Charge separately for Thermal Imaging?

[William J. Decker]

Originally Posted by krichardson

ps...Will, your wrong!! My answer to the client in the above scenario would have been..."A home inspection is a snapshot in time and if there was no visual evidence of the leaky toilet, then there is no way I could have predicted the furture." I would not have even brought up ITI.

Sorry if you thought I was slamming you or attacking. That was not my intension. Just giving my opinion, for what its worth.

My point with the story (which has happened a couple of time, to me) is that a general interior scan revealed something (the leaky toilets) that I would have missed without doing the scan. Because of this, I saved my client some agrivation. The seller wasn't even aware of the problem (no visual evidence at the time of the inspection).

That was my only point. I caught something that I otherwise would have missed because I use the camera with every inspection.

I am NOT saying that everyone should do what I do, by no means. Just giving one opinion.

Hope this helps;

[Kevin A. Richardson]

Originally Posted by wdecker

Sorry if you thought I was slamming you or attacking. That was not my intension. Just giving my opinion, for what its worth.

My point with the story (which has happened a couple of time, to me) is that a general interior scan revealed something (the leaky toilets) that I would have missed without doing the scan. Because of this, I saved my client some agrivation. The seller wasn't even aware of the problem (no visual evidence at the time of the inspection).

That was my only point. I caught something that I otherwise would have missed because I use the camera with every inspection.

I am NOT saying that everyone should do what I do, by no means. Just giving one opinion.

Hope this helps;

I didn't think you wer slamming or attacking.

Debates are always healthy and good....they gets us thinking about all aspects of whats involved.

Kevin

[Michael Larson]

Originally Posted by wdecker

That was my only point. I caught something that I otherwise would have missed because I use the camera with every inspection.

This is true for a number of the tools we may have in our bag.

It is supposed to be a visual inspection. Perhaps that will change in the future.

[bzimbelman]

Originally Posted by mlarson

This is true for a number of the tools we may have in our bag.

It is supposed to be a visual inspection. Perhaps that will change in the future.

Michael -

Not to start a fight , but I could go both ways on the visual inspection thing. Yes, it 'sees' something I cannot see with my naked eye. But then so does your thermometer, no? One can make the case that what we mean by that phrase is that we do not do anything destructive to the house.

On the other hand, if it has to be strictly visual, then can we use moisture meters, thermometers, etc?

Now, I'm not saying that a thermal imaging scan is part of a normal home inspection, but then neither was a moisture meter or many of the other tools we use today if you look at what was (and in some cases is) used five or ten years ago. Written reports were hand written back then too.

So the question I have is, if gas sniffers, moisture meters, and all of the other tools we have are now considered a standard almost required tool to have as a home inspector, why is it that this tool is not considered in the same vein? Is it the new factor, it just hasn't become that accepted yet, but it will? Is it the price? Or is there something else about this tool that makes it different then all the other tools?

Again, not trying to start a fight, but figured I'd throw it out there and see if anything constructive came of it...

-- bz

[Michael Larson]

Originally Posted by bzimbelman

Not to start a fight

Not fight'n, just having a friendly argument as Will stated.

The -what is a Home Inspection?- line has become blurred and in the end we all have to make individual business decisions and access our added risks while consulting with our legal advisers etc.

[ekartal6]

The home inspection agreement plays a role here too. If we choose to exceed the inspection type that's stated in our agreement, a rider or addendum should be used. I wouldn't consider using a moisture meter the same as a thermal camera in the sense that the meter is used to verify something that you see with the naked eye. Perhap the best way to do this would be to change your basic agreement to one that includes a thermal survey and just charge more. If you can sell the client on why you charge more then it's a done deal.

[William J. Decker]

Originally Posted by mlarson

Not fight'n, just having a friendly argument as Will stated.

Pistols, at dawn, my friend

The -what is a Home Inspection?- line has become blurred and in the end we all have to make individual business decisions and access our added risks while consulting with our legal advisers etc.

My point, exactly.

Professions grow and take on new aspects. Competitors go things better, different and new. That is how you set yourself apart and get more business.

Iron sharpens iron.

[Rick A. Harrington]

Just wanted to get a feel here with the tools issues and using them all during a home inspection.

How long is your typical home inspection using all the tools in the bag including the IR camera?. I think I do a thorough job and I'm always over 2 hours now and I don't have a problem with that. ( it just might be I like to talk to much ).

THanks,