Walk-through Inspection

I had my first request for a walk-through inspection today in advance of a bidding war. I turned it down because I don’t even know what it entails.
So what is it, what do you do, and what percentage of your usual fee do you charge?

I refuse to do them but I would be interested to hear from other inspectors. If you take money you are on the hook!

I have done them in the past but quit cause the money was crap. As long as you have a rock solid agreement you would be ok.

Only a judge will determine if the agreement is rock solid!

Walk Thru Inspections completed at $150 per hour.
ONLY IF…
Our Office had been contracted for the Original Inspection.

My lawyer draws up my pia’s. He is really good and they are solid.

225.00 easy money, walk and talk, point at stuff and don’t stop till your out of the house.
No report, they keep notes, hence walk through.
Hit a few out lets, try a couple windows, they will do the rest of them, look to see when HVAC was last serviced if last year have them call in service to do it again, check the panel ,quick flush, shower and a walk around the lot to your car.
paid in advance so your waving bye bye.

Like Joseph…hourly rate, minimum of one hour. Basically a consultation fee. I like them, wish I had more. Nowadays everyone wants to buy some POS because it is cheap and they have watched two years worth of HGTV and think they can renovate it themselves in two weeks. It usually takes them that long to clean out the yard and garage of debris.

A walk-through inspection carried out without permission of the property owner is considered to be trespassing. It can become a serious issue for the home inspector if legally challenged.

RUDOLF REUSSE

That would be true…if I did not have permission but I always do. People are so desperate to sell their homes here they practically drag you in the front door and offer to cook you dinner. I haven’t done any in a few years but used to do a few particularly for military coming to the area. They only get 3 days for “house hunting” leave and they have to hit the ground at a full trot to see what they need to before climbing back on a plane.

I perform walk-through inspections when requested. I explain that I do everything I normally would except the report. I also explain that this does not meet the SOP. I have them sign a contract which also notes that the walk through was below SOP and that they declined the report. I used to be scared of walk-through’s because of the liabilities. However, our business is full of liability so it is what it is

This is illegal in many states in the U.S.A. and it should be. It is harmful to consumers as well as to the profession.

Thousands of these inspections are performed every year. Do what you gotta do. Does anybody have any links to legal cases where home inspectors got sued performing these types of inspections???

There is only one legitimate way to perform these so-called “walk through” inspections.

You carry no pen, paper, camera, flashlight or screwdriver and mostly keep your hands in your pocket. You follow the client as he looks at the home and answer any question he may have about something he has observed.

When you do more than this, you are performing a home inspection and all rules that would normally govern a home inspection (contracts, liability, report, etc) come into play. It is a halfassed inspection that carries all of the liability of a full linspection with no protection with a report or SOP … exposing you to total risk for a lowball fee.

You can give a half-baked home inspection and fail to cover your own skin with a written report … and call it a “walk through”, or “mini inspection”, or “Bob”, or “Arthur” or any other name you want to give it … but if you are the one being paid to make the observation and you are providing information about YOUR observation, you are performing a home inspection and all of the rules apply.

Test this yourself by calling your insurance provider and ask him if you are covered by a “walk through” inspection where you point out defects and don’t write a report. If you do not carry E&O, ask yourself why insurance companies are unwilling to take the risk … and ask yourself why you should for less than your full fee.

Performing these goofy things with no contract also violates the INACHI code of ethics.