Hello I’m a new inspector and haven’t done an inspection yet. I was trying to get info on what should I charge for an inspection on a 2000 sqft house that is built in 2007 and has natural gas hook up? If anyone could give me any kind of advice too I’ll deffinently take it… Thank you
Do a local internet search to find what the going rate is in your area.
How much do skilled trades charge customers for labor? eg shop labor at new car dealer?
To make money your hourly rate should be at least double the wage of a skilled worker, eg mechanic gets 30 bucks an hour, you should be charging at least 60 because, if an inspection takes 3 hours you also have to budget 3+ hours for related time you won’t have to do anything else, such as getting there, writing the report, marketing etc…
Having said that, the most important number is whatever the going rate in your area is. It doesn’t much matter what guys 100 miles away or across the country charge. You are the new guy, what can you offer that the other guys can’t? Maybe its only a few bucks less.
Hi Matthew,
I hope you meant to say " you’ve never performed an inspection for $$. Before I started I did 5 mock inspections, on my house, Relative & friends houses just to get an idea of how to make it flow. So my advice to you would be, if you haven’t yet performed any inspections, for a fee or otherwise, decline the inspection until you have performed a few.
As for a 2k sq ft home on a slab or full basement, my charge would be $425.00.
Add more $$ for detached structures, pools, hot tubs, crawlspaces, Radon test.
Where are u located
Hi Matthew, can you fill in your profile information so we know where you’re from?
I would keep your fee on the lower end of the scale to start with as you’re the new guy on the block and once you get your feet wet you can start sliding that up incrementally.
As said above do as many mock inspections as you can on friends and families houses.
Write up a full report for each inspection just as if it were “real”.
Once you think you’ve got the report writing under control you might consider having Kenton Shepard look over your report. He charges less than a hundred I believe but it would be invaluable advice imho.
Good Luck!
Tom
I agree, plus if you can get the opportunity to do a few ride-alongs (you may have to leave your immediate market area to get an inspector to agree to this) its also a great learning tool. PS you’ll have to pay him in almost all cases.
Where R U
Here In NY CITY the prices really are by
3 family homes $600
2 family homes $500
1 family homes $400
Detached garages etc. Additional $100
In Manhattan I get an extra $50 for each
Termite/radon/energy inspections extra $150
Does this help
So many on here complain about the low ball inspector and here you are advising him to be the low ball inspector?
Thanks guys! I got quite a few mock inspections under my belt and found out the going rate… Thanks for all your reply’s…I Think im ready now…wish me luck…
I was thinking the same…
When I started out, I looked around to see what the lowest and highest fees were in my area, then I chose the upper middle. I knew from the beginning I didn’t want to be the cheap one.
If you start low, it will be hard to go up. I know of 3 inspectors within 10 miles of me and with whom I regularly meet, who tell me they are having a hard time raising their fees.
That’s what I did. I’m still not the most expensive but my fees are twice the lowest in the area.
Here’s an honest question for you David…
What is it going to take for you “to be the most expensive” in your area?
Not sure why you threw this into the mix, but it shouldn’t have any reflection on the price or what you charge…
Duh!
Look at all the extra work involved with inspecting the fuel supply system and the venting system **vs **a few wires and a few breakers (all appliances) !!! :shock:
:twisted:
Exactly!!..answer to the OP question: Find out how much the most expensive home inspector is, and the least expensive, in your area, and their contact info.
When someone calls, charge just a little less, or the same as, the the most expensive. Ask them if they want the cheapest, and offer to give them the phone number of the cheapest inspector in the area. Be prepared to tell them why you are so much more expensive than the cheapest guy.
This method gives me about a 90% closing rate on every phone call.
The words I used were, “lower end of the spectrum”.
I’m not advocating a 199.00 inspection. Get real.
The guy is just starting out. Should he be getting the going rate for an experienced inspector? Of course not.
I believe that he should keep his prices low as he starts out for two reasons.
One- it may help him get more inspections. What he needs more than any thing else right now is experience.
Two- Anyone starting out in a new line of work should be earning less than those who have been doing it for years. Thats common sense. You think it should be different just because he’s going into home inspection?
If he does the work correctly he’ll get a hopefully loyal group of realtors to refer him. Raising his prices once he does that would be a given.
Tom
Good luck Matthew.
Take your time & be as thorough as you can be.