Pricing for Radon Testing

[David L. Christopher]

I'm located in NE Ohio area and will be adding radon inspection services in the next 2-3 months. I have very little information on what other inspectors are charging for these tests. (1) I understand that for some, I will become competition when I start to offer this. (2) I want to do what is right and be competitive, not undercutting.

With this in mind, can anyone provide me with some "ground rules" that will help me establish this service while not cutting the throats of my colleagues?

Thanks,

Dave

[mnahrgang]

David,
I like your attitude about your colleagues. But remember they are also your competition so don't feel bad about taking their business from them. Make some phone calls and tell them what you just said here, and ask them. Some might hang up on you, but most will probably respect your honesty and tell you what they charge. Many might have them posted on their web site as well. You will probably get ranges from about $85.00 to $150.00. Also ask them what type of devices they use and how long they leave them on site. (There is a guy here in St. Louis that uses the same monitors as I do, and charges $50.00. Realtors love him because he sets the monitor up at the beginning of the inspection and at the end gets his reading and takes the monitor home. Maybe a 2 hour test at best. )

I use my own CRM's (Sun 1027), and do my own reports. I originally charged $100 with a home inspection, or $125 stand-alone. I just recently raised the rate to $110 and $150 respectively.

[iniquette]

Mark, are you serious about the two hour radon test? Has not one single realtor or client of his directed him in the proper procedures. What a danger to his customers. Most of my clients already know how long it should take before they call me.

[ldapkus]

Originally Posted by dchristopher

I'm located in NE Ohio area and will be adding radon inspection services in the next 2-3 months. I have very little information on what other inspectors are charging for these tests. (1) I understand that for some, I will become competition when I start to offer this. (2) I want to do what is right and be competitive, not undercutting.

With this in mind, can anyone provide me with some "ground rules" that will help me establish this service while not cutting the throats of my colleagues?

Thanks,

Dave

Does Ohio require a license to test for radon? Some states require licensing but inspectors don't bother.

[Billy Boerner]

David no less than $125 if your using passive test. Even with equipment like CRM it's just not worth the hassle of having to drive back to the home to retrieve the test for anything less than $125. I personally charge $150 and easily get it without hesitation so far. What's really becoming popular in St. Louis is Video Lateral Sewer. I've been selling this inspection on 90% of my calls this year since I started offering it.

[mnahrgang]

Originally Posted by iniquette

Mark, are you serious about the two hour radon test? Has not one single realtor or client of his directed him in the proper procedures. What a danger to his customers. Most of my clients already know how long it should take before they call me.

Yep. He's a realtor gem. If you don't educate people they accept anything they hear as being gospel. I don't know what he's been told, but that's how he does things...

[Billy Boerner]

Originally Posted by mnahrgang

Yep. He's a realtor gem. If you don't educate people they accept anything they hear as being gospel. I don't know what he's been told, but that's how he does things...

How did you find out he test this way?

[mnahrgang]

Originally Posted by bboerner

How did you find out he test this way?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PNPw...x=0&playnext=1

"Well thats not the way MY inspector does a radon test... He can have it done in less than an hour..."

[David L. Christopher]

Mark,

Thank you for the response. I really don't mind taking business from the competition, but I do want to maintain an acceptable pricing structure for the profession in this area. (We actually have an inspector that advertises "Home of the $125.00 home inspection". His rate is a flat rate and this undercuts the rest of us. The caveat is that his reputation is what you would expect it to be. I did do some scouting on the web and I am finding rates around $150 - $175 depending on whether it is done in conjunction with a GHI. I really don't know what type of equipment I'll be using as I am just starting to educate myself about the test. I will be attending classes later this month for formal training by Radalink and hope to be quickly up to speed at that point. I really have no desire at this stage to produce the test results myself, instead preferring to use a state approved lab for that. (I think otherwise it will be way too much red tape/hoops to jump through) in Ohio.

[David L. Christopher]

Originally Posted by ldapkus

Does Ohio require a license to test for radon? Some states require licensing but inspectors don't bother.

Linas,

Yes Ohio does require licensing and CE's every two years.

[David L. Christopher]

Originally Posted by bboerner

David no less than $125 if your using passive test. Even with equipment like CRM it's just not worth the hassle of having to drive back to the home to retrieve the test for anything less than $125. I personally charge $150 and easily get it without hesitation so far. What's really becoming popular in St. Louis is Video Lateral Sewer. I've been selling this inspection on 90% of my calls this year since I started offering it.

Bill,

I agree with the hassle part. I typically try to keep my radial drive to 50 miles from where I live. I am finding that I am much more willing to drive further as the economic conditions have dictated that you go where the work is! I recently inspected a house that was about 45 miles away and if I were doing the radon test, I would have had to go back the next day to place the collection devices as the basement windows were open and an industrial fan was blowing air out when I arrived for the GHI. It was later determined that the radon result was over 19 picocuries. Long story short, I would have had to make 3 trips to this house.

From my understanding, when a result higher than 4 pc/L is found, another test is required for verification? If so, do you normally charge full price for this or is it done at a reduced rate?

[mnahrgang]

Originally Posted by dchristopher

Bill,

I agree with the hassle part. I typically try to keep my radial drive to 50 miles from where I live. I am finding that I am much more willing to drive further as the economic conditions have dictated that you go where the work is! I recently inspected a house that was about 45 miles away and if I were doing the radon test, I would have had to go back the next day to place the collection devices as the basement windows were open and an industrial fan was blowing air out when I arrived for the GHI. It was later determined that the radon result was over 19 picocuries. Long story short, I would have had to make 3 trips to this house.

From my understanding, when a result higher than 4 pc/L is found, another test is required for verification? If so, do you normally charge full price for this or is it done at a reduced rate?

Radalink would be a good option for your situation. Just don't believe all the hype about how great their monitors are and how bad their competitors monitors are in class. They've got excellent monitors but so does everyone else.

As for if the result is over 4, re-testing is only part of the protocol if it is the home owner doing a test. If it is for a realestate transaction and you are using a CRM then no retest is necessary. Just fix the house. If you are using passive devices you should be using two at a time anyway, and taking the average of the two.

[Douglas Wall]

I will be attending classes later this month for formal training by Radalink and hope to be quickly up to speed at that point. I really have no desire at this stage to produce the test results myself, instead preferring to use a state approved lab for that. (I think otherwise it will be way too much red tape/hoops to jump through) in Ohio.

Used Radalink, switched to Femto Tech monitors, over 13,000 tests later and never looked back.
Radalink is a good monitor, but I like the people at Femto Tech and Air Chek, Inc. (Radon.com)
Our reports are generated by Air Chek and are the best . Shawn Price at Air Chek is the contact.
Working with femto tech and Air Chek allows us to do both monitors and passive short term (schools, multi living complexes and assisted living facilities and Long term tests.

Support is essential, and Air Chek is second to none.

[Billy Boerner]

Originally Posted by mnahrgang

Radalink would be a good option for your situation. Just don't believe all the hype about how great their monitors are and how bad their competitors monitors are in class. They've got excellent monitors but so does everyone else.

As for if the result is over 4, re-testing is only part of the protocol if it is the home owner doing a test. If it is for a realestate transaction and you are using a CRM then no retest is necessary. Just fix the house. If you are using passive devices you should be using two at a time anyway, and taking the average of the two.

Mark is right. One test is good if your using a CRM device and EPA protocol states if you choose to use passive test which is fine then two will be used at the same time and the results will be averaged. If it's over 4 fix if it's below make recommendations and be on your way. Radon is a very easy test to conduct. EPA is very straight forward about it.

[David C. Macy]

David

Since you are in my same area I thought I would post.

This is from the EPA site:
EPA Recommends the Following Testing Steps:
Step 1. Take a short-term test. If your result is 4 pCi/L or higher take a follow-up test (Step 2) to be sure.



Step 2. Follow up with either a long-term test or a second short-term test:

• For a better understanding of your year-round average radon level, take a long-term test.
• If you need results quickly, take a second short-term test.

The higher your initial short-term test result, the more certain you can be that you should take a short-term rather than a long-term follow up test. If your first short-term test result is more than twice EPA's 4 pCi/L action level, you should take a second short-term test immediately.
Step 3. If you followed up with a long-term test: Fix your home if your long-term test result is 4 pCi/L or more. If you followed up with a second short-term test: The higher your short-term results, the more certain you can be that you should fix your home. Consider fixing your home if the average of your first and second test is 4 pCi/L or higher.

In regards to pricing.

My price depends on the location. If it is within 10 miles of my home I charge less.

If you use a CRM like radalink they charge a lease and per test fee. The nice features of Radalink is they do all the QA/QP & Calibrations and all the paperwork involved. There monitors read temperature, pressure and humidity and they provide free CEU recertification every 2 years.

If you have any questions I would be glad to talk to you on the phone or email.