Vent: The worst week of my career was because of a 'simple' inspection in February

Last February in Grand Rapids, I got called for a basic pre-sale inspection on a 1920s brick colonial. The homeowner insisted the fireplace was 'barely used' and just needed a certificate. I got up on the roof, dropped my camera, and the entire clay liner was GONE for about eight feet, just a pile of rubble in the smoke chamber. The owner argued with me for an hour, saying his family had used it for years with 'no problem' and I was just trying to upsell a $4,000 relining job. The whole week went downhill from there with two more nightmare jobs where people fought me on clear safety issues. It really gets to you when folks treat a critical safety check like a negotiation. Has anyone else had a string of jobs where customers just refused to listen to the facts?

3 comments

3 Comments

simons2819d ago

Ever try showing them the camera footage? Sometimes seeing the rubble makes it real.

lindamartin19d ago

Nah, showing footage can backfire big time. People just double down when they're faced with proof they messed up. It makes them defensive, not sorry.

riverthompson19d ago

But sometimes that defensiveness is the first step to them actually getting it.