How This Father-Son Duo Built a Thriving HomeTeam Franchise

When Doug Butler, with decades of construction experience, and his son Tyler, a former tour photographer, decided to join forces in business, they also started building a legacy together. With the support of HomeTeam Inspection Service, the duo has carried on a strong brand reputation in their community while leveraging the industry expertise and fresh perspectives of the franchise system to create a thriving family enterprise.

For Doug, who had spent years in construction — building homes, managing projects and, at times, owning his own business — the appeal was immediate.

“When this opportunity came up and I could work for myself again, it was enticing,” he said. “It’s nice to be able to set my schedule and determine my destiny.”

While the idea of a HomeTeam franchise was appealing, the Butlers weren’t exactly seeking it out. The opportunity came to them unexpectedly.

“The previous owner of this territory came to inspect the home that we live in now,” Tyler said. “My dad struck up a conversation about the business, sharing that this type of business ownership was something he’d be interested in the future. That same owner ended up contacting us about a year later, and we began the due diligence process to acquire the territory.”

The Butlers' diverse backgrounds make the business even stronger. Doug's extensive construction knowledge provides a solid foundation, while Tyler brings fresh eyes and a willingness to learn.

"I started in the construction industry. I started out working with my dad, building homes and some commercial buildings,” Doug said. “And then I was a small business owner for a few years. Then, I went further into construction, doing underground utilities. And then my last couple years before purchasing the franchise, I was into project management.”

For Tyler learning about home inspections was entirely new to him, but his adaptability served him well.

“It was a whole new world to learn,” he said. “Not having construction experience and being able to learn everything through HomeTeam’s extensive training is exactly what I needed to take the state test — it was perfect.”

For anyone considering a franchise, the level of support provided can make or break the experience. The Butlers emphasize that HomeTeam's comprehensive training and ongoing assistance have been crucial to their success.

"The franchise has been wonderful when it comes to support," Doug said. "The hands-on training that we did when we went to Owners’ Week was great. Beyond that, everyone is always there for us. All we have to do is pick up the phone and call, or we can reference the internal database for more information.”

In addition to support from the corporate team, Tyler noted that fellow franchisees have been very helpful.

"Even the support from other owners across the U.S. — you could pick up a phone and call another franchise owner and ask questions, and they're more than willing to help out,” he said. “We have Facebook groups, and even the Florida group here started just an online chat where we can all ask each other questions."

For the Butlers, a home inspection isn't just about identifying problems. It’s about education and reassurance.

"My favorite part is towards the end of our inspection when we get to have a walkthrough with the potential new owners of the house," Doug said. "I like being able to explain things to people they might not have known — especially for the new homeowners.”

"For both of us, it's more of an educational thing,” Tyler said. “We love teaching people."

This white glove approach to home inspections has helped them become trusted advisors in their community rather than just service providers.

Looking ahead, the Butlers have plans for both continued service excellence and strategic growth.

"It all comes back to service. We always want to provide quality and make sure buyers are comfortable with the inspection and that we did everything we could,” Tyler said “Growth to include a team or two that can also do inspections is a future goal of ours as we look to provide service to even more buyers and further scale the business.”