Re-Inspections

[Gary T. Heller]

What do you give your clients on re-inspections? Written reports? Photos? Do you charge a standard fee? I have two scheduled but I haven't done them before.

[mnahrgang]

It depends upon what we have agreed to. Most of the time, I get a list of things from them that they want checked, and I check them. Usually in and out in less that half an hour. Usually charge $100.00. Usually no report. Just checking to see if the deficiencies stated have been addressed.

[Larry D. Kage]

What are you reinspecting?

Is it a utilities off thing or inaccessible area? I may just do an addendum to my original report for that.

If it is a repaired item, I ask for the receipts from the licensed/qualified contractor/company to review (and I reference those). And I make it clear that I am only verifying that a correction was made not its future performance or adequacy.

I typically charge in the same range hourly as home inspections.

[Joe Funderburk, CMI]

I charge $150 for the 1st hour and $100 pro-rated for each additional hour. From my website:

"Re-inspections: Re-inspections are accepted on a case-by-case basis, and should not be necessary if licensed contractors performed the repairs. There is a flat fee for the 1st hour (or part of), plus $100 pro-rated for each additional hour.Consultation and report writing is included in time calculations. Additional charges may apply depending on distance. Total cost will not be higher than the original inspection. Note that often a re-inspection is often essentially the same thing as a repeat inspection with tests to various windows, outlets, doors, plumbing fixtures, appliances, HVAC systems and return visits to the attics and crawl spaces, etc. Then we summarize the findings in a written report. A re-inspection costs us time and fuel and means we can't be somewhere else earning compensation. All these factors are considered when setting the fees listed above. To request a re-inspection, please complete the appropriate Agreement here"

[Bruce A. King]

Joe has it covered well.

Beware of these re-inspections, lots of distractions, emotions and shoddy repairs involved in these. Crawlspace items, travel time and expect several phone calls from agents and clients that can total over one hour making the total time to do a typical re-inspection 2-3 hours.

If you have E&O, you will void all coverage on every single item you reinspect. Insurance companies know where the complaints and problems come from and you guessed it, re-inspections.

If something has been improved but not 100 percent, flag it as wrong or you will pay later. If you ever do a re-inspection and think eveything has been repaired, look again to see what you missed. I have never done one that had more than 70 percent of the re-inspection list items corrected properly.
New homes usually have exactly 50 percent done correctly.

[Mike Hazelwood]

Here is an example of how I print my reinspection reports.

PREVIOUS FINDING:
[R] 4170: Water heater pipes reversed (cold water plumbed to hot water side).
See original photo(s) 4170.
CURRENT STATUS:
This finding was found to be unchanged and not corrected.
or
The corrections attempted for this finding appear incorrect.
or
The corrections attempted for this finding appear incomplete.
or
This finding appears corrected.

I charge aprox. 100 per hr. with a 75 min.

Works for me

[Kevin Luce]

I include a re-inspection on all my home inspections. I charge $25.00 more per job but people don't mind when they find out that many home inspectors around here do not do re-inspections or charge more than the $25.00 extra that we are charging them. This is one thing that seperate us from other home inspection companies and it works.

When it comes to the report. Always put it in writing if you are getting paid for it. I have a one page report on the things that were corrected properly and the things that were not corrected properly.

O yes, when it comes to the number of people that call us up to do the re-inspection, the number is low. I do about 3 re-inspections per month and Allen insurance will cover you.

I just went back for a re-inspection on a roof. The one guy that installed the North side of the roof did a great job. The other guy that installed the South side of the roof did not.

[Russel Ray]

Originally Posted by mnahrgang

It depends upon what we have agreed to. Most of the time, I get a list of things from them that they want checked, and I check them. Usually in and out in less that half an hour. Usually charge $100.00. Usually no report. Just checking to see if the deficiencies stated have been addressed.

Ditto, except that I charge half the cost of the original inspection fee, rounded up to the nearest 9, with a $99 minimum.

[Ben L. Garrison]

Originally Posted by bking

Joe has it covered well.

Beware of these re-inspections, lots of distractions, emotions and shoddy repairs involved in these. Crawlspace items, travel time and expect several phone calls from agents and clients that can total over one hour making the total time to do a typical re-inspection 2-3 hours.

If you have E&O, you will void all coverage on every single item you reinspect. Insurance companies know where the complaints and problems come from and you guessed it, re-inspections.

If something has been improved but not 100 percent, flag it as wrong or you will pay later. If you ever do a re-inspection and think eveything has been repaired, look again to see what you missed. I have never done one that had more than 70 percent of the re-inspection list items corrected properly.
New homes usually have exactly 50 percent done correctly.

What Bruce said.

[Russel Ray]

Originally Posted by bking

Beware of these re-inspections, lots of distractions, emotions and shoddy repairs involved in these.

Just like inspecting a brand new home that has never been lived in.

Originally Posted by bking

Crawlspace items, travel time and expect several phone calls from agents and clients that can total over one hour making the total time to do a typical re-inspection 2-3 hours.

Just like inspecting a brand new home that has never been lived in.

Originally Posted by bking

If you have E&O, you will void all coverage on every single item you reinspect.

Not true at all. I can speak from seven years of experience on that one, and my eighth is under way.

Originally Posted by bking

Insurance companies know where the complaints and problems come from and you guessed it, re-inspections.

How did you get such good information from the insurance companies. I figured if Bushart couldn't do it, no one could.

Originally Posted by bking

If you ever do a re-inspection and think eveything has been repaired, look again to see what you missed. I have never done one that had more than 70 percent of the re-inspection list items corrected properly. New homes usually have exactly 50 percent done correctly.

"Never ... more than 70 percent?" "Exactly 50 percent"? Better be careful. You'll be lumped in with me pretty soon as iNACHI's greatest liars.

[Bruce A. King]

Not true with FREA E&O, see Ben's post, he works at FREA.

Where do you have E&O that does not void items reinspected?

[Kevin Luce]

Originally Posted by bking

Not true with FREA E&O, see Ben's post, he works at FREA.

Where do you have E&O that does not void items reinspected?

Allen insurance. I have had them for the last 5 years and made sure I was insured for re-inspections. Allen insurance does not recommend re-inspections but will cover you.

[Larry D. Kage]

Originally Posted by Kevin Luce

Allen insurance. I have had them for the last 5 years and made sure I was insured for re-inspections. Allen insurance does not recommend re-inspections but will cover you.

Yes, I asked the same question, with the same results.

[Bruce A. King]

Hopefully Ben will get FREA to match that deal real soon.


We could put together an industry standard that describes items in detail that just can not be fully reinspected and have clients sign it.

For example, the A/C was running but not cooling the day of the inspection, some poor inspector goes back a week later and signs off on it.

Then a month later, the refrigerant has leaked down again and the proper diagnosis is multiple coil leaks, new unit needed, $5k+

How about it Ben? Lets work up a system that works for everyone or we will have to go where the coverage is.

[cduphily]

Case by case basis but a re-inspection usually takes under an hour = $150 + revised report.