Arizona Home Inspectors Are People Too!

Welcome To Home Inspectors Are People Too .com!

The content of this blog may cause you to completely distrust & possibly even hate your own government!
 

Please be advised... This website contains both FACTS and OPINIONS.  You are strongly encouraged to independently verify all facts and form your own opinions.

Before proceeding...  TERMS OF USE and COMMENT RULES.

   

To better help you navigate this site, please click on a link below.

I'M CURRENTLY A:

• Home Inspector
• Home buyer, seller, owner or member of the public
• Real Estate Agent or other Real Estate Professional
• Blogger!

OR, I AM FROM:

• AZ House of Representatives or Senate
• Arizona Governor's Office
• Constituent Services - all offices
• Investigative Agency or other organization

CURRENT ISSUES & CALLS TO ACTION - PLEASE HELP!

PLEASE TAKE ACTION NOW ON THESE IMPORTANT ISSUES:

1.  The Board of Technical Registration (BTR) is too expensive, inefficient and/or corrupt.
     Incompetence and/or corruption is expensive for everybody.  Rest assured, the high fees and other costs paid by Home Inspectors are passed on to the consumer.  In other words, the BTR's incompetence and/or corruption is hurting the very consumers that it's supposed to protect.  And now, Arizona lawmakers have proposed a bill that will completely eliminate the BTR (SB1171).
    If this bill passes, the BTR's authority would be transferred to the AZ Registrar of Contractors (ROC), which currently regulates contractors such as plumbers, electricians, roofers and homebuilders.  That means those professionals who are currently licensed by the BTR, such as Home Inspectors, Architects, Engineers, Geologists and Land Surveyors would be licensed by the same agency as contractors.  Maybe new leadership can save the BTR.
      -  Learn more...
      -  TAKE ACTION NOW!

 

2.  Home Inspectors are being treated unfairly by the BTR.
     Home Inspectors are people too!  So why is the BTR treating them like red-headed stepchildren?
a.  Unlike others regulated by the BTR, Home Inspectors do NOT have representation on the Board.
b.  Home Inspectors represent only about 5% of the BTR's total registrants, yet they are the subject of nearly 50% of all disciplinary actions.
c.  Home Inspectors pay 7 times more in annual fees than engineers, architects and others licensed by the BTR.
d.  It costs more to have a Home Inspector license in Arizona than any other state.
e.  The complaint resolution process being used against some Home Inspectors is unconstitutional.
      -  Learn more...
      -  TAKE ACTION NOW!

 

3.  A certain industry organization is "running the BTR".
     Yes, there seems to be a 'good ole boy network' running the BTR...and rumor has it that ASHI® is a big part of the problem.  But ASHI® and AZ-ASHI® members are NOT the problem.  It's just a few people, who happen to be in ASHI® leadership positions, who are also on certain committees at the BTR.  And yes, those people should absolutely know better.  What's worse, the BTR is allowing this conflict of interest to exist.  As usual, the BTR's Executive Director and Board members seem incapable of recognizing an obvious conflict of interest.  And these are the people responsible for enforcing the ethical standards in our industry?
      -  Learn more...
      -  TAKE ACTION NOW!

   

PLEASE COME BACK SOON TO TAKE ACTION ON FUTURE ISSUES LIKE THESE:

Why do Home Inspectors need a CBS code for lockboxes?
      ...more information coming soon! 

Your Issue Here
      ...contact us if you have other home inspector issues that need attention!

   

Thank you for your support!

Arizona BTR: Fees by Occupation

Home Inspectors pay 7 times more in annual fees than other occupations.

Registrant's Occupation	# of Board members	% of Total Registrants	Renewal Fees per year*	Must Renew Registration
Engineer	3	48%	$42	Every 3 years
Architect	2	30%
Land Surveyor	1	9%
Geologist	1	4%
Landscape Architect	1	3%
Assayer	Shared w/Geologists	Under 1%
Home Inspector	0	5%	$310	Every Year
Certified Remediation	0	Under 1%	$42	Every Year
Drug Lab Worker	0		$120**	Every Year
Drug Lab Supervisor	0		$120**	Every Year

These high fees get passed on to the consumer.

A home inspector license in Arizona costs MORE THAN ANY OTHER STATE.

Notes:
*  This is the annual cost, but not all occupations have to renew & pay annually.
** Drug Lab Site Remediation Firms have to pay $500 per year for their Firm Registration, compared to $20 per year for all other occupations.

Arizona BTR: Board Members by Occupation

Home Inspectors have NO representation on the 9 member Board.

Registrant's Occupation	# of Board members	% of Total Registrants
Engineer	3	48%
Architect	2	30%
Land Surveyor	1	9%
Geologist	1	4%
Landscape Architect	1	3%
Assayer	Shared w/Geologists	Under 1%
Home Inspector	0	5%
Certified Remediation	0	Under 1%
Drug Lab Worker	0
Drug Lab Supervisor	0

Note:  Even the Public has 1 Board member, but Home Inspectors are NOT represented

BTR Disciplinary Actions & Enforcement Staff by Occupation

While Home Inspectors represent only about 5% of all registrants, they are the subject of 49% of all disciplinary actions...

Registrant's Occupation	# of Board members	% of Total Registrants	% of Total Disciplinary Actions	% of Total Enforcement Personnel
Engineer	3	48%	48%	55%
Architect	2	30%
Land Surveyor	1	9%
Geologist	1	4%
Landscape Architect	1	3%
Assayer	Shared w/Geologists	Under 1%
Home Inspector	0	5%	49%	45%
Certified Remediation	0	Under 1%	3%
Drug Lab Worker	0
Drug Lab Supervisor	0

Probably because 45% of the BTR's enforcement personnel are focused on Home Inspectors (5% of all registrants).

Question:  Are Home Inspectors really just “bad people” compared to other registrants?  If yes, it’s even more important that Home Inspectors have representation on the Board.

Arizona BTR: Workload vs. Staff Size

The BTR is extremely overstaffed, yet still inefficient.

Registrant's Occupation	% of Total Registrants	Total # of Disciplinary Actions (Mar-Nov)	Average # of Disciplinary Actions per month	# of Enforcement Staff
Engineer	48%	28	3.1 per month	6 personnel
Architect	30%
Land Surveyor	9%
Geologist	4%
Landscape Architect	3%
Assayer	Under 1%
Home Inspector	5%	29	3.4 per month	5 personnel
Certified Remediation	Under 1%	2
Drug Lab Worker
Drug Lab Supervisor

6 personnel to process an average of 3.1 disciplinary actions per month.

5 personnel to process an average of 3.4 disciplinary actions per month.

PLUS, the BTR also has:

• about a half dozen licensing and customer service representatives
• three administrative staff members
• 9 Board members
• 5-member Home Inspector Rules & Standards Committee

So what do BTR staff members do ALL day?

AZ Home Inspector Fees Compared to Other States

Arizona charges MORE per year for a home inspector license THAN ANY OTHER STATE.

STATE	LICENSE FEE PER YEAR 1
Alabama	$300
Alaska	$100
ARIZONA	$310
Arkansas	$250
California	N/A
Colorado	N/A
Connecticut	$200
Delaware	N/A
Florida	$100    2
Georgia	N/A
Hawaii	N/A
Idaho	N/A
Illinois	$125
Indiana	$200
Iowa	N/A
Kansas	N/A

AZ BTR REPORT: Problems, Causes & Possible Solutions

A Board that’s so Inefficient,

It’s Hurting the Very People it’s Supposed to Protect.

BTR BACKGROUND INFORMATION - the BTR is supposed to protect the public by setting appropriate registration qualifications and enforcing state statutes relating to Board-regulated professions and occupations.

I.  “Original occupations”
     -  Engineers
     -  Architects
     -  Geologists
     -  Assayers
     -  Landscape Architects
     -  Land Surveyors

II.  “Newer Occupations” = BTR's Redheaded step-children
     -  Home Inspectors
     -  Drug Lab Remediation

III.  NOT properly integrated = 2 separate & unequal classes of Registrants
     -  Home Inspector fees are 7 times higher than Original Occupations
     -  Disproportionate # of disciplinary actions against Home Inspectors
     -  Disproportionate # of enforcement personnel devoted to Home Inspectors
     -  Statutes do not give Home Inspectors a member on the Board
     -  Agency structure has redundancies
     -  Unfair treatment for some Registrants

CURRENT PROBLEMS WITH THE BTR

I.  Too Expensive for Registrants & Consumers = NOT protecting the public
     -  AZ Home Inspectors pay higher annual fees than any other State
     -  These costs are passed on to consumers
     -  High costs = hard for new inspectors to get license = reduced competition
     -  Less competition also increases prices
 
II.  Inefficient, Incompetent and/or Corrupt = NOT protecting the public
     -  Consumers say the BTR is a joke
     -  Registrants say the BTR is corrupt and expensive
     -  Complaint process takes entirely too long
     -  Complaint process has no regard for guilt or innocence
     -  Registrants' rights are being violated
     -  Lack of basic information available from BTR
     -  Focusing on enforcement (revenue), instead of prevention (protecting public)
     -  Registrants do not trust BTR – hostile environment is not productive
     -  BTR is not dealing with the issues that matter
     -  BTR is not meeting its statutory purpose & nobody’s happy

CAUSES OF THE BTR's PROBLEMS

I.  Very ineffective leadership
     -  BTR is not following its own rules & required procedures
     -  Nobody cares - Lack of Accountability
     -  ‘Good old boy network’ is running the BTR

II.  Too Many Conflicts of Interest
     -  Leaders of certain industry organization are being given too much influence
     -  BTR is making excuses to defend itself, rather than correcting problems
     -  BTR leadership is focusing on ‘bolstering’ the agency, not protecting the public

III.  Agency Structure – BTR is run like 2 agencies - This COSTS MORE!
     -  Redundancies in personnel
     -  Redundancies in resources
     -  Other Redundancies, such as multiple Committees that could be combined
     -  Two Classes of Registrants = Unfair treatment for some
     -  Less organized = inefficient

IV.  Statutory Inadequacies
     -  No Board Representation for Newer Occupations
     -  Need to eliminate certain conflicts of interest
     -  Due process requirements are inadequate (AZ Administrative Code)

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS TO THE BTR’s PROBLEMS

I.  Legislative Solutions

• Change to ARS 32-102 – adds a Home Inspector member to the Board in order to make it more representative of BTR’s registrants
• Change to HB2077 (which amends ARS 32-111) – eliminates those who have a conflict of interest from serving on the Home Inspector Rules & Standards Committee
• Changes to AAC R4-30-120 through R4-30-126 – strengthens due process requirements to ensure that registrants' Constitutional rights are respected during the complaint resolution process

II.  Changes Board Can Make Now
     -  Replace the Executive Director
         NOTE:  Other necessary changes will NOT take place until this happens
     -  Instruct all BTR staff to always obey the law and act in good faith
     -  Review complaint process & ensure registrants’ rights are being respected
     -  Publicly post the names of all BTR Committees & members
     -  Promptly and consistently make meeting agendas & minutes available
     -  Reorganize and eliminate enforcement personnel as appropriate
     -  Stop treating Home Inspectors like redheaded step-children

III.  Changes the New Executive Director Should Consider
         (username & password required)

 
CONCLUSION

I.  Changes Need to Be Made at the BTR.

II.  Current leadership is unwilling & unable to make necessary changes.
- I can't guarantee a new Executive Director will make the BTR an efficient agency.
- But I can almost guarantee the current Executive Director will NOT.

PLEASE TAKE ACTION NOW!! 

   

Thank you for taking the time to review this report!
Please visit the Message Board if you have any questions or comments.

MESSAGE BOARD: Make a Comment! Speak Your Mind!

Thank you for stopping by!  Before you leave, please make a 'Comment' below and tell us what you think.  Feel free to come back and make as many 'Comments' as you want.  It's a good way to speak your mind and make your opinion heard!  It's also a great way to interact with other Home Inspectors, and the many other good people who visit this site.  Please keep it clean and respect our Comment Rules!  NOTE: The most recent comments are displayed first.

Some of the best reading on blogs often comes from comments, so be sure to read through the comments below, as well as the comments on the following posts:

• MESSAGE BOARD comments, 2nd page
• MESSAGE BOARD comments, 1st page
• Arizona BTR: Fees by Occupation
• Arizona BTR: Board Members by Occupation
• BTR Disciplinary Actions & Enforcement Staff by Occupation
• Arizona BTR: Workload vs. Staff Size
• Incompetent Gov't Agency Increases Cost of AZ Home Inspections
• Terms of Use - IMPORTANT: Please Read!
• History of AZ Home Inspector Licensing
• Send a Message to BTR Board Members & AZ Lawmakers
• MESSAGE BOARD: Speak Your Mind!

REMEMBER TO TAKE ACTION,
so your voice will be heard by BTR Board Members and AZ lawmakers.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Send a Message to BTR Board Members & AZ Lawmakers

IMPORTANT UPDATE:  Our voices are being heard!!  Therefore, all calls-to-action are ON HOLD for now - we are currently discussing possible legislative options with various legislators and industry leaders in order to find solutions to some of the BTR's problems.  Be sure to check back frequently for more updated information.

 

TAKE ACTION NOW by clicking on EACH LINK below EACH ISSUE.  An email will open up, already addressed to the appropriate people.  Feel free to edit the message, or send it as is.  Please be respectful in whatever you say, and sign your name to the email.  You're welcome to TAKE ACTION on ALL of these issues, or as many as you wish.  Thank you for promoting quality AZ home inspections at affordable prices!

 

ISSUE #1 -  The BTR is too expensive, inefficient and/or corrupt.  It's time for CHANGE and accountability.  The BTR can probably be saved, but it will definitely take new leadership.  Even if it survives elimination this year, the BTR will always be a target for elimination UNTIL it is run more efficiently.  EMAIL THE BOARD MEMBERS and ask for CHANGE before it's too late.

• SEND EMAIL to BTR Board Members
  NOTE: On hold -please check back soon

   

********************************

ISSUE #2 -  Home Inspectors are being treated unfairly by the BTR.  Inefficient regulation is expensive for everyone, and interfering with someone's right to earn a living is not the role of a government regulatory agency.  Protecting the public can be accomplished without violating the rights of hard-working people.  EMAIL THE BOARD MEMBERS and ARIZONA LAWMAKERS to remind them that Home Inspectors are People too!

• SEND EMAIL to BTR Board Members
  NOTE: On hold -please check back soon
• SEND EMAIL to AZ Lawmakers
  NOTE: On hold -please check back soon

   

********************************

ISSUE #3 -  A certain industry organization is "running the BTR".  When someone with a conflict of interest is put in a position of trust, the integrity of the entire system is compromised.  Conflicts of interest should be eliminated from the BTR's various Committees to protect the public and ensure that registrants are treated fairly.  EMAIL THE BOARD MEMBERS and ARIZONA LAWMAKERS and ask them to reform the BTR!

• SEND EMAIL to BTR Board Members
  NOTE: On hold -please check back soon
• SEND EMAIL to AZ Lawmakers
  NOTE: On hold -please check back soon

   

********************************

If you'd like more information about these issues before you TAKE ACTION, please visit our "Current Issues" page.

   

Be sure to check back frequently.  Thank you again for your support!

Welcome Home Inspectors.....

Thank you for stopping by, and for caring about our industry.  With your help, we can make a difference in Arizona's home inspection industry.

• TAKE ACTION NOW!!
• Review Current Issues & Calls to Action
• Speak Your Mind on our Message Board
• Read the BTR Report

Home Inspectors are being treated unfairly by the BTR.
DID YOU KNOW:

• Home Inspectors pay 7 times more in annual fees than engineers, architects and others licensed by the BTR.
• It costs more to have a Home Inspector license in Arizona than any other state.
• Home Inspectors represent only about 5% of the BTR's total registrants, yet they are the subject of nearly 50% of all disciplinary actions.
• The complaint resolution process being used against some Home Inspectors is unconstitutional.
• Unlike others regulated by the BTR, Home Inspectors do NOT have representation on the Board.

The BTR is so inefficient, our lawmakers are considering eliminating it.  If that happens, home inspectors, architects, engineers, etc will be moved over to the Registrar of Contractors (ROC) which licenses contractors, electricians, roofer, plumbers, builders, etc.  Changes are definitely necessary, but moving Home Inspectors over to the ROC isn't necessarily a good solution for consumers either, since Home Inspectors are often called on to help resolve diputes between homeowners and contractors.  How would it look if the supposedly neutral Home Inspector was licensed by the same agency that was attempting to resolve the dispute?

The ultimate goal of this website is to reform the AZ Board of Technical Registration (BTR).  This reform is overdue, and necessary.  The current system is broke - it's extremely expensive, inefficient and unfair.  Both the public and the home inspection industry suffer under such a broken system.  By resolving the current problems, the public will be better served and Arizona home inspectors will be able to work without unnecessary government interference and expense.

As Home Inspectors, we don't have big lobbying powers like Realtors® and homebuilders do.  In fact, we're an industry of sole proprietors and our licensing agency is taking advantage of it.  We have to rely on our industry organizations to look out for us.  Unfortunately, at least one of those organizations is lead by people who may be part of the problem.

Arizona homebuyers want quality home inspections at affordable prices.  Arizona Home Inspectors just want to earn a living without ridiculous fees and harrassment from their licensing agency.  With your help, I know we can achieve both.

TAKE ACTION NOW!!

 

Thank you for your support!

Welcome AZ Senate & House Representatives!

Thank you for taking the time and trying to make a difference in Arizona's Home Inspection industry.

DID YOU KNOW:

• Home Inspectors pay 7 times more in annual fees than engineers, architects and others licensed by the BTR.
• It costs more to have a Home Inspector license in Arizona than any other state.
• Home Inspectors represent only about 5% of the BTR's total registrants, yet they are the subject of nearly 50% of all disciplinary actions.
• The complaint resolution process being used against some Home Inspectors is unconstitutional.
• Unlike others regulated by the BTR, Home Inspectors do NOT have representation on the Board.

Certain professionals, such as home inspectors, need to be regulated in order to protect consumers.  However, INEFFICIENT and INCOMPETENT government regulatory agencies do not protect the public's interest.  In fact, INEFFICIENT and INCOMPETENT government regulatory agencies do just the opposite because they increase the cost of doing business.  Everyone knows that business owners pass these fees on to their customers.  Consequently, the very consumers these agencies pretend to protect are the ones who are most hurt by government incompetence and/or corruption.

Arizona real estate prices are already inflated, and the AZ real estate market is already slower than normal.  And obviously, higher costs for real estate related services, especially out-of-pocket expenses such as home inspections, further reduces the number of people who can afford to buy a home.  That worsens the situation for AZ homebuyers, homeowners and real estate professionals alike.  In the current market, we should be doing everything possible to make homebuying more affordable, not more expensive.

As Home Inspectors, we don't have big lobbying powers like Realtors® and homebuilders do.  In fact, we're an industry of sole proprietors, and our licensing agency is taking advantage of that.  We have to rely on our industry organizations to look out for us.  Unfortunately, at least one of those organizations is lead by people who may be part of the problem.

The ultimate goal of this website is to reform the AZ Board of Technical Registration (BTR). This reform is overdue, and necessary in order to better protect the public.  The current system is broke - it's extremely inefficient, expensive and unfair.  Both the public and the home inspection industry suffer under such a broken system.  By resolving the current problems, the public will be better served and Arizona home inspectors will be able to work without unnecessary government interference and expense.

Arizona homebuyers want quality home inspections at affordable prices.  Arizona Home Inspectors just want to earn a living without ridiculous fees and harrassment from their licensing agency.  With your help, I know we can achieve both.

We know your busy and we sincerely thank you for taking the time to stop by.  Once you've reviewed the information on this website and you're ready TO MAKE POSITIVE CHANGES at the BTR, please contact us for a username and password to access our BTR SOLUTIONS blog.

LOGIN to "AZ BTR Solutions" blog

   

 

Thank you again for your support!

Welcome Fellow Bloggers!

Thank you for visiting, and for realizing that HOME INSPECTORS ARE PEOPLE TOO!

While you're here, be sure to:

• TAKE ACTION on a variety of issues
• Join our free link exchange, and we'll link to your blog!
• Speak your mind on our Message Board!

   

Thanks again for stopping by,
and please help spread the word...