Meet Our Principle Officer Bob Kelley

How Did Bob Get Involved with Home Inspections?
 
The principle officer, Bob Kelley, of Dixie Home Inspections has a long history of background and experience in the construction and inspection industry.  After graduating from the University of Central Florida in Orlando, he initially worked for his father in the general construction trade.  Working with a general contractor, he was involved in working with various subcontractors such as electrical, mechanical (air conditioning), plumbers, roofers, framers, drywall, flooring and carpet layers, tile setters, and painters.  Eventually, he ended up going to work for one of the mechanical contractors in the air conditioning (A/C) trade.
 
The Start of Florida Mechanical & Air Conditioning, Inc.
 
After a few years working in and learning the mechanical trade, he took and passed the Florida state certification exam to get his own state mechanical contractors’ license.  In 1983, he set up his own mechanical contracting business as Florida Mechanical & Air Conditioning, Inc. in Orlando.  As the mechanical business grew and as time passed, he saw the importance of having other licenses to supplement his A/C license and he took and passed state certification exams for being a state certified building contractor as well as being a state certified plumbing contractor.  Both of these additional licenses helped with the growing of Florida Mechanical & A/C as a business.
 
During these years, Bob was able to gain hands on field experience not only in the air conditioning and heating trade but also in the important trades of general construction, electrical, plumbing, and roofing.  Every project he was involved in was a learning opportunity not only for how things are constructed and work together, but he also obtained the skill of managing and inspecting other trades as the work progressed. 
 
As the prime contractor on the vast majority of the projects he undertook, he was responsible not only for performing, inspecting, and completing his own A/C work, but he also had to oversee and inspect the work of all of his subcontractors.  It was his responsibility to ensure as the project moved along that things were completed on time and in an orderly fashion.  Most of his contracts were with the Federal Government performing work for the Air Force at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and for NASA at the Kennedy Space Center.  At these government facilities, he honed his construction and inspection skills under their demanding standards of excellence and optimum performance.
 
The Strong Work Ethic Bob Brings to Dixie Home Inspections
 
When every project reached its end, it was Bob’s responsibility to see to it that everything was in place and fully functional so the project could be turned over to the owner as a completed job.  Latent defects were not an acceptable outcome as that required more time to go back and correct problems.  His philosophy was to do things right the first time so they don’t have to be addressed a second time.
 
This work ethic has rolled over into our Dixie Home Inspection business.  With our inspections, you’ll receive the same attention to details and reporting skills we developed along our journey to excel at what we do.