New Jersey Inspector Aims to Remove Perceived Conflicts of Interest

Joseph Garner transitions from a general onsite model to an inspection-first business to build on his expertise and give customers more peace of mind.

New Jersey Inspector Aims to Remove Perceived Conflicts of Interest

Joseph Garner

Joseph Garner spent years working for others through companies in the wastewater industry. But he wanted to become an independent onsite wastewater certified system inspector and project manager. Today, Garner owns and operates Garner Septics in Vineland, about 42 miles south of Philadelphia and in the middle of southern New Jersey. He and his four full-time employees provide inspection services within an hour’s drive of the office.

He was asked to elaborate on his career path:

Pumper: Why did you start Garner Septics?

Garner: I wanted to be in a position where customers did not distrust my motives, and I have been in a position like that. A company I used to work for did installations as well as inspections. Our recommendations were honest, but customers and real estate agents were suspicious that I advocated a particular solution in order to squeeze more money from them. Garner Septics does repairs, but 48 percent of our business is inspections, and another 20 percent is additional testing to follow up on those inspections. Customers who ask us to do repairs in addition to an inspection must sign a form that acknowledges they are not concerned about a conflict of interest.

Pumper: Those are detailed numbers.

Garner: Details matter. People want facts, and I want to be able to produce facts. That’s especially important to younger people.

Pumper: Your younger customers are more interested in details?

Garner: Yes, especially those younger than 30 or 35. They research stuff, sometimes to a fault, but they research it. We follow state standards for inspections, and from comments people have made to me, it’s clear they read those standards and know, for example, that a hydraulic load test requires two days. When I’m speaking with a customer, I have to be prepared because if I give them the wrong information, or if I give them information that’s contrary to what they already looked up, they’re going to call me on it.

Pumper: How do you market your services?

Garner: I don’t pay for advertising, and I really haven’t since I started the company. I do social media, digital media, and a lot of direct contact with real estate offices. They’re our primary customers. I do a class for them because they need to know a bit about how onsite systems work and, more importantly, why an inspection is so important and what is included.

Pumper: Are advanced units more common in your area, and are they harder to inspect?

Garner: The numbers are going up but not at the rate everyone thought they would when those systems first became prevalent about five years ago. Inspecting advanced units is not complicated. It’s an extension of what you already do. You’re still inspecting the drainfield or dispersal system. You’re still going to test the unit; you’re still going to clean it because all of that’s required. You’re just spending a little more time with the tank and the various components in it. And each manufacturer already has a set of standards for their own unit. A lot of that information is included in the regular maintenance procedures.

Pumper: What are the “second-opinion inspections” mentioned on your website?

Garner: Some Realtors come to us because they’re dealing with companies that they believe have a conflict of interest. From February to April in 2017, we had 20 or 25 inspections where we came up with findings similar to the first inspection, but in 90 percent of those, we recommended repairs instead of the complete system replacement recommended by the first inspector. Replacing a system is the easy solution. It’s more expensive for the customer, but it is safer, with the potential for fewer issues. We first look for the opportunity to repair a system and keep it functional. It’s less expensive for the customer, but the ability to troubleshoot an ailing system and make it work takes more experience.

Pumper: Why do you think the number of advanced units has not grown as rapidly as expected?

Garner: Most of it is price-driven. Advanced treatment units certainly have advantages on processing and pretreating waste. But they’re also more expensive than conventional systems, and in the state of New Jersey, a maintenance contract is required. It should be common sense to maintain your system, but when people are told to do something, they tend to react negatively. That’s where it’s important to be an educated service provider because you can talk intelligently about the pros and cons.

Pumper: Does New Jersey require inspections at the time of sale?

Garner: It does not, but a lot of mortgage companies want to see an inspection done. They want to make sure a system is in decent functional shape so buyers don’t default because there is some issue they cannot afford to fix.

Pumper: You have other full-time Pennsylvania Septage Management Association-certified employees; and how did you find those people?

Garner: All my employees were found and hired from the South Jersey area and subsequently trained and certified through the Pennsylvania Septage Management Association. I’ve been on the board for four years and am currently the president. Two of my recent hires aren’t certified yet, but they will be once they’ve taken my class. (I’m also a certified Pennsylvania Septage Management Association instructor.)

Pumper: Does networking through the Pennsylvania Septage Management Association play an important role in your business growth?

Garner: Through meetings and various gatherings, I have met like-minded people. I use the association to find inspectors who I refer work to in Pennsylvania, northern New Jersey and Delaware. And they refer to me. Referrals keep us doing inspections instead of driving. For example, if we drive two hours to northern Jersey for a job, that’s four hours total on the road, plus two hours on site. Add lunch breaks and other breaks, and one inspection consumes an entire day. And I have to charge more, which risks making the customer unhappy.

Pumper: Given that you are president of the Pennsylvania Septage Management Association but live in New Jersey, could you explain the importance of the association?

Garner: The Pennsylvania Septage Management Association is a model in many ways in our area of the country because of the standards and certifications it has developed. For example, the New Jersey state wastewater system inspection standard is derived from the Pennsylvania Septage Management Association standard. New Jersey is the association’s Region 7, so people from here can join Pennsylvania Septage Management Association and be certified by it.



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