June 26th, 2007 → 11:58 pm @ terry
Let me be honest with you. I wanted to say I am very happy that one of my companies has acquired a new account, but I’m probably happy more because of the commercial inspections I am getting from them! Now you know the truth.
I worked three commercial inspections today mixed in with the routine stuff. Just one commercial inspection helps the bottom line but when there are three, well – thats an extra seventy five bucks in this case.
If you are checking in to see what type of calamities I had today, you are going to be disappointed. Everything today was kind of boring and kind of routine. I did not have a lot to do so I did not leave until 1:30. The route was only twenty-six inspections in addition to the commercial inspections.
I’m going to call it a night now. We finished our uploading a couple of hours ago and I started working on some glitches at TheRepReportâ„¢. It’s time to go.
I will be in the office tomorrow. If you want to call, use the office number.
(3•25)+(26•6.50)
June 25th, 2007 → 11:43 pm @ terry
I usually am able to look around my environment and tell pretty much what is going on and forecast the future for the next few minutes or so. You’re probably the same way but you haven’t given it much thought I’m sure.
It looks like my forecasting ability may have become dull though. Today was one of the days that you normally only see in the Sunday comics. Lil Abner and Joe Bfstplk were with me in the south end of the county today.
I had three interior inspections on my route today and I had problems with all three. Normally, I will not have even one problem or incident for months – or years. Today they bunched up like bananas.
My very first inspection was an interior inspection. I have been in this house a couple of times before today and I thought I had made a pretty good mental note of the condition of the front porch. Most of it is rotten and only careful navigation gives solid footing. Well, I was not in the least expecting the steps leading up to the porch to give way under my foot but it did. It only caused a little delay but no injury. I thought to my self I need to be a little more careful. That was just moments before stepping onto the front porch which held me up for about three seconds!
I finally made it to the front door, which will not lock by the way, and wondered what other surprises may be waiting on me. Fortunately everything else went well and I was able to leave by the back door to avoid the rotten steps and rotten front porch.
I’m back on track now. There’s a total of forty eight stops today – the three interior inspections are mixed in with forty five delinquency and/or occupancy inspections. I completed fourteen more inspections before arriving at the second interior inspection.
OK. I supposedly learned a lesson back at the first interior inspection. These steps are concrete and the front porch looks pretty solid. I open the front door and what do I see? Mold and mildew from a madman’s lab in a horror movie. No way I’m going in there! Make the appropriate notation on the inspection form and get back on the road.
Twenty two more inspections with no problems and now I’m at the third interior inspection of the day. This is my last interior inspection so when I finish here I should be able to pick up the pace and get on home.
I have been by this place about four or five times before. It was occupied every time except for the last time and now they are wanting an interior inspection. The place looks pretty dirty but I have actually seen worse. No damage but lots and lots of filth. It looks pretty bad. What in the heck is causing me to itch so much?
I have never had this happen before but I found myself covered with fleas. Evidently they had been hungry too long. I spent about the next ten or fifteen minutes ridding myself of the pests and thinking to my self that this just has not been a good day!
How do you remove a tick? I know I read about it in case I needed to remove them from one of my dogs. Yep, there it is – a tick latched onto my arm. Another first for me! I carry a pretty well stocked first aid kit and it had just what I needed – tweezers, gauze and alcohol.
Well, I did survive the day. I finished the remaining inspections and bathed in the back yard when I got home – just in case.
Now, what am I going to say in my blog? Should I tell them about the ticks, fleas, mold and rotten steps?
(3•12)+(45•7.50)
June 21st, 2007 → 8:55 pm @ terry
I may never have mentioned the sense of accomplishment and the thought of doing some good in society that this business does bring on occasion. When I tell you about my bad days, you might want to think back to this discussion because today was a good day.
We are again busy, busy, busy. So busy, in fact that I only had time to stop at two thrift stores. I picked up a book, “The Autobiography of Sol Bloom” for one dollar, two framed Jim Daly prints, one dollar each, and three Alabama Football Championship 1992 colas at one dollar each. If all goes as I anticipate, these items could add close to one hundred dollars to the day’s income. OK, back to my day.
As I was saying, we are busy. We have to schedule tightly, get out early and be willing to work until it is done. I started the day with two insurance loss inspections. Both of these homeowners have become almost like friends. We have been inspecting their progress since hurricane Katrina – almost two years. They both had their final inspections today. I was happy for them and I felt good about the small part I played in it all.
Then it was on to the regularly scheduled routine – this time with fifty-seven occupancy inspections, almost all requiring pictures and two interior inspections. All of this was capped off with a commercial inspection appointment at 4:30pm. Whew!
I’ve got to leave early tonight too! I have ninety three pictures to label, categorize and upload.
(2•25)+(57•6.50)+(2•10)+(1•40)