I don’t know much about it and at this time I am caring less to know more as I talked to a few local inspectors who paid $2500.00 more or less to get the TI camera only to offer the service free?
Because I know little about Thermal Imaging I have considered getting accredited. But it seems that inspectors offer it for free, why would you spend money on classes, buy a camera and give this service away?
With a $2500 TI camera, it’s not likely they’re offering anything worth paying for :mrgreen:
Just sayin’… 
OK, and then you get what you pay for becomes an accurate statement.
They are fools 
Unless their price justifies and gives the APPEARANCE of free.
If their price is twice as high as those not doing it is it really free?
Advertising
One word… DESPERATION!
They have nothing to offer potential clients by way of any actual ability, so they throw gimmicks and discounts and FREE stuff out there, just so they can gain work. They will eventually fail and go out of business, unfortunately not until after they damage the local market and fee structure with their tactics.
If I go the cheap camera route will provide it free and not even mention it in advertizing.
Pretty much just another way to look at moisture or moisture probable suspect areas and heat elements embedded in floors or ceiling areas and maybe draft areas which I suspect is what the majority do with them however if you spend all your vacation money on the thing plus mortgage your home for the training courses you would be foolish not to use it in marketing and increase profit with aux services [or at least try].
I think I got it figured.
Get a cheap TI camera and show the buyers the colored picture.
No report, just a little sizzle instead of an actual steak.
Eye knewe uze wuz ah smarrt won! :mrgreen:
Just hope they don’t ask you what it means.
Here’s how I see it.
In the course of an inspection, as you observe a home in order to prepare a complete, accurate and unbiased description of the house, you are likely to shine a flashlight on certain darkened areas in order to observe them.
Most people do not charge for this.
However, you always have the option of purchasing an expensive flashlight, call yourself a Level XII Flashlightographer, discover broken trusses, split joists and other material defects with your device, and charge people extra money for the same report.
Seriously, it’s the service … not the camera, training levels, or hyperbole … that people are paying for.
An inspector who can provide a more comprehensive report, be it for his infrared camera or his unique and lengthy experience, should charge for it.
Every inspector, without exception, will always be paid what his services are worth. This is 100% true, 100% of the time.
Definition of 'Loss Leader Strategy’
A business strategy in which a business offers a product or service at a price that is not profitable for the sake of offering another product/service at a greater profit or to attract new customers. This is a common practice when a business first enters a market; a loss leader introduces new customers to a service or product in the hope of building a customer base and securing future recurring revenue.
The loss leader strategy is more than just a nifty business trick - it is a successful strategy if executed properly.
A classic example is that of razor blades. Companies like Gillette essentially give their razor units away for free, knowing that customers will have to buy their replacement blades, which is where the company makes all of its profit.
Another example is Microsoft’s Xbox video game system, which was sold at a loss of more than $100 per unit to create more potential to profit from the sale of higher-margin video games.
Since the thermal imaging is in the birthing stages and people want to be branded as the local expert in their field, some use the above strategy to brand their company and gain market share for years to come. As they grow, they will raise prices along the way. **Many people here started out with a less expensive camera and then purchased a better camera and expanded later. Some have been raising their prices along the way as well.
Then you have some that are in a race to the bottom and charge less for everything they do. The inspector pool cleanses itself of these, from time to time, because they have no plan at all.
**
Bells and whistles.
True on that .
Yes I expect David to come here and yell at us.
Used my thermal imager to inspect a property with in floor heat yesterday.
Pretty pictures of a non working system.
Boiler and circulating pumps running but no flow in the loops.
Send your in foor heat clients to me.
I’m not saying its a waste and I understand the loss leader part but my feeling is some of the guys doing this are not expert and use it carelessly and like “free estimates” it isn’t always a client benefit.
If you can close a sale then a free estimate is a good thing to offer, if you close 1 in 10 your working for wages. If you offer thermography without explaining its proper use and a possible solution to heat loss then what’s the point?
Much ado about nothing… go cheap, at least you can say you have it right? Isn’t it all about marketing? I’d say this… if you go budget, at least be honest enough to use your own Infrared Pics on your website or sample work to show a potential customer. :twisted: (another topic)
If there is a Real Estate inspector in your area that is also a trained/certified thermographer, maybe approach and ask to have them come by, say one of your vacant inspections, to show you a bit of how they do and look at things, you may feel like it’s exactly what you are looking for, or that you don’t have much of an interest and don’t get into “all that”. You may have to pay, but can use some of the info/findings, just a thought.
I have a guy that has had me come in as a “white label” inspector, to perform the IR portion of commercial inspections. We had bid against one another in past, he called me one day and said he decided not to get into it himself, but had approached me about such.
As far as free… if someone invests even just $7500 in a camera and training, then grows their business and price per inspection… as well as closing a higher % of work, are they giving it away?
Do you expect to “get fries with that” at McDonalds for free?
Paul I see you are new to the board and probably have not got the gist of who is who. My best advice for you is to understand who is giving the advice. We have a group that all they do is Troll the message board led by a X hearing aid salesman X home inspector X insurance adjustor all combined into one failed human being giving advice to newbies on something they know absolutely nothing about.
Cheap and Free is not part of any business plan if one plans to be successful and planning one must do. I have seen dozen’s of guys that plan to get rich by adding IR to their business model. Cheap cameras with no training and your $2500.00 camera ends up on E-bay.
Want to go cheap try buying a McDonald Franchise and tell them you have the perfect building to sell those all beef patties from, a Card board box in a alley :shock:
Paul I see you have met roof climber Charlie.LOL
Charlie no matter what you think of J.B he is a good man.
Back when I was a newbie and fighting ASHI jerks he came in like a big brother and stuck up for me with his wit and intelligence.
Today as you know I type faster ,know more , have experiance ,am a fixture in the profession and still admire the man.Agree or not he he sticks to his guns and is a fantastic Man to have in your corner.
I respect you as well Charlie but like screwing with you.