I don’t value my time based on how someone else values their time. I look at what it’s worth to me to give someone my morning (or afternoon), throw in a little bit for gas, tools and insurance, and that’s my inspection fee. It’s more than some, less than others, but it’s what my time is worth.
I realize it’s easy for someone who has been at this for a while to say this to someone just starting out, but here it is: If someone else get’s your business because they are $50 cheaper than you, you didn’t want that business. Let the under-cutters eat while they can, they will starve soon enough.
As far as starting out right out of school, that depends on you. I did it, but I had the luxury of starting as a side hustle for the first 2 and a half years. When I started doing 4 inspections a week, I went full time. But I had started other businesses before and been self employed for years.
Here’s what I tell people that ask me about becoming a home inspector: Inspecting a house is easy (despite some people on this forum making it seem hard). You can teach any dummy how to inspect a house in a reasonable amount of time. The hard part is running a home inspection business (even with just 1 inspector - you). Inspecting is easy. Marketing is hard. Sales is hard. Accounting, pay roll, taxes, office management, IT, inspector delivery service, customer service; those are hard. If you just want to drive around and look in people’s attics, working for someone else might be a better way to go about it.
So in answer to the original question,
the answer is: depends on you. But the fact that you asked about “starting a home inspection business” as opposed to “being an inspector” is a good sign.
Come on Nick
Ya gotta stop with this. You are picking My Pocket.
I understand your business model, but for heavens sake, read a news paper.
Roll this initiative out again when things stabilize down here.
Thank you though for all you do otherwise.
Doing a good home inspection is neither easy nor teachable to any dummy in my opinion. I think many of the inspectors that think it is easy are probably missing a lot of things because they don’t have the training or background to realize an issue when they see it.
That’s fair. My (belabored) point was that doing actual inspections is like 20% of the job, and it’s the easiest 20%. The other 80% is what differentiates you from being an inspector vs a business owner.
You’re not wrong. Inspecting is one thing. Running a business is another. The high fallout rate in this industry is probably due to newcomers not realizing that they have to do both really well to be successful.
Honestly there’s some information here I wish I had before I got in the business. I cancelled my membership, but got my first inspection after I cancelled it. I’m in GA so there’s no licensing requirements, and I can still advertise that I’m insured and a drone pilot. I’m looking to get back into the workforce because none of the walking into real estate agents offices and emailing them has gotten me a single client. The market is oversaturated.
I only finally got something by using “Inspectify” which is just being a middle-man service. I do think there’s potential for that, though, if I can build reputation with clients onsite. But I was completely unable to even contact my client in this first inspection. I did get their phone number (I had to call Inspectify and ask for it) but that number was not answered and so far my email hasn’t been answered (they give their email that has some number on it like it’s routing to the client I guess). So yeah I think I failed to learn the market and I’m not in a great position right now overall.
I’ve been hearing a lot about Inspectify on Facebook. Sounds like they take 20% or so of the inspection fee and you have to use their report software? Although some inspectors have said they are allowed to use their own.
Yes that’s right it’s just 20% of the rate, and no other fees, so not too bad when I need to get into the market somehow and I’m out of time and money for marketing.
For regular inspections you can use your own software. They also have leads for insurance companies where you have to use their software and are required to fill in the report exactly the way the client wants it (The insurance companies make the template) and it’s for a set inspection rate that THEY set. I haven’t been offered any of those yet, though, I’ve done one regular inspection and they keep offering me stuff in Tennessee which requires a license from the state that I don’t have
