Best one stop shop for mold/radon samples??

[bwestcott]

First post as a member. Yahoo!

I am considering offering ancillary services and first wanted to see if there was a choice of reputable businesses that provide testing of multiple items (mold, radon, lead, asbestos, etc). Any reference to cost would be appreciated as well, along with ease of service.

FYI: I searched the topic without satisfaction.

Thanks in advance!

Brian

[Nick Gromicko]

www.reliablelab.com

[dbelmont]

I'm with Nick on this. Pro Lab has always been convenient, helpful and offered services at a fair price. That's assuming you want to get equipped to do these ancillary inspections and not just hire a sub. Frankly I can't imagine being able to net enough from a sub to make it worthwhile. Since there's great synergy between these services (takes you less time) and the perceived value is high (lets you charge more) it's a no-brainer IMO.

Is definitely a good idea from a business point of view. In the 3 years since I started offering mold sampling as part of the home inspection I've gotten my investment back many time over. Now I've added Energy audits and Thermal Imaging as well. With water testing and radon it puts my typical inspection price above 1500.

From a business perspective it takes a lot of work to find a client. It makes perfect sense to maximize what you can legitimately sell to that client. While not every one will buy every service if you couch the explanations to show how it minimizes their risk of surprises down the road a high number (80% plus) will buy some extra service. And the extras typically are what is known as a blind price. The consumer may have an idea about what a lowball home inspection will cost but seldom do they have a sense of the extras. (hence the term blind) It can let you rebuild your profit margin on an inspection after having to give away the visual inspection below your cost.

[Scott Gilligan, CMI]

Asbestos and Lead are regulated substances in alost every state. Sampling for them requires special training and licensure in most cases. I would seriously consult with your states environmental authority before just going out there and offering these services. There can be some significant fines associated. Radon is also regulated in many states as well.

If you don't have training in these areas and are going into environmental testing without any kind of knowledge, you can set yourself up for some significant liability. I would suggest looking into taking a few courses on each subject before offering them to the general public. Selling environmental services as part of a home inspection takes practice and a solid understanding of each service. Giving out wrong information or not revealing certain facts can make you look unprofessional and effect the health of a home owner.

Take as many course as you can on a subject so that you get different opinions and perspectives. I would suggest paying for a membership with ESA and taking their courses on mold, radon, asbestos & lead awareness.

[Nick Gromicko]

http://www.nachi.org/green.htm