I have alway charged by actual square footage .
Here is one for tomorrow…
4963 heated…9544 actual.
Now! That is a big difference of 4581 sf.
I’d lose big time if I did heated sf.
How would you charge for this one…
Livable space?
What are you asking?
Is the space livable that isn’t heated?
I never understood basing your fee on living space / heated. I always look up the space “under roof” / total square footage. Sometimes it makes a big difference.
Yep!
Do you include the porch?
Yes if it is under roof…
If the rafters/trusses are exposed I check for proper hurricane clips ect…ect…
The porch may have columns to inspect.
And the porch could have a crawl to inspect.
If the client says they have a 2000 sq ft home do you ask them if that includes the porch and anything else under the roof. (garage, breezeway etc.)?
I go the county property appraiser’s record . That is what they pay property taxes on.
Agree…especially in warm climates where a substantial part of the house could be under roof but not heated/cooled.
I charge for total square footage.
I am in the ‘land of old homes’ with many nasty halloweenish basements… or… pristine ‘finished’ walkout basements… some of these with partial crawlspaces.
Matters not to me either way.
My fee’s are based upon “time on site” and “office/report time”.
Travel time/milage if appropriate.
I don’t work for free.
I am a Professional.
This is not a hobby.
When I started out down here I used area under conditioned air (additional fee for pool), to get my foot in the door. Since then I have steadily raised my prices (without raising my prices) by including the garage, then the porches and now the building footprint to determine price of inspection. Monday’s inspection is $925. 
We keep busier than a one armed paper hanger in 2 counties, I would go further if the price is right. We had a beach front in Boca Grande (about a 2 hour drive) last month, that was $1375 
I am however about to raise my base price.
Good work Mr. Fetty!
Fhank you Mr. Lewis! :lol:
In my area I’m lucky if the MLS puts the homes sf in there LET alone the basement. Don’t see sf for a crawlspace, porch, etc.