What’s an Ombuseyman?

July 4, 2008

If you were to “Google” the word ombudsman, you’d get many different definitions that all draw the same general conclusion. The online information site, Wikipedia defines Ombudsman as “an official, usually (but not always) appointed by the government or by parliament, who is charged with representing the interests of the public by investigating and addressing complaints reported by individual citizens.”

Shell Busey, who has been involved in the Home improvement, Renovation and Building Supply Industries for over 45 years has seen his fair share of horror stories.

Homeowners still get taken advantage of by contractors who don’t live up to their contractual agreements, perform shoddy or substandard work, leading to costly and in many cases preventable repairs. Misunderstandings occur between subcontractors, leading to added unnecessary costs to the homeowner, and in some cases liens on their property. Insurance issues can arise, complications with city bylaws, misunderstandings between members of a strata council ….. The list goes on.

What many homeowners lack is the education and knowledge of how to go about insuring that they don’t become victims of insurance, home renovation, or construction disasters, and that is precisely what Shell Busey has been promoting for years through The HouseSmart Home Services Referral Network.

The Ombuseyman is more than just a play on words. It’s an avenue for Shell to bring forward issues and situations many people face to the airwaves on his Home Discovery Show, with the hope that once people are aware of what can go wrong, they’ll work towards protecting themselves, and avoid becoming a victim themselves in the future.

The Ombuseyman segment made its debut on Shell Busey’s Home Discovery Show Saturday June 28th 2008, with an investigative look at Permanent Wood Foundations (PWF’s). Complications can arise when purchasing an insuring a previously owned PWF home, mostly due to the fact that many insurance companies don’t have the background knowledge or experience in dealing with this type of home, as it is not a common building practice in many areas of Canada.

After contacting several experts in the field of wood foundations, The Ombuseyman concluded that: If built properly and officially certified by a Home Inspector, homes built on a permanent wood foundation, are more resistant to fire, and in many cases, will last longer than a poured concrete foundation.

Other advantages of a PWF home are its energy, and cost efficiency. A PWF home is insulated, providing less heat loss in the winter and maintaining cooler indoor temperatures in the summer months; and a PWF can be built at 1/3 to ¼ the cost of a concrete foundation.

The last weekend of every month, Shell will present a new Ombuseyman segment on the Home Discovery Show, his nationally networked live radio program. To find out more about his radio shows, and where to listen in your area, visit the HouseSmart.com Radio Page

July 26th the Ombuseyman will look into problems that can arise from improper installation of asphalt fiberglass shingles on a modular home.