Do most of you out there offer free re-inspections? If so, what exactly do you re-inspect? Is it items that are supposedly going to be fixed only? Also, do you set a time limit on the free reinspects, like 6 or 12 months?
Thanks for the feedback
Re-inspections YES. For free NO. My re-inspections are limited to the items listed as needing service, repair, replacement or whatever per the original inspection report. I do not re-inspect items for which additional inspection by an appropriate licensed professional was recommended and or required. For example, I’ll check to see if the dishwasher drain line still leaks during a normal cycle. I won’t re-inspect roof repairs, alterations and or make any statement regarding the water tight integrity of the roof. Marion Allen Insurance provided me some great information regarding re-inspections. They’re in favor of not doing them, but if you must, keep it simple and avoid the critical issues where you would be signing off on another contractors work. I can handle a faucet leak. I don’t want to be responsible for roof repair that ends up costing the client thousands of dollars in repair and or water intrusion damage.
When I am asked to do a re-inspection of repaired or corrected items I make it clear that I am only verifying that a correction was made, not its adequacy or future performance. 
If it is obviously inferior workmanship, I state that.
Recommend getting receipts and warranties from seller/owner of work done by licensed qualified professionals.
Oh, and I charge for it.
Re-inspections can take 2-3 hours around here…
set up appointment
drive time
inspect items
return trip
type up the problems that were not fixed
emails
phone calls…
I have not had one yet where the items that were worked on were fixed correctly.
BK…
Here’s a disclaimer (or something similar) you might want to consider if you do them. I got this off this BB somewhere last year. I do them, but the price is contingent on what they want re-inspected. If everything on the Summary, then it can take quite a while (practically a whole new inspection) and it is priced accordingly.
*Pre-closing review was conducted of elements that were Client identified and designated for repair by Seller prior to closing. Review indicated that some level of repair and/or replacement was present at time of re-inspection. No guarantee or warranty either expressed/or implied is given by the Inspection Company, __________________ regarding any repair or replacement. **It is recommended that documentation by obtained from contractors performing repairs for any applicable warranties or guarantees"*Thanks for the great responses. The only reason I suggested free was because, a realtor told me that inspector X offers them for free, so I wasn’t sure If should also or not. I probably will charge a small fee for doing them. I doubt they will come up all that often.
I charge $100.00 minimum as I do not like doing them. If the repairs are done correctly and per my recommendations then they were done by a licensed contractor. Being done by a licensed contractor the repairs have a warranty/guaranty. That being the case why do they need me to inspect the repairs?
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My reinspects start at $150. Periodically do them; never have anyone complain about the price. Check only those items agreed to be repaired. Offer no warranty. Can be easy money.
When I did them for free, I was doing as many re-inspections as regular inspections. So I put a stop to that real quick. I wanted to stay in business.
When I started charging for them, they dropped from a re-inspection for every inspection to one re-inspection for every 10 inspections. That’s more like it, but even more important is that I started charging for re-inspections even though some of my competition was doing them for free. I note at this time that my competition is no longer my competition; they are out of business. Hmmmmmmmmm. I almost went down that road, but Guerrilla Marketers are very savvy and quick to change when something isn’t working out.
I charge half the original fee, and I re-inspect everything that they want me to re-inspect, which usually are the repairs done by the seller. In some cases, the re-inspection means all the utilities/appliances/etc. that could not be inspected the first time because utilities were off.
I also don’t care if a licensed professional did the repairs. I used to, but then I thought, “Hmmmmmmmm. What is the difference between inspecting a repair on old equipment versus inspecting brand new installation on brand new equipment in brand new construction?” I couldn’t find a difference. When I inspect new equipment/new installation/new home, I don’t state anything like “can’t comment on quality of installation” or something similar, so why would I say that when inspecting repairs?
I’m always very forthright with my re-inspection fee so that there is absolutely no question that I am a professional, have professional knowledge and services to offer, provide that knowledge and services in accordance with my time, and that I charge since I am a professional and charging for my professional knowledge, services, and time is how I make my living.
I do not allow discounts/negotiations/etc. on re-inspections. The fee is what it is.
Because we all know that repairs are not always done properly, even when done by a licensed professional. If repairs were always done properly, wouldn’t brand new homes with brand new equipment and brand new installations done by licensed professionals under the supervision of a licensed general contractor always be done properly?
Quote:
Originally Posted by bkelly2
*Being done by a licensed contractor the repairs have a warranty/guaranty. That being the case why do they need me to inspect the repairs?
*
$125.00 minimum for a re-inspection.
I charge $75 per hour including drive time and report writing time. Typically they wind up being about 100 to 150. I have only done 1 re-inspection where all of the items were corrected.
I also charge for re-inspections. Have you seen the price of gas today?
I never really thought about the liability of re-inspecting.
My report STILL is NOT a warranty/guaranty any way you look at it.
I inspect anyone’s repairs to see if the issue has gone away.
If something is broken and now it works, it “appears adequate” to me.
I charge a discounted inspection rate for re-inspection of the property as most of it was already covered. I make sure the client knows this is an inspection, not a guarantee that the contractor made competent repairs. I often find cover-ups when I re-inspect and now I add that any repairs needed would be best made by the buyer as it removes the burden from the seller. Keeps me from re-inspecting the property 3 or 4 times.
Exactly.
Must be a California thing. 
Min. charge of $100.00 & up and the repair has to be made by a licensed contractor with an invoice stating the name of the company that did the repair.
David
I remember being sucked into the realtor trap of …“Inspector X only charges this much for an inspection, …or a reinspection” …before.
Later finding that the inspector did really charge more. That was when I was new and impressionable.
I never really understand what agents get out of negotiating the lowest inspection price for their client. That stopped when I raised my prices high enough that I no longer appeal to the agents looking for rock bottom pricing for their client. It has made life alot easier.
I do charge only $95.00 for a re-inspection, but after reading some of the posts, I may be undercharging on the reinspects. …May have to review that. It is kind of a mute point since I only do a couple a month, if at all.
I’ve approached re-inspections from a slightly different angle, as a marketing tool. When potential customers ask, I tell them that one re-inspection is included in the price. My prices are at the top end of local prices, so an occasional re-inspection is built into my pricing plan. The re-inspection has several limitations, like a 60-day time limit, a fee for mileage, other limitations. Before I get there, the customer has to give me a list of specific items from the original inspection, so I don’t waste much time. I’m not inspecting the whole house again, just some specific items.
It’s a calculated risk to do this. If I got many calls for re-inspections, it would be a money-loser and I would change my policy. But in the last 100 inspections, I’ve only had 4 re-inspections. (Don’t know why there are so few.) So at this point it’s a nice added benefit for the customers, and a competitive edge for my business.
I like the suggestions about reminding people that I’m not liable for someone else’s repairs, etc. It would be good to see a repair bill from a licensed contractor, but that’s probably not the point. I’m not going to guarantee their work, only comment on if it was done and if it is “adequate.”