What to charge to reinspect

Originally Posted By: swalch
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I did an inspection last week and the agent called me and wants me to reinspect items that I called out and the seller was going to fix. I told her there would be an additional charge. She said her other inspectors reinspect for free. Is this normal or should you charge?


Thanks


Sid icon_smile.gif


Originally Posted By: bking
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Unless you had it already included in your fee, you should charge for it.


A "10 or 20 minute re-inspection" as requested by an agent will take you about 1.5 to 3 hours total by the time you drive roundtrip, inspect everything (crawlspace adds alot), compile the info, email or fax it and answer 2 or 3 calls about it because you found things still wrong.

Many inspectors are no longer doing re-inspections for this reason, others charge by the hour while onsite and others charge one-half the orig. fee.

I request a list of what to be re-inspected first and price it based on that.
If the list just contains leaks, mold issues, grading issues, dampness etc. I will not reinspect those since the conditions and time requirements will not be present to properly do it.


Originally Posted By: dedwards
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I figure MY time is worth money. Does it lessen your liability. If you go to a Doctor for a follow up does he do it for free? The answer of course is NO. Your time is worth something. You need to figure out how much it is worth. I do not do re-inspections for free. I let them know that the time I am spending over there at their place doing a reinspection I could be across town doing a full inspection. It still takes a couple of hours of one morning or one afternoon to do it and I always have to write up a report to document the findings. That is part of the HI problem…too many think of us as “handyman” and if we do things for free that smacks of being “desparate” for business. Even if you are, all the more reason for charging for your time and your services. One last thing, if you do it for free now then stand by for the requests, no…the demands to do it free from now on. Every one you do will want a free re-inspection.


Originally Posted By: bsmith
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Sid-


I routinely offer "walkthrough" inspections to check items that have been "repaired by the seller on the buyer's behalf". Usually these inspections consist of two or three items and only take a half hour or so. I charge $100 for these. If the "punch list" is more extensive I charge more.


Originally Posted By: mbazzo
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swalch wrote:
She said her other inspectors reinspect for free. Is this normal or should you charge?
Thanks
Sid ![icon_smile.gif](upload://b6iczyK1ETUUqRUc4PAkX83GF2O.gif)


When I first started performing home inspections, I had an agent say the same thing to me in a simular situation. I politly told her that travel time, report writing and the inspection all cost me money and I had to be compensated. I charged $125.00 which the buyer paid with a $20.00 tip for my efforts. The lesson I learned, first of all agents will say things to you that imply the will use someone else. second charge what your services are worth because free doesnt pay your bills or cover your liabilitys. hope this helps.


--
www.greatlakesinspections.com

Originally Posted By: bkelly2
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I no longer do re-inspections as I do want to be called are held accountable for repairs that I had no control over.


I tell my clients that if the repairs were made then there should be some paperwork documenting and guaranteeing the repairs, and thay should get a copy of these documents.


Originally Posted By: dvalley
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I re-inspect for a minimum of $100.00.



David Valley


MAB Member


Massachusetts Certified Home Inspections
http://www.masscertified.com

"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go."

Originally Posted By: dedwards
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I do re-inspections but I stress the same caveat about it being a “visual inspection only” and unless I was on site when the work was performed I can not vouch for the methods and workmanship used. Pretty much the same caveat we all use when doing a normal home inspection. I make them sign a new contract and I issue a similar report detailing ONLY those items listed for reinspection. Often people will try to get you to comment on items not previously listed. It can sometimes be weeks since the original inspection. I am amazed at how some people will try to get something for nothing yet want at the same time for you to be 100% responsible for the outcome. I always try to find out who did the work as well. The ignoramus brother-in-law who used to be in the construction field often turns out to be the “professional” they called in to do the work. You have to be as wary as a serpent these days.


Originally Posted By: gporter
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I charge 100.oo for a return trip.


Originally Posted By: jeubank
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Since all of the replies so far are saying that they charge for re-inspections, I guess I have to jump in and be contrary. My prices are higher than the competition’s, and one of the reasons is that a re-inspection is included in the price. I only tell them that one time, since I don’t really want to insist on their having a re-inspection. And it is also mentioned in the agreement (contract).


I tell people that I will return within 60 days, for the original client only. They have to give me a specific list, taken from items that were concerns on my report. I won't re-inspect the whole house again. Counties outside my local service area do pay a mileage fee.

My re-inspection comments are added to the online report, and I keep them very simple. Just a sentence statement about the current condition. No comments on workmanship, etc.

Buyers seem to view this as a good selling point to use my services. About 10% of clients actually have a re-inspection. During 2005 I can think of two instances where it was inconvenient for me, in the sense of being out of the way and taking a couple of hours time. All the other re-inspections were done on my way to somewhere else, in half an hour or less. I tend to schedule the re-inspections more at my convenience, not in such a hurry.

Some of the realtors seem to like this benefit of using my services. It gives the impression that I'm not going to tear a house apart (verbally) and then disappear. I'll be there to describe the repaired condition, if needed.

Oh, and speaking of doctors, all the doctors I've had don't charge for a follow-up visit, if it's just checking on the same situation within a short period of time. That probably varies from place to place, doctor to doctor, just like inspectors...


Originally Posted By: dedwards
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You must have different breed of doctors in CO. Here they will charge you for reading a magazine in the waiting room.


Originally Posted By: bking
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James, I checked out your website, very nice site, I see you charge $275 for 4000 Sf and include a re-inspection…


Have you checked your competition prices lately? That seems really low to me. I thought prices were low around here and we get $400-475 for 4000SF and then 100 to 200 for re-inspection. Some other areas get more than that. I figure an average of 6.5 hours for travel, inspection, report writing and answer questions etc. for 4000SF house.


Originally Posted By: dvalley
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WOW…$275.00 for 4,000 sq.???


What a deal.


--
David Valley
MAB Member

Massachusetts Certified Home Inspections
http://www.masscertified.com

"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go."

Originally Posted By: rspriggs
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bkelly2 wrote:
I no longer do re-inspections as I do want to be called are held accountable for repairs that I had no control over.

I tell my clients that if the repairs were made then there should be some paperwork documenting and guaranteeing the repairs, and thay should get a copy of these documents.


A heartfelt Amen to that-
I'm happy to blame everything on my E&O ins co-

"My insurance Company requires me to have a signed authorization (contract) before the inspection"

"Home Inspectors used to do re-inspections; with everybody suing people these days, that's changing. My ins co won't let me do re-inspections of 'fixed' problems- if I was the last person to say it's OK, you'd come after me. If the contactor says it's OK, you go after him!"

Everybody seems fine with that reasoning.

Russ


Originally Posted By: jmurray
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bking wrote:
James, I checked out your website, very nice site, I see you charge $275 for 4000 Sf and include a re-inspection......

Have you checked your competition prices lately? That seems really low to me. I thought prices were low around here and we get $400-475 for 4000SF and then 100 to 200 for re-inspection. Some other areas get more than that. I figure an average of 6.5 hours for travel, inspection, report writing and answer questions etc. for 4000SF house.


Just did a re-inspect today for 18 items on a 2400 sq ft'er.
$175.00. Pump up the rates. ![icon_lol.gif](upload://zEgbBCXRskkCTwEux7Bi20ZySza.gif)


Originally Posted By: bking
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Just did a reinspect that only involved the elect. panel and 15 foot crawl to check a duct connection.


here is the whole story:
30 minutes for phone calls and emails to set it up.
45 minutes travel time.
30 minutes on site.
30 minutes writing explanation on why the wiring is still wrong and the electrician made an error.
15 minutes on phone discussing it.


total time = 2.5 hours plus the next few calls that will probably come.
fee = $100

I'm glad I did not quote anything lower.....

Has anyone ever did a re-inspect where everything was correct?


Originally Posted By: jmurray
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Bruce, with the above example that I gave (18 defects) only 4 were fixed in a one month period. This client is gonna raise some trouble with the seller but, that’s OK with potential $150.00 an hour consulatation charges. icon_wink.gif


Originally Posted By: wwarner
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you to do your job for free, because their friends do… you don’t need them. They’ll be nothing but trouble in the future. Charge what you want, but do charge for your services.


Originally Posted By: msylvester
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I just had a call the other day from an agent who I work with alot. She wanted me to do a re-inspect for her clients who used there HI from there last home. I asked why wont the other HI do the re-inspect. Her comment was well “he was a nice guy” but I told my clients that you were much more detailed. So I wanted them to use you. Wow made me feel great.


I told her that I would not look at the report from the other HI and only look at the issues that were to be corrected.


My charge $150


The clients thought it was worth every penny. They paid the original HI $250 for his inspection. Wow thats a deal.

Our time is always worth money, never sell yourself out....


Originally Posted By: ksitzes
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Hi,


I attended a Convention this year where Robert W. Pearson of Allen Insurance talks about liability on this topic.

According to Robert W. Pearson of Allen Insurance Group if you due a re-inspection you take on the liability again. Let the person who did the repairs keep that liability on him or her. Why due you want them problem or maybe get sued over some one else repair work.