How much time does it take run a home inspection company?

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1

Originally Posted By: Michael Del Greco
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On my web site www.NewJerseyHomeInspection.com I have posted an Adobe file of a spreadsheet showing an approximation of how much time it takes to own and operate a home inspection company doing two different volumes of business.


I invite CONSTRUCTIVE comments on the time frames listed in the posted documents.

www.NewJerseyHomeInspection.com/time.pdf Adobe version

www.NewJerseyHomeInspection.com/time.xls Excel version

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Michael Del Greco -Opinions expressed in this document are my own. I do not represent the Home Inspection Advisory Committee, The Division of Consumer Affairs, Office of the Attorney General or any other agency of state government.

2

Originally Posted By: jonofrey
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Sweet spreadsheet. I did not see a category indicating how much time you spend on spreadsheets. icon_smile.gif Must be lumped into admin

–
Inspection Nirvana!


We're NACHI. Get over it.
3

Originally Posted By: gbeaumont
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Hi to all,


Michael, I think John nailed it stop playing with excel and the equation balances ![icon_wink.gif](upload://ssT9V5t45yjlgXqiFRXL04eXtqw.gif)

But seriously, any one who runs there own business spends way too much time doing so, my "business day" started at 7 or so this morning posting a QOD and answering e-mails and PM's, I worked all day, taught class this evening for 3 hours and will spend another hour on inspection related stuff, so I should be done by 11pm, hell thats only 16 hours, what am I going to do with the other 8, OH yeah, sleep that's it !!

I wish I could get my mechanic to put in my hours, he works 8 til 4 Mon-Fri and 9 til 12 sat, and he sleeps better ( no E&O)

but you know what..............I would not want it any different, and I've got the divorce papers to prove it

Regards

Gerry

--
Gerry Beaumont
NACHI Education Committee
e-mail : education@nachi.org
NACHI phone 484-429-5466

Inspection Depot Education
gbeaumont@inspectiondepot.com

"Education is a journey, not a destination"

4

Originally Posted By: cradan
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much of my time).


Exceptions: Sick? Advice for you...take your vitamins. You don't have time to be sick. Since you'll be so healthy, that'll save you 16 hours a year.

250 inspections? First year? Certainly possible...are you buying a ready-made operation, or digging it out of the earth with your own hands? If you're digging it out of the earth, better figure on half that amount. You'll be far less disappointed. If you have 6 nuclear and extended relatives, 3 former college frat brothers, and a gal you knew in the service whom are all fairly successful realtors, (and all local to you, i.e. their client's prospective homes are within the 45 minute drive times you've forecasted), then sure, budget for 250 inspections.

Client inquiries at 10 minutes per? Some clients, sure. Some will have few or no inquiries. On occasion, you'll have a client who won't hestitate to monopolize hours of your time in the days prior to the inspection, at the inspection, and afterwards...real tough to figure an average or even median time on that one.

Did I mention drive time? Where'dja come up with 45 minutes? Not challenging you, just asking. Are you confident that your market conditions (i.e. percentage of buyers locally who commission inspections, concentration of your competitors, etc.) will enable you to operate within that average travel forecast?

Report writing time? Estimate sounds good. Depends, of course, on what type of report and inspection you do...onsite delivery? Checklist? Narrative? Photos? No Photos?

Lunch? Oh yeah, gotta stay healthy. No Big Macs.

Awful lot of variables out there to contend with, Michael. The spreadsheet's a great (and IMO, a necessary) exercise, but Gerry pretty much hit it on the head...your best odds of success may well come from an inherent, organic willingness to pretty much do what's necessary. Sometimes, the best laid plans (and spreadsheets) get shot to sh*t.

Best of luck!

--
Chris
http://www.inspect4me.com
Chicago Illinois Home Inspections

5

Originally Posted By: Nick Gromicko
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Michael:


Thanks for posting. It was interesting. I enjoyed looking at it.

--
Nick Gromicko
Founder
dues=79cents/day.

I much prefer email to private messages.

6

Originally Posted By: psabados
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Nice on Mike


Seeing that you're a 10 yr NJ Vet, yeah I'd say that you got it pretty much in line. Keeping a close radius to home and subbing out all the long distance. Should work just fine

What surprises me, is that you're not subbing out the Radon or at least using someone to do your pick-ups. Could shave a lot of time off your work load and maybe even take an extra week of vacation ![icon_biggrin.gif](upload://iKNGSw3qcRIEmXySa8gItY6Gczg.gif)

Nice price schedule

Paul

7

Originally Posted By: Nick Gromicko
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I agree.


http://www.nachi.org/dear_nachi3.htm

--
Nick Gromicko
Founder
dues=79cents/day.

I much prefer email to private messages.

8

Originally Posted By: Blaine Wiley
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That was a nice wish list.


Vacation....must be nice. I think that is the only drawback if you are a sole proprietor. If you take 14 days off, that is ten work days. Lets say that you do two per day at $250 per inspection (probably low for NJ) that is $2500 per week, plus any good vacation costs about 2500 per week. So budget $5k per week of vacation. Sick days???? You inspect unless you are in the hospital, and even then I'd leave the hospital to go to the afternoon inspection, and check back in ![icon_lol.gif](upload://zEgbBCXRskkCTwEux7Bi20ZySza.gif)

I find doing 10 per week I get away with about 45 hours per week, but I rarely drive more than 20 minutes and the houses here average about 1400 square feet with no basement or crawl, and mostly inaccessible attics. Larger homes with crawls or basements and fully accessible attics, two HVAC systems, etc. will take longer and will add to your weekly hours.