Each month, Shop in RI Magazine profiles one member of “The Dream Team,” a weekly networking group that meets in Smithfield. This month, we feature Rocco Elgar, President of Homefront Building Inspections in Smithfield.
Elgar began his journey more than two-and-a-half decades ago, when starting a young family meant he needed to move on from working for others in the greyhound racing business. While watching another home inspector go through his first home purchase, he realized that he could also make the career switch.
“I took many different construction-related classes at Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical High School (in Franklin, MA),” he said. “I had a wide array of construction, electrical, plumbing, HVAC courses, and even earned a MA Refrigeration Apprentice License before completing high school. That experience gave me a nice base of knowledge.”
Elgar credits his Home Inspector Training and Certification at The Inspection Experts (Boca Raton, FL) as the real springboard to opening Homefront Building Inspections in January 1998. “The course was tremendous, covering all ends of operating a successful home inspection business,” he stated.
Homefront Building Inspections works with residential and commercial clients in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Elgar assesses the visible, structural, and mechanical components, and documents his findings in a thorough, but easy-to-understand inspection report. The information enables buyers to make informed decisions, and sometimes they can use the information as a negotiating tool. He is known to be thorough as an educator, especially for first-time home buyers.
Elgar warns of waiving inspections in the current market.
“If you put down a deposit and then waive the home inspection, then you are at risk of losing that money if you have to back away from the sale,” he said. “Don’t waive that opportunity! Many people are looking at the home’s location, cosmetics, kitchen space, etc. Home inspectors like me are unbiased and focus on the ‘bones’—structure and mechanicals of the property. Doing the home inspection is informative and protects your interest, not the seller, lender, realtor, or anyone else,” Elgar added.
Additional testing services Elgar provides include: radon testing, well/water tests, lead paint, and more.
“The Dream Team” currently has 25 members and is growing. They meet every Wednesday morning, from 7:00 am to 8:30 am, at the Home2Suites Hilton on Douglas Pike (Rte. 7) in Smithfield, across from Laura’s Bar and Grill. The group is looking to grow its team and is interested in meeting professionals from various businesses looking to connect and help each other grow through referral business. The Dream Team is all about “Friends helping Friends.”
Further information about the group may be found by contacting either President Rocco Elgar at 401-265-0857, or at therockhbi@msn.com, or, by contacting Vice President Tim Richard at 401-766-4200, or at tim@estenandrichardinsurance.com.
