What Do You Say When >>

[James L. Keilson]

Originally Posted by dbowers

The Kansas law parrot's ALL national home inspection SoP's and refers to SPOT-Checking identical components.

Some guys do the 1 p/room - others do more / Same as NACHI, ASHI, NAHI.

No biggie ........ The cheapies would be minimalists WITH or WITHOUT state licensing.

That was my point to Gary. Being the low baller cheapy guy on the block has absolutely nothing to do with being Licensed or not.

Jim

[Jeff Merritt]

Originally Posted by gfarnsworth

Jeff, I recently said the same thing. Good luck. Here in Kansas, inspections for $199 to $249 are normal, and that is on any size home with termite. You can get radon for $79.

Here in Kansas, laws allow for basic limited reports. No appliances are required to be inspected; only one outlet, one window, one switch, one wall per room. This presents the one hour $199 inspection, all allowed by law.

It is tough to compete with that. My web site contains all of the necessary explanations. Doesn't help. Now, it is all about price. Licensing has dumbed-down our profession.

We have inspectors following the state of Il standards of practice and doing $200.00 single family inspections, and $ 150.00 codo inspecions down town with parking costing $20.00-$30.00

[James L. Keilson]

I think it is more about Location !!! What the economy is where you are, the housing market, the average income, the housing costs, the amount of inspectors in your area, etc... those factors are what determine the Inspection prices, not licensing. As a matter of fact licensing "should" help to weed out those failed conspectors and RE Agents that do home inspections on the side and take them away from the professional Home Inspectors.

Jim

[Robert W. Jude]

what licensing DOES do is define what it takes to become an inspector, which makes more, thus lowering demand and pricing.

[Gary Farnsworth]

Do you check appliances? Not in Kansas. Do you check every outlet, every switch, every door, every window? Not required in Kansas. Do you check water pressure? Take off the electrical panel? Not required by law in Kansas.

I guess it is time to offer a $199 inspection, or a $450 inspection, and let the buyer and his/her agent to decide. Sad what licensing has brought.

[ROBERT V. YOUNG]

I agree with Russell.
I try to meet a client 24 hours before to seal the deal.Have them sign contract and agreements etc.
Now I offer free inspection if I am unprofessional.
You should have tried to sell yourself to the lady.
Explain that you are worth the money and cheaper inspections mean they are going to do cheaper work. That is the case or scenario I give when clients ask me for a bargain.
It all boils down to you get what you pay for.
Too bad. Next time sharpen the pencil and sell sell sell yourself. You had her. Do not let her go until all possible venues are hashed out. Offer her a maintenance inspection 100 days after she 's moved in. days. Sell.

[James H. Bushart]

Originally Posted by jkeilson

OK so I had a customer that I did an inspection on 2 weeks ago in and I believe it went very well as the Client referred me to a friend that also needed a home Inspection. OK so this past Saturday this referral called me and we spoke for a bit and we had the Inspection and WDI and set up for today. Well I get a call this morning that she wants to cancel because she found someone cheaper? In the 1st place I do not think I was very expensive. I typically never lose Inspections for prices.

OK so when I asked her why she wanted to cancel, she told me she found a cheaper Inspector. What do you say at that point? other than OK bye?.

Jim

It's never happened to me...but if it did I would probably say something like..."Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were looking for the cheapest inspector available. I always refer people who can't afford a good home inspection to the super-cheap guy in Springfield. His name is XXX. If you would like to cancel the one you have and arrange for him I'm really sure he could get you an inspection for even less than you are paying, now. Want his number?"

[James L. Keilson]

Originally Posted by gfarnsworth

Do you check appliances? Not in Kansas. Do you check every outlet, every switch, every door, every window? Not required in Kansas. Do you check water pressure? Take off the electrical panel? Not required by law in Kansas.

I guess it is time to offer a $199 inspection, or a $450 inspection, and let the buyer and his/her agent to decide. Sad what licensing has brought.

Gary it sounds like you have some ****ty Agents and or clients that simply are IDIOTS and don't care about a quality Inspection. Are they satisfied paying 199 bucks and never really know the true condition of their major Investment? Does it make them feel better to just say they had an inspection? If they want to go with a cheapo guy for 199 bucks, then in reality they should just save that 199 bucks as what they will get is a 199 buck shi&^&TTY inspection. In my area you need to be on top of your game and be the best Inspector possible and anything short of that will not get you any work. Licensing to me has raised the bar on the quality, not the reverse as you keep saying. Only the strong survive here.

The few cheap guys come and go, but never survive the long haul.

Jim

[James L. Keilson]

Originally Posted by jbushart

It's never happened to me...but if it did I would probably say something like..."Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were looking for the cheapest inspector available. I always refer people who can't afford a good home inspection to the super-cheap guy in Springfield. His name is XXX. If you would like to cancel the one you have and arrange for him I'm really sure he could get you an inspection for even less than you are paying, now. Want his number?"

Jim that is perfect.. This does not happen much, as a matter of fact 1st time for me, so I was caught with my pants down and had no quick reply to give. I like what you said and will use it if that occasion unfortunately ever pops up again.

Jim

[ROBERT V. YOUNG]

We have to be open to professionalism and the concerns of new inspectors getting there feet wet at the same time.
Not all calls are from buyers that have been sent to you through agents.
Your website creates flow.
The new social networking system we live in can drive business away as well as increase your volume.
So just as your name is used often for being good, qualified, experienced, long history in the market-place, your name also gets lost if you are rude.
You have to have the social and sales skills to keep that client you had booked in the first place..
Your name and how you treat clients travels fast with established professionals. If you are rude to one see what happens.
Yes layers and accounts, other professionals do ask for give and take on price every now and then.
So wanting to answering them with a mindless jester seems like the right thing to do , dignity and a good marketing strategy will win every time.
Remember that sales and marketing success are key strategies, along with being proficient and professional.
Its a hand and hand relationship in my opinion.

[Dan Bowers, CMI]

Gary -

Licensing didn't bring many of these things you're talking about / They're part of the NACHI, ASHI or NAHI Standards already.

1) Do you check appliances? Not in Kansas (If you want to you do ... If you don't want to you don't).

2) Do you check every outlet, every switch, every door, every window? Not required in Kansas (If you want to you do ... If you don't want to you don't).

3) Do you check water pressure (If you want to you do ... If you don't want to you don't).

"Sad what licensing has brought".

Read your own SoP's, as well as MOST states with licensing. They've for the most part mirrored NACHI or ASHI or NAHI.

Gary - You can go as FAR as you want to / SoP's are the minimum.

[James L. Keilson]

Originally Posted by dbowers

Gary -



Read your own SoP's, as well as MOST states with licensing. They've for the most part mirrored NACHI or ASHI or NAHI.

Gary - You can go as FAR as you want to / SoP's are the minimum.

Dan that is 100% correct. Same as state licensing is the bare minimum to become a Home Inspector. After that little hurdle, it is up to the individual Inspector to continue learning and becoming the best they can be and strive to be better than their competition. This all has Nothing to do with licensing.

Jim

[Gary Farnsworth]

As non-inspectors often read this message board, I am just trying to get my point across about how low-priced inspectors get away with charging low prices, and getting away with writing soft, basic, say-almost-nothing reports.
It is sad what the agents and lawmakers are now allowing inspectors to do, all by law. It has only dumbed-down our profession, and has cost hundreds of veteran inspectors, such as Dan and myself, lost business.

It now never matters how much experience you have, how long you have been in business, or how many initials you have by your name, it only matters how cheap you are and if you are state licensed.

[James L. Keilson]

Originally Posted by gfarnsworth

As non-inspectors often read this message board, I am just trying to get my point across about how low-priced inspectors get away with charging low prices, and getting away with writing soft, basic, say-almost-nothing reports.
It is sad what the agents and lawmakers are now allowing inspectors to do, all by law. It has only dumbed-down our profession, and has cost hundreds of veteran inspectors, such as Dan and myself, lost business.

It now never matters how much experience you have, how long you have been in business, or how many initials you have by your name, it only matters how cheap you are and if you are state licensed.

I hear what you are saying, but that's not because of licensing itself, its the easy standards. But at least it keeps the Total unskilled person with not even a clue out of the loop and sets a "Minimum" standard. Does that mean the guy with the minimum standard is a good inspector? No you are right, but it is a start anyway to legitimize this profession and at a minimum separate us from just any 2 bit idiot walking the streets from inspecting homes.

Jim