A Personal Philosophy

Since I strongly believe in the importance of the person behind a service, the following is not one of those generic "My Promise to You" scripts...

My Background

I am not the typical retired contractor living off a pension who passed the kindergarden Wisconsin home inspector licensing tests and invested a few hundred dollars to make some easy money on the side. I did not buy into a "turn key" home inspection franchise whose marketing plan focuses heavily on soliciting real estate agents. I took the long and hard road into this business.

I entered the business because I saw a need for home inspections that truly produce informed and decisive decisions. Instead of simply opening up shop after attending one of the numerous 6 day Home Inspection Academies that teach to the licensure tests, I spent a long time exhaustively learning everything I needed to know and then testing that knowledge in the real world. I learned a lot of advanced skills from veteran home inspectors in Wisconsin and around North America. I built and rebuilt my home inspection system until it truly satisfied its objectives. I applied for my license after all of that.

I have experience in home construction, addressed by many of the issues I commonly uncover during my home inspections and obtained many of the credentials (memberships, certified training, etc.) in my background that the other home inspectors tout. Bust as evident in all of my marketing materials, I am simply concerned with applying my expertise to provide you with the most conclusive and informative home inspection possible. Credentials are an afterthought to me.

How am I qualified to perform your home inspection?

Since I am sure that this is an important question, here is my answer:

• My Wisconsin home inspector license insures you that I have the legal authority and credibility to perform home inspections
• My NACHI certification is the result of passing various competence tests, provides me with access to an immense collection of invaluable education and business resources, offers me priceless educational courses at reasonable rates and provides me with a network to communicate with like-minded home inspectors across North America
• My continually growing number of successful home inspections results in each home inspection being better than the last
• The exhaustive home inspection system I personally developed and continuously refine to provide you the most conclusive findings specific to your situation
• My Home Inspection Report that is 100 percent written by me, includes numerous corresponding pictures, has an easy to reference format and performs several other functions to make your home inspection as beneficial as possible
• My lack of dependence on realtor referrals leaving me purely objective
• My refusal to overbook home inspections affording me plenty of time to focus on your needs (2 bookings per day maximum, minimum of 5 hour on-site time budgeted for each appointment)
• My home inspection tool arsenal resulting in a more conclusive inspection
• My bold payment policy forcing me to fulfill your needs
• My Certified Well Sampler Certification determines the understanding of the numerous drinking water contaminates and the proper protocol for testing
• My completion of the MERC Radon Measurement Course taught me virtually everything that is known about radon and how to measure it accurately, passing the NEHA test confirmed this
• My completion of the ESA Indoor Air Quality Inspection Course taught me a vast amount about how to identify and properly evaluate numerous indoor heath hazards

How are my home inspections different?

The home inspection I perform for you is not a simple job of reporting the correct conditions of the property. My objective is to provide you with the most conclusive home inspection possible so that you can make informed decisions decisively. Consequently, my home inspections contrast to the realtor-referred home inspectors by:

• Averaging 3-5 hours in length (opposed to 45 minutes to 3 hours)
• Vastly exceeds the minimal industry standards of practice and scope of the inspection
• Lacks consideration of how the findings will affect my ability to obtain realtor referrals
• Use of an advanced tool arsenal (opposed to a simple ladder, flashlight, screwdriver, $2 outlet tester, floor level package purchased from a hardware store)
• Includes high resolution digital pictures of every item of concern that are shared (instead of simply reserved as evidence in the event of a dispute)
• Includes use of 2 way radios to maintain communication during the roof inspection phase
• All of the other benefits listed in our brochure

My Mind-Set during a Home Inspection

I understand from first hand experience what it is like to need to make an informed decision to purchase a property within a short period of time under a lot of pressure knowing everything I needed to know. I respect that every client has different wants and needs. As a result, my focus is on putting your mind at ease while providing you with all the information you need to make informed decisions decisively that satisfy your wants and needs. Fulfilling your needs for security and empowerment is my objective and my passion.

The Empowerment Home Inspection Team

I use the term "we" when speaking on behalf of Empowerment Home Inspection because this is not a one-person gig. While I perform the home inspections and maintenance of our home inspection system, my wife Teresa fills the other invaluable roles. She is likely the one to answer your call because we both find it insulting to stop a home inspection to book another one. She is the webmaster of this website. Her hold on punches style of assessing our operations insures that any ill-conceived ideas never see the light of day and it literally forces me to make good ideas great. She is along with our adorable baby son James, the immense source of support and inspiration that makes all of this possible.

The experience that motivated me to become a home inspector

My wife and I were first time home buyers who bought our first home with the realtor's recommended home inspector. There were several important concerns that he did not uncover because he inspected to the minimum of industry standards. We unwittingly had the roof and electrical service repaired wrong by the seller because we were not told of the specific concerns. We left a few major concerns unaddressed because we didn't understand their significance. We spent $225 to render bad decisions. We figured this out when it was too late.

Should you hire a real estate agent?

I strongly believe that realtors are invaluable to the real estate transaction. They know how to price the property, how to market it effectively, how to match the right buyer up with it, how to file the mountain of legal paperwork properly and other such indispensable services. I wouldn't buy a house without a real estate agent.

My relationship with realtors

I am not popular with most realtors because my objective conflicts with theirs. My mission is to provide the client with security in revealing the true conditions of the property and the empowerment to make informed decisions. Since they only receive a paycheck by closing on the real estate transaction and incur substantial costs to do so, my objective puts their ability to pay their bills at risk.

I find that most realtors steer clients away from me and towards The Realtor's Pet Home Inspector for different reasons. The vast majority seem to do so because they have warped expectations of home inspection instilled by their training, experiences with the "soft" home inspector and the pressure they are under to close on as many transactions as they can as close to the listing price as possible. All of them have the benefit of a strong legal defense, provisions in the home inspector licensure law and simple protocol that protects them from the aftermath of steering you towards the "soft" home inspector...

My Role in the Home Inspection Community

The home inspection community provides me with a lot and I do my best to return the favor. I have the privilege of being the South Central Regional Director and a highly active officer of the Wisconsin Chapter of NACHI (WiNachi). I am currently developing the course "Communicating As A Home Inspector" for the benefit of NACHI, a course that teaches my secrets of effectively and practically communicating to clients. I am in regular contact with fellow NACHI members across North America through various channels. I proudly display NACHI and WINACHI in my marketing materials not as stand alone credentials but out of great respect to all the invaluable tools they provide me and because I hold dear their "Inspected Once, Inspected Right" attitude.

My Quality Assurance

I am a huge believer in being accountable to my word. This is why instead of demanding payment before starting the home inspection, I take it afterwards with the option to reduce the fee or walk away in the event of dissatisfaction. I find that it puts clients at ease knowing that they hold all the cards. Also, I couldn't sleep at night if I was paid in full for a substandard home inspection.

Book your Wisconsin home inspection with Nick Wagner today at (608)963-0073! If he is not in the office, he will gladly call you back at his earliest availability.

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