Who has the best price for a FLIR i50 now?

[Wayne Lamothe]

Originally Posted by jlerch

Just goes to show that no question is too simply to be controversial

Thermal Imaging threads are always so entertaining.

[Chuck Lambert]

Originally Posted by sgilligan1

I am looking to buy a new FLIR i50 within the next 2 weeks and was wondering who is offering the best deal right now. Any distributers want to contact me and offer me a deal that is better than the MSRP?

I am thinking about buying in Philadelphia, any home inspector deals right now?? I am a penny pincher, any home inspectors want to contact me and offer me a deal that is better than the next?

There are better and more effective ways to look for a deal than that!!!

[David A. Andersen]

Yes they are!

There is a difference!
A BCAM is a BCAM regardless of who sells it!
A home inspector cannot be compared with another home inspector.

Purchase price is about being in the right place at the right time.
I purchased my first thermal camera $2000 less than the going price.
I purchased my second camera $7000 less than the going price. Both cameras were the last one on the shelf, and new models were coming in!
I was able to sell my first camera at a substantial savings to the new owner and still recoup my investment so that I could apply it to my second camera which I can also resell at a significant savings to the new buyer but still recoup my investment.

Yes, this is an apples and orange conversation.

[John McKenna]

Originally Posted by mlarson

Huh?

"Price shoppers" as applied to selecting a home inspector are looking for lowest price for a service often without regard to real value because they don't know what to expect or even have the right questions to ask to determine value.

That's is an opportunity for the savvy HI taking the call.

"Price shopping" as applied to the purchase of Model: ABC IR imager from vendor X,Y, or Z is shopping for a commodity.

It is up to the vendor to provide any value added services that may convince the buyer to pay more.

I agree that in licensed staes the perception of the public may be that one inspector is as good as the next but we both know tha is not really true.

You are exactly right.

The value of the inspector is his ability and willingness to discern
defects and report them with sound advise. This is the primary
value that the clients are looking for.

The value of a tool is related to the ability it has to get the job
done for a specific need. Most buy a hammer to drive a few
nails. Some will buy a more sophisticated and expensive nail
gun once the need for volume demands it and the profits will
justify the the expense of the higher priced tool.

When people hire the cheapest home inspector who does
four inspections a day, they discover later that they were
not really getting true value for they thought they were
going to get.

To do a more detailed inspection takes time and tools.
We in the trade know that, but the consumer does not
always understand that cheap is not always better. Many
times it is this very misunderstanding that may end up
costing the consumer thousands of dollars in the long run,
because of a superficial inspection at the cheapest cost.

We, as inspectors, tend to look down on those in our trade
who do poor work and thus cheapen all our reputations,
as well as drive down our wages in the market place.

Buying the right tool for the right job is not immoral It
is common sense. Promising to do a quality inspection
and then doing it as fast as you can because your
pricing plan demands that you survive on high volume
is immoral.

Buying the right tool for the right job saves money
and hurts no one. Selling big promises of high quality
inspections and then racing through it because your
price is so cheap, ends up hurting everyone.

Big difference.

Everything can be seen clearly by looking at the word
"damage and intent".

But the main point... WHY MOCK a fellow member
who is simply asking for advise on a tool? This is
not the right spirit... IMHO.

James, ... what good does it do?

[James H. Bushart]

Your long winded prelude to your question has nothing to do with the topic at hand, John.

Like I said.....I plan to link this thread to the next thread that someone brings up "price shoppers" and "lowballers"....and illustrate how consumers of IR cameras are looking to reward the IR technology lowballer with their business, as well.

That's all.

[Michael Larson]

Go for it Jim but I think most will see the flaw in your argument.

[Jason Kaylor]

From a macro economics standpoint James is 100% correct. If you constantly insist on the lowest price on any product, you will eventually receive less on your own goods or services. Simply because as money flows it will flow at a lower rate, which in turn would eventually effect your own goods or services.

As proof of this, there was a report out this week that stated for the first time in the past 10 years consumers are now using debt cards more than 50% of the time instead of credit cards. Well now the credit card companies will bring in less money, which will eventually lead to lower wages or lay offs. Which will in turn lead to those people spending less money on goods and services, which will in turn lead to those consumers/businesses spending less.......etc..........etc.........etc.

Want more proof that hits home a little harder? Do we have any MI home inspectors here that would like to chime in?

Where this debate gets really nasty is, as a single business the point that is against James is also 100% correct. You have to watch your bottom line or you put yourself out of business, or because you spent more on something you can now spend less on something else, say advertising or marketing for example. Which would lead to less work, which would lead to less profit or potentially lower margins, which leads to......etc.........etc........etc.

Jason Kaylor – JJ
VP of Specialty Products
877/207-1244
AC Tool Supply
Fluke Thermal Imagers
Testo Infrared Cameras
HotShot Hi-Rez Infrared Cameras
Fluke TiR1 Resources
FLIR B60 Resources
Retrotec Duct & Blower Door
Makita Power Tools

[James H. Bushart]

Originally Posted by mlarson

Go for it Jim but I think most will see the flaw in your argument.

Perhaps.

I think that a message board made up of electronic tool salesmen would be similar to ours, however.

They would be critical of uninformed inspectors who simply used "price" to select his tool without even asking what was sacrificed in getting him the FLIR i50 at the huge discounted price. Then...like us....they would blame the lowballing salesman that sold it to us and justify the higher cost of their FLIR i50s.

Getting what you pay for is not unique to home inspections.

I am among those who think all IR gear is still overpriced. It has come down a lot in recent years, but it will get below $1000 and that is when I will buy and throw it in my toolbox with the rest of my tools.

Paying as much for it as the going prices are, I too would be forced to oversell this service as so many do in order to justify my purchase.

[John McKenna]

Originally Posted by jbushart

but it will get below $1000 and that is when I will buy

Mr Lowballer has finally revealed why he is against IR.
It cost too much (forget all the other bla, bla, bla).
But, after the price is right... he confesses that he will
buy it and promote IR as good.

BTW... he also does walk-by inspections starting at
$139 (plus $15 off if you mention his website).

So this does indeed prove that low baller inspectors will buy
the low priced tools.... while at the same time they will mock
others who are shopping for price... LOL.

[James H. Bushart]

Originally Posted by jmckenna1

Mr Lowballer has finally revealed why he is against IR.
It cost too much (forget all the other bla, bla, bla).
But, after the price is right... he confesses that he will
buy it and promote IR as good.

BTW... he also does walk-by inspections starting at
$139 (plus $15 off if you mention his website).

So this does indeed prove that low baller inspectors will buy
the low priced tools.... while at the same time they will mock
others who are shopping for price... LOL.

Go to hell, John....and I mean that in a nice way. LOL.

[John Shishilla]

Because I did not get an answer(price quote) from a Flir rep I got no value. I wanted a B50 and bought a Fluke! The Fluke was a great price and I am happy with it. I got it for less than the advertised B40 price and "I" consider it better than the B40 not as good as a B50. I fell I got value for my green stuff. I let you know more as it makes money for my Company, because that is the real value.

[John McKenna]

Originally Posted by jshishilla

Because I did not get an answer(price quote) from a Flir rep I got no value. I wanted a B50 and bought a Fluke! The Fluke was a great price and I am happy with it. I got it for less than the advertised B40 price and "I" consider it better than the B40 not as good as a B50. I fell I got value for my green stuff. I let you know more as it makes money for my Company, because that is the real value.

Congrats.

[Michael A. Gillingham]

Slap! lol