Age of house cost

I have a hone needing to be inspected that on Zillow it shows it was built in1904. Does anyone charge extra for homes being over a certain age

Home not hone.

My fee is based on age and square footage of the home.

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Welcome to the forum, Richard. Enjoy!! :+1:

Me too. Age, square foot and distance from my home.

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My fee is primarily based on total square footage, and secondarily the age of the home.

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Welcome Richard, yes I factor in age when setting a price.

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I definitely charge according to age and sq. footage as well as foundation type.

I will charge more for a 2,000 sq. foot home built in 1950 on a crawl vs a 2,000 sq. 2005 home on a slab.
I usually bump it up about $50-$75. Once you break the 3,000 sq. foot barrier for an old home, price starts ramping up considerably.

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I agree. Many times, an older home that large has an addition added on, maybe even two additions. Usually, that means a longer inspection and a longer report, at least in my experience. That is one reason I always try and look at pics of the home before quoting the fee.

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YES! These big homes are almost dramatically modified over the years. It is best you know what you are doing or pass because they will have all types of twists and turns. I recently did a 1930 two story home with a cellar, dug out crawl, crawlspace and a slab. Old wood slat roof with engineered trusses tied in. Energized knob and tube found in the old attic, a fuse box as well as a new panel in the addition. These things can go on and on.

(and they added an elevator)

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Here’s a good example. Yes, that is the original home’s roof in the new home’s attic.

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Like Brian and others, I too add for size in a non-linear fashion. (price per ft² is not constant).
I try to set pricing that reflects the amount of work and the time involved as well as my safety.

Age costs - older houses take more time to report
high-crime neighborhoods cost - my safety is important
driving distance costs - Time is money
ft² costs - more to inspect
crawl spaces cost - Crawls are no fun.
occupied house costs (vs vacant) - vacant is faster/easier/less risk.
Preferred neighborhoods are discounted. I like working here.

You need to set your own values on how important your time is, and your safety, and the difficulty of navigating crawl spaces (some guys are more limber than others).

I set my formulas based on my own values. You can set your own to match your way of inspecting.

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I charge $.58 a mile, $1.80 a year for the age of home and $.05 a sf. I also look at the listing or google street view to get an idea of the property condition and charge accordingly.
Edit! Oh and I charge an extra $25-50 for a crawlspace. When possible I try to give a price instantly on the first phone call. I provide some small talk, be personable, as I run the numbers and do a quick google search. I have found that I have a better chance of locking in the inspection this way.

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Thank all of you for that information. I will definitely be better prepared next time before I give a price.

I would just go ahead and write up a price sheet for yourself. I do not use complex calculations.
Make a few categories and be ready to rattle of the price so you sound confident and ready to work.
(adjust for your market accordingly, the prices below mean nothing)
1920-1960 1000-2000 sq. feet on a crawl or basement $450
1960-1980 1000-2000 sq. feet on a crawl or basement $425
1980-2000 1000-2000 sq. feet on a slab $400 + $50 basement
Any year apartment conversion condo - $395
Any year townhome under 2000 sq. feet $400

From there, just keep filling in scenarios.

It will not be perfect but you will be ready on the phone.

^^^^^very good advice!

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Here is my formula. What works for you might be different

Age
Distance
Occupied?
Foundation Type (Crawlspace)
Driving Distance
Size (ft²)
Zip Code (Price myself out of high crime areas)




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Do you use that Spectora calculator?

Here in Atlanta, some miles are a lot harder than others because of traffic patterns. But, I know my city very well and can make adjustments instantly.

Yes, this is the Spectora calculator.
This is the formula used when I enter an address to schedule an inspection. Spectora pulls the data from the internet automatically from the address.
It also works when someone enters a request for quote on my website.
I like that Spectora is able to generate a cost automatically given my formula.

Here in East TN, we don’t get many traffic jams.

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Do you have control of the formula? I see that you “price yourself out of high crime areas”

I can change it as often as I like. I don’t ever work 37915 but I often work my own Zip 37922.
$300 add for 37915. $30 discount in 37922.

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