What Do You Say When >>

OK so I had a customer that I did an inspection on 2 weeks ago in and I believe it went very well as the Client referred me to a friend that also needed a home Inspection. OK so this past Saturday this referral called me and we spoke for a bit and we had the Inspection and WDI and set up for today. Well I get a call this morning that she wants to cancel because she found someone cheaper? In the 1st place I do not think I was very expensive. I typically never lose Inspections for prices.

OK so when I asked her why she wanted to cancel, she told me she found a cheaper Inspector. What do you say at that point? other than OK bye?.

Jim

Several others have mentioned that they have a clause in their inspection agreement stating that cancellations without 48 hours notice will be billed full price. I haven’t run into this problem but have been thinking of adding something similar before I do.

I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were looking for a “cheap” inspection, I thought you wanted a “quality” inspection. Good luck.

that’s great Jeff

George, I thought about that option, but I don’t run into this that often and I don’t want to start litigation for these types of issues (for now).

Jeff, that was along the lines of what I was thinking. I really need to get the last word in on these As*&* holes that cancel at the last minute just for 25 bucks or some crap.:cool:

Jim

Jeff, I recently said the same thing. Good luck. Here in Kansas, inspections for $199 to $249 are normal, and that is on any size home with termite. You can get radon for $79.

Here in Kansas, laws allow for basic limited reports. No appliances are required to be inspected; only one outlet, one window, one switch, one wall per room. This presents the one hour $199 inspection, all allowed by law.

It is tough to compete with that. My web site contains all of the necessary explanations. Doesn’t help. Now, it is all about price. Licensing has dumbed-down our profession.

Personally I wouldn’t want to work for someone that waits until the morning of the inspection to cancel, it sounds like agent influence to me.

There isn’t much you can do, except tell them what JP said.

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Monday I got a call from a nice female investor who was looking for a home inspector to inspect a two unit duplex that she was purchasing. I gave her my sales speech, gave her my web address, and she said that she would probably call me back. She did Tuesday, and wanted to see if I had Thursday open. I said yes. She said she would call back to set a time. I quoted her a fair price. As I had an inspection yesterday morning (Wednesday) I let the call go to VM. I called her back 15 minutes later, and she said that her RE advised her to schedule with another inspector, which she did. She seemed reluctant to go with what her RE said. I told her good luck.

I used to have that problem. But I put that clause in my PIA about 4 years ago. Only once since then have I gotten a call like you described. When I reminded them that they still owed me whether or not I did the inspection, they changed their mind. Funny how that works. :smiley:

You should offer the slam Bam thank you type of inspection A picture of you leaving after a walk through no picture no report type of inspection. 45 dollar special .
Here is what is offered
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Yours truly
Fly BY Night inspections
Owner Billy BOB

Finished

Gary, in my area Inspections go for around 300 - 450 for typical houses and up from there for the larger McMansions and up. But I fail to see what Licensing has to do with anything here? ALL Home Inspectors must be licensed here and thus you get Jobs & Referrals by your reputation and skills. There are very few low ballers and the few that there are only last a very short time. In addition the failed contractors and RE Agents that think doing home inspections will make up for their lack of construction work or houses to sell soon find out that It’s not true and very tough expensive to be a GOOD home inspector. After that reality check they become handymen, or go to Home Depot then …well can you say Welcome to McDonalds, would you like fries with that meal…hahaha:cool:

Jim

This last couple of months I have been getting emails from realtors asking me to quote for home inspections. They don’t give the address, just square footage under air and how many bed and bathrooms. Are any of you experiencing this?

I don’t know anything about KS law, but it sounds like a bad place to be a Home inspector. Quite unfortunate.

That’s what I was thinking.:neutral: It’s not that bad around here, My schedule stays pretty busy, 7-10 full inspections a week plus Radon, and WDI’s mixed in the loop. I’m not complaining, that’s about all I can do by myself when you figure all the report writing time, and then keeping up with Marketing. If I can get a bit busier, it will be time to expand:cool:

Jim

The Kansas law parrot’s ALL national home inspection SoP’s and refers to SPOT-Checking identical components.

Some guys do the 1 p/room - others do more / Same as NACHI, ASHI, NAHI.

No biggie … The cheapies would be minimalists WITH or WITHOUT state licensing.

That was my point to Gary. Being the low baller cheapy guy on the block has absolutely nothing to do with being Licensed or not.

Jim

We have inspectors following the state of Il standards of practice and doing $200.00 single family inspections, and $ 150.00 codo inspecions down town with parking costing $20.00-$30.00

I think it is more about Location !!! What the economy is where you are, the housing market, the average income, the housing costs, the amount of inspectors in your area, etc… those factors are what determine the Inspection prices, not licensing. As a matter of fact licensing “should” help to weed out those failed conspectors and RE Agents that do home inspections on the side and take them away from the professional Home Inspectors.:cool:

Jim

what licensing DOES do is define what it takes to become an inspector, which makes more, thus lowering demand and pricing.

Do you check appliances? Not in Kansas. Do you check every outlet, every switch, every door, every window? Not required in Kansas. Do you check water pressure? Take off the electrical panel? Not required by law in Kansas.

I guess it is time to offer a $199 inspection, or a $450 inspection, and let the buyer and his/her agent to decide. Sad what licensing has brought.