it was fine.”

Inspectors who’ve been around long enough all have stories about people, not just houses. Business people generally understand limitations and risk. Non-business people—especially younger buyers—often struggle with those realities, even after signing inspection agreements.

For me, inspection work was a good fit. I met fascinating people—airline and military pilots, doctors, nurses, contractors, electricians, attorneys, teachers, and many others. I retired over two years ago but still do well and septic evaluations and likely will for another year. I enjoy getting out, meeting people, and I miss the interactions with Realtors I worked alongside for decades.

Inspections today are more hectic than when I started. Costs are higher, budgets tighter, and expectations heavier. Inspectors must stay sharp and remind clients that home inspections are not code compliance inspections—they are functional evaluations focused on safety and livability.