A question to ask (yourself) every time you book an inspection job.

Could I have charged more and still gotten this inspection job?

Don’t leave money on the table, it harms our entire industry. Keep applying a little upwards pressure on your fee structure.

http://www.nachi.org/fee-calculator.htm

Great advice. :smiley:

Man do I agree! I was told today that I was the cheapest so far! I must have been asleep at the wheel!

I am a little more expensive than a lot of my competition in Richmond. I am cheaper than most of my competition when I go all the way the Northern VA. I am not sure how I could book any inspections if I used the default settings on the NACHI calculator.

Don’t use the default settings. You have to set the calculator up and experiment with it by adjusting the default settings first.

I don’t need a calculator I just check my bank account I have made more money in the month of April than Two T-360 IR camera cost

It was said that I charge to much or that I find to much to report then why have three clients hired me to do another inspection when the first fell through. I have used the fee calculater and also used my own defaults to calculate fees then from there I adjust my fee it does work

This is ridiculous, but almost every other call starts out:

Hello, we’ve got a list of names the realtor, lender, etc gave us and we’re calling to get quotes on a home inspection and see who has the best deal.

How much do you charge?

You then start your sales spiel … experience, qualifications - how this can help them save money, etc AND about 1/3 just don’t even listen BUT, say something like “Yeah, OK I got that now how much … Wow thats way more (at least $45) more than the other guys … Bye”

I’ve seen Gary Farnsworth talk about this and we’re even having lenders tell people they should not expect to pay more than ***** ($250 gets used a lot)

Coming to a city near you.

Due to the bad home inspection laws implemented in Kansas, that allow for cheap, low-cost $199 inspections, any home inspector that gets any experience, becomes a CMI, and advertises about his/her expericence, no longer gets any business or gets recommended to a home buyer. It is all about price: St. Louis, Wichita, any other mid-west city, and it’s coming to you.

It is best to advertise yourself as a new inspector, with no experience, and at a low cost. You will get all the business you can handle for a year or two. Then, it’s all over for you when the next newbie comes along.

I guess you did not read this thread, Gary. http://www.nachi.org/forum/f2/reasons-optimistic-71540/

Just realistic. I do not BS like most other inspectors do.

Gary -

Had my sister shop the $225 up to 3,500sf guy yesterday. She said as soon as she asked how much, he went into the spiel about how you need to watch out for the untrained low-ballers OR guys that will try and gouge you by tacking on $$$ for extra A/C units; over 75 year old houses; crawlspaces; over 4,000sf houses, etc. He said he has 1 fee for all.

Amazing … $225 and hes warning her to watch out for El Cheapo;s

maybe it’s like that where you are, but Here that is a crock of poop, and I know many other homie friends that would agree. The general public where you live must be morons if they listen to the crap that the RE agents shovel them. Or you don’t know how to educate them why an experienced competent inspector is worth the extra money on such an important investment. Sell your skills man, and stop being so negative.

Jim

With all due respect, your calculator is way off and you will book less jobs using it. "To leave less money on the table "you should quote your fees based on where the home is and how much it is selling for just like you first taught me 10 years ago sitting at our table in Nashville, TN.

I will always be the most expensive and I tell people that. If they want the best they have to pay for it. This may be an arrogant attitude but I don’t care. If you play second fiddle then that is what you charge and that is how you perform an inspection. If I found out my competition jumped to where I was I would raise my price immediatly to be higher. When I first started I was on par with everyone but a year later I was $50 more. Now I beleive I am $75 to $100 more then them and I book 90% of my phone calls. I think people hear quality and sincerity in your voice when they call and that is why they book with you instead of the other guy. JMO

Why is it always about money?

I have never ever since day one concentrated on MONEY. I have and will always concentrate on quality. I am the firmest believer that in our society today the excessive lack of quality makes people think everyone is the same and then it always boils down to price. I mean if everyone sucks why pay a premium?

How am I with my competition? I really have no idea. Clients tell me I am more expensive, but who knows? I charge what I feel I am worth and if I leave a few dollars on the table, so be it. I do alright and am happy with my income.

Instead of asking did I leave a few bucks on the table, think “How can better serve this client, than I did the last”. That is the secret in my opinion.

You can’t serve your client properly if you don’t charge enough.

You need to be able to afford time off to recharge. You need to be able to afford to take additional training and continuing education. You need to be able to afford good equipment and tools. You need to be able to afford to take your time on an inspection and not rush out to another one because you aren’t charging enough.

I’d even go as far as saying: **The best thing you can do to serve your client is to charge them more.

**Nothing more harmful to a client than a starving, under-charging inspector… other than maybe a starving lawyer or real estate agent.

We disagree…so be it.

I can afford to take time off…years if need be. I can afford training, in Australia if need be. I have over $150,000 in equipment. I take exactly enough time to complete the job in a superior manner.

So your telling me I am wrong and yet I meet your criteria…so then how can it be wrong?

Sounds like you are following the advice in this thread. Not every inspector is.

Show me an inspector who provides comparable service to yours Russell, but doesn’t charge much… and I’ll show you an inspector soon to be out of business.