[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/week-8-i-found-a-defect-in-my-neighbors-house-oops\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/week-8-i-found-a-defect-in-my-neighbors-house-oops\/","headline":"Week 8 \u2013 I Found a Defect in My Neighbor\u2019s House (Oops)","name":"Week 8 \u2013 I Found a Defect in My Neighbor\u2019s House (Oops)","description":"Week 8 \u2013 I Found a Defect in My Neighbor\u2019s House (Oops) My first inspection... and it was personal (literally): This week, I did my first full inspection. It wasn\u2019t for a paying client\u2014it was a practice run at my neighbor\u2019s house. And even though there was zero pressure and everyone knew it was just training, I was nervous as hell. Clipboard in one hand, tablet in the other, software open for the first time. What could go wrong? (Spoiler: not much. But wow did it feel like a lot.) I started the clock, opened the template, and went system by system. Roof. Exterior. HVAC. Electrical. Plumbing. I took it seriously. Too seriously, maybe. I wanted to get it right. So naturally, what should take 2\u20133 hours took me closer to 6. Why finding defects was both thrilling and deeply awkward: At first, I was pumped. Every issue I found made me feel like I knew what I was doing. Loose GFCI? YES. Dripping shutoff valve under the sink? LET\u2019S GO. Water stains near the chimney flashing? OH MAN I\u2019M A GENIUS. And then it hit me: This is my *neighbor\u2019s* house. A person I like. A person who brought me cookies when I moved in. And here I am labeling their kitchen window as a \u201cpotential water intrusion area.\u201d I had to stop, breathe, and remind myself: it\u2019s not about judgment\u2014it\u2019s about clear, professional observation. Even when it\u2019s awkward. What threw me off the most: The software. Not because it\u2019s bad\u2014it's great, actually\u2014but because it was my first time using it in the wild. Every click made me second-guess. \u201cAm I choosing the right comment?\u201d \u201cShould I be taking more photos?\u201d \u201cHow do I phrase this in a way that\u2019s accurate but not terrifying?\u201d Also, managing the flow was tough. Jumping between systems, tools, camera, flashlight, tablet... it's a dance I haven\u2019t quite learned yet. I felt like I had ten arms and none of them knew what to do. The surprising part that actually felt natural: The system-by-system approach. It gave me structure. Instead of wandering through the house hoping to \u201cfind stuff,\u201d I followed a process. And that made a huge difference. I didn\u2019t miss anything major. I felt like I had a map. Also, seeing real-world examples of the training topics made everything click. The leak under the sink? I knew what to do. The roof flashing issue? I\u2019d just reviewed that module. It was like a bunch of puzzle pieces finally locking together. Support from the franchise that made it less scary: The template helped. Big time. Every section, every comment option\u2014it\u2019s designed to guide you without being rigid. And the training I\u2019d done before gave me just enough confidence to keep going, even when I wasn\u2019t sure. Also, I sent a screenshot of one section to Curt with a \u201cdoes this phrasing sound right?\u201d text. His reply was fast, encouraging, and super helpful. He reminded me that early inspections take forever\u2014but that\u2019s normal. He even joked that his first one took a full day and a sandwich break. That made me feel human again. Next up: doing this for real (and faster): Next week, I\u2019ve got my first paid inspection scheduled. Real client. Real timeline. Real report delivery. I want to shave down my time, stay organized, and work on my language. It\u2019s one thing to say \u201cDEFECT\u201d in a training run\u2014it\u2019s another when someone\u2019s buying the house. Tone matters. What I\u2019d repeat without hesitation: Practice on a real house. A neighbor\u2019s, a friend\u2019s, your aunt\u2019s\u2014whoever. It\u2019s the best simulation you\u2019ll get. The pressure is just enough to make it count, but low enough that you can still learn. And believe me, you will learn. \u2192 Coming up next: Week 9: My First Review \u2014 I Checked Google 15 Times That Day \u2190 Wondering why my CRM made me panic? Week 7: I Watched My CRM Stay Empty and Freaked Out Learn more about launching your own home inspection franchise.","datePublished":"2025-06-27","dateModified":"2025-06-27","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/author\/curtis\/#Person","name":"Kloc Curtis","url":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/author\/curtis\/","identifier":6,"description":"Curtis Kloc is a U.S. Navy veteran and seasoned entrepreneur with over two decades of experience in business development, inspections, and technical systems. He has built and sold multiple six- and seven-figure home inspection and environmental services companies, including HERO Inspections & Environmental and Elite Analysis. Curtis is the founder of Inspections Over Coffee, a nationally expanding franchise known for its white-glove service, inspector training systems, and streamlined operational workflows.\r\n\r\nWith deep roots in nuclear engineering from his time as a Machinist Mate and Engineering Laboratory Technician aboard two U.S. Navy aircraft carriers, Curtis brings unmatched precision and discipline to every business he runs. He is certified and licensed in home inspection, mold assessment, asbestos inspection, and environmental testing, and is a member of NACHI since 2006. Curtis now leads AI automation initiatives through Nexation.ai, helping businesses eliminate busywork and refocus on what matters most\u2014client relationships, growth, and results.","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1630069397452.webp","url":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1630069397452.webp","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Person","name":"Curtis Kloc","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/site-logo.png","url":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/site-logo.png","width":512,"height":512}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/week-8-home-inspection-franchisee-journey.png","url":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/week-8-home-inspection-franchisee-journey.png","height":736,"width":1312},"url":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/week-8-i-found-a-defect-in-my-neighbors-house-oops\/","about":["Uncategorized"],"wordCount":692,"articleBody":"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWeek 8 \u2013 I Found a Defect in My Neighbor\u2019s House (Oops)My first inspection... and it was personal (literally):This week, I did my first full inspection. It wasn\u2019t for a paying client\u2014it was a practice run at my neighbor\u2019s house. And even though there was zero pressure and everyone knew it was just training, I was nervous as hell.Clipboard in one hand, tablet in the other, software open for the first time. What could go wrong? (Spoiler: not much. But wow did it feel like a lot.) I started the clock, opened the template, and went system by system. Roof. Exterior. HVAC. Electrical. Plumbing. I took it seriously. Too seriously, maybe. I wanted to get it right. So naturally, what should take 2\u20133 hours took me closer to 6.Why finding defects was both thrilling and deeply awkward:At first, I was pumped. Every issue I found made me feel like I knew what I was doing. Loose GFCI? YES. Dripping shutoff valve under the sink? LET\u2019S GO. Water stains near the chimney flashing? OH MAN I\u2019M A GENIUS.And then it hit me: This is my *neighbor\u2019s* house. A person I like. A person who brought me cookies when I moved in. And here I am labeling their kitchen window as a \u201cpotential water intrusion area.\u201d I had to stop, breathe, and remind myself: it\u2019s not about judgment\u2014it\u2019s about clear, professional observation. Even when it\u2019s awkward.What threw me off the most:The software. Not because it\u2019s bad\u2014it's great, actually\u2014but because it was my first time using it in the wild. Every click made me second-guess. \u201cAm I choosing the right comment?\u201d \u201cShould I be taking more photos?\u201d \u201cHow do I phrase this in a way that\u2019s accurate but not terrifying?\u201dAlso, managing the flow was tough. Jumping between systems, tools, camera, flashlight, tablet... it's a dance I haven\u2019t quite learned yet. I felt like I had ten arms and none of them knew what to do.The surprising part that actually felt natural:The system-by-system approach. It gave me structure. Instead of wandering through the house hoping to \u201cfind stuff,\u201d I followed a process. And that made a huge difference. I didn\u2019t miss anything major. I felt like I had a map.Also, seeing real-world examples of the training topics made everything click. The leak under the sink? I knew what to do. The roof flashing issue? I\u2019d just reviewed that module. It was like a bunch of puzzle pieces finally locking together.Support from the franchise that made it less scary:The template helped. Big time. Every section, every comment option\u2014it\u2019s designed to guide you without being rigid. And the training I\u2019d done before gave me just enough confidence to keep going, even when I wasn\u2019t sure.Also, I sent a screenshot of one section to Curt with a \u201cdoes this phrasing sound right?\u201d text. His reply was fast, encouraging, and super helpful. He reminded me that early inspections take forever\u2014but that\u2019s normal. He even joked that his first one took a full day and a sandwich break. That made me feel human again.Next up: doing this for real (and faster):Next week, I\u2019ve got my first paid inspection scheduled. Real client. Real timeline. Real report delivery. I want to shave down my time, stay organized, and work on my language. It\u2019s one thing to say \u201cDEFECT\u201d in a training run\u2014it\u2019s another when someone\u2019s buying the house. Tone matters.What I\u2019d repeat without hesitation:Practice on a real house. A neighbor\u2019s, a friend\u2019s, your aunt\u2019s\u2014whoever. It\u2019s the best simulation you\u2019ll get. The pressure is just enough to make it count, but low enough that you can still learn. And believe me, you will learn.\u2192 Coming up next: Week 9: My First Review \u2014 I Checked Google 15 Times That Day\u2190 Wondering why my CRM made me panic? Week 7: I Watched My CRM Stay Empty and Freaked OutLearn more about launching your own home inspection franchise.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Week 8 \u2013 I Found a Defect in My Neighbor\u2019s House (Oops)","item":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/week-8-i-found-a-defect-in-my-neighbors-house-oops\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]