Walk-through consultations

[Karl E. Gerhauser]

My opinion as far as pay. Regular HI 4-5 hrs. at house, 5-6 hrs compiling report and imbedding photos the next day = 9-11 hrs. $375.00/11=$34.00 per hr.

Walk-through, 1.5-2 hrs. total. $99.00/2=$49.50 per hr.

[Paul Pendley]

Arm Chair attorneys at its best on this board sometimes....To each there own.

[Bob Elliott]

Hmmm
If there are 100 potential inspections at $400 a pop and one of the masters of walkthroughs does 50 of them at $50 a pop.

$40,000 income for all HI"s just went to $25,000 resulting in a loss of income to the Home Inspection community.

Before anyone starts bragging about how great their cheapo underpriced service is ,they should get unlisted number and dark shades.

killing income potential is not something to brag about.

[Karl E. Gerhauser]

Hmmm
If there are 100 potential inspections at $400 a pop and one of the masters of walkthroughs does 50 of them at $50 a pop.

$40,000 income for all HI"s just went to $25,000 resulting in a loss of income to the Home Inspection community.

Before anyone starts bragging about how great their cheapo underpriced service is ,they should get unlisted number and dark shades.

killing income potential is not something to brag about.

Hey Bob, if your talking to me, you need to read back on this thread to find that many sales in this county go with no inspection of any kind. I agree with your logic, but it doesn't apply if there was going to be no HI or after you have done them on 3 homes, they chose one and ordered a full HI.

[Linas I. Dapkus]

Karl,
Bob is a troublemaker/trouble monger. Just try to ignore him.

[Russell J. Hensel]

Originally Posted by kgerhauser

My opinion as far as pay. Regular HI 4-5 hrs. at house, 5-6 hrs compiling report and imbedding photos the next day = 9-11 hrs. $375.00/11=$34.00 per hr.

Walk-through, 1.5-2 hrs. total. $99.00/2=$49.50 per hr.

Now I see why your looking for the quick buck....if it takes you 9-11 hours for ONE home inspection....no wonder your looking for an alternative income! By the time you pay gas, equipment, insurance and all bills that go with owning a business...You'll be lucky to make $15 an hour....consider a different report writing program like Hip Pro or something...No ragging on you, but it appears your process could use a spare set of eyes and maybe help you streamline the process. NO LOWER the quality....streamline...

[Karl E. Gerhauser]

Now I see why your looking for the quick buck....if it takes you 9-11 hours for ONE home inspection....no wonder your looking for an alternative income! By the time you pay gas, equipment, insurance and all bills that go with owning a business...You'll be lucky to make $15 an hour....consider a different report writing program like Hip Pro or something...No ragging on you, but it appears your process could use a spare set of eyes and maybe help you streamline the process. NO LOWER the quality....streamline...

Russell, I agree with your thought, I have spent a lot of time struggling with this trad-off. I have not found any software that will streamline imbedding over 100 photos per report next to the approprate comment, that is the report I choose to provide my clients. That is how I distinguish myself from my competition. No I don't make as much profit as many other HIs.
Your comment was taken in the spirit meant.

[Stephen W. Stanczyk]

Originally Posted by kgerhauser

Russell, I agree with your thought, I have spent a lot of time struggling with this trad-off. I have not found any software that will streamline imbedding over 100 photos per report next to the approprate comment, that is the report I choose to provide my clients. That is how I distinguish myself from my competition. No I don't make as much profit as many other HIs.
Your comment was taken in the spirit meant.

Sorry for the thread drift, but HIP software does this.

[Bob Elliott]

Originally Posted by kgerhauser

Hey Bob, if your talking to me, you need to read back on this thread to find that many sales in this county go with no inspection of any kind. I agree with your logic, but it doesn't apply if there was going to be no HI or after you have done them on 3 homes, they chose one and ordered a full HI.

Karl ,I was speaking to the subject in general and the whole idea of Fly by(night) Inspections.

Guys in general thinking they are bright boys for offering different levels of thoroughness are not doing our industry any favors.

Perhaps instead of proudly listing psychic ability to determine a houses value by driving by with a diving rod They should just pay off the RE Agents and use a checklist to make even more $$$$$$.

I never even thought of your post ,so I hope you do not take offense.

Mr Dapkus you are an instigator.
Now I remember you .
You were that kid in High School that yelled FIGHT FIGHT before it started. LOL

[William J. Decker]

I do "consulations", and I charge for them.

If the house is not under a RE contract (the owners just want to know things, condo association problems, water intrusion inspections, safety or maintenance inspections) I do them.

Most times, it's a walk-and-talk (no report).

Good money, less work, and I get look at all kinds of cool defects, and explain them.

No problems with them.

Also, no liability. They are paying for my opinion (educated as it may be ).

Just my opinion.

[Bob Elliott]

Originally Posted by wdecker

I do "consulations", and I charge for them.

If the house is not under a RE contract (the owners just want to know things, condo association problems, water intrusion inspections, safety or maintenance inspections) I do them.

Most times, it's a walk-and-talk (no report).

Good money, less work, and I get look at all kinds of cool defects, and explain them.

No problems with them.

Also, no liability. They are paying for my opinion (educated as it may be ).

Just my opinion.

Will.....
Condo associations agree to no report?
That's crazy talk

[Brian C. Hoagland]

Why not just charge $95.00 an hour and complete the full inspection. The competitor is complaining because you are taking clients out of the system, providing a substandard service and he feels the law prevents him from competing with you. Cheaper is never better, your clients want to circumvent the expense of a full inspection and you are enableing them. Hey, souls in hell want icewater too. The entire industry would be better off if nobody provided this reduced fee incomplete service. I don't wish you any difficulty with the law and I certainly don't want to infer that your integrity is in question but I don't agree with time restrictions on inspections or set fees for set times. I have been guilty of irrational anger and raving on this subject in the past. I hope I managed to hold it together this time to get my point accross.

[Bob Elliott]

Originally Posted by bhoagland

Why not just charge $95.00 an hour and complete the full inspection. The competitor is complaining because you are taking clients out of the system, providing a substandard service and he feels the law prevents him from competing with you. Cheaper is never better, your clients want to circumvent the expense of a full inspection and you are enableing them. Hey, souls in hell want icewater too. The entire industry would be better off if nobody provided this reduced fee incomplete service. I don't wish you any difficulty with the law and I certainly don't want to infer that your integrity is in question but I don't agree with time restrictions on inspections or set fees for set times. I have been guilty of irrational anger and raving on this subject in the past. I hope I managed to hold it together this time to get my point accross.

Yes you did.

[Doug Edwards, CMI]

The same argument might be made for those who offer IR (or wells, or septic tanks, or you name it inspections) as part of the standard HI, and not charge for it.
He is offering a service for a fee. Most of the time these types of walk through consultations are for investors who are looking at multiple dwellings or buildings, they may only be in town for a few days and time is critical.

They generally have narrowed the field down to a couple of buildings and now want someone who can pick the flys**t out of the pepper and inform them as to unseen or latent problems that the average investor will not see or draw the proper inferences on. They are simply paying for his expertise and knowledge to better make the decision on which properties to make a bid on. Many professions do this / consultations all the time; lawyers, roofers, plumbers, etc. and get paid for it.

Military people do this often as well, as they are only given a few days of "house hunting" leave and have to literally hit the ground running, have several properties already lined up to see before they even check into a hotel. They do not have time to listen to some self absorbed HI drone on about the history of kiln fired bricks or Orangeberg DWV pipes for hours and the superiority of their 86 page report with pictures and circles and arrows.

The inspector always has to have the permission of the property owners to do these and it is usually fast, rapid fire, in and out and on to the next property.
If he can market these, has willing customers, sellers, Realtors and has the blessings of his State, it is called Free Enterprise and Captalism. These almost always turn into full inspections on those properties the buyers ends up purchasing.

[Bob Elliott]

New Announcement.

I am planning on buying mrsniff.com and will be providing gas leak and mold services for a very low ,small nominal fee.

For $59.99 I will declare a home Mold and gas leak free with a quick sniff.
Just open the door.
This will save time for buyers in a hurry.