Most should be able to justify an increase in fees thanks to this guy.
This is a great idea. However; to do this properly I think that there would need to be an accepted fee schedule. It could be done by regions( south Fl, west Fl, Central, etc…) or even by home size or age. I know that no one is game for that though. This would level the playing field and make the service the diference. Maybe now with the new laws a standard could be set easier.
What you are suggesting is called “price fixing” and is against the law.
That’s why we need to set up our own for-profit company that members can both own stock in and work for. Then we can set a price structure.
I understand how you could confuse that with price fixing. But, we are all able to charge whatever we want to charge for the level of service that is provided. I am just suggesting that we (Internachi) come up with some guidelines for the consumer that the consumer can find (maybe in brochures) to help them in their decision. I believe that that would help all of us justify our prices for the service that we provide.
In todays economy the consumer is always going to look at the price. It would be nice to have the backing of an organization like internachi to provide at least a range that is acceptable. Then like I said you have the right to charge whatever you want just expect to be challenged (by the client) if they ask; Why are you prices so much lower/higher? The government does it everyday and a better example of price fixing would be the cost of gasoline.
Well, enough said. I did not mean to ruffle feathers.
Jeff that would be a great idea but there seems to be as many inachi lowballers as anyone else. We can’t even get our own people to get in line…
Check out how many fellow inachi members advertise $250 inspections on their sites and you’ll see for yourself.
No feathers ruffled and no need for anyone to “educate” a consumer, for they already know.
An inspector…in every case and without exception…collects the fee that he is worth.
Under normal circumstances, a consumer may buy his underwear at Wal-Mart…but when it comes to a quality Men’s Suit…he goes elsewhere with the expectation to pay more.
We have a lot of inspectors who are standing in the Wal-Mart aisle hawking men’s suits and wondering why they don’t get any calls. On the other hand, the quality of some inspectors will fall into the “underwear” category…and Wal-Mart is the proper place for them to sell their service.
Mind you, there is a market for the cheap guys and if you market to the people who are looking for the cheap guy…be ready to deal with the fact that (1) the used house salesmen who refer you will dump you if you raise your fee for the next cheapest guy, (2) some used house salesmen who refer you will find a cheaper guy and expect you to match his price, and (3) you will be making recommendatons in your report for a “qualified (insert name of specialist, here)” who the client will never pay to comply with your recommendation and will expect you (for your low fee) to jump through a few hoops.
The world knows, however, that the cheap guy needs to do a lot more inspections just to make ends meet and rarely has the ability to invest in quality training or quality tools. He charges exactly what he is worth.
Then, after intentionally hiring the cheapest inspector they can get…after the poor schmuck totally ruins them financially by presenting a money trap as an acceptable dwelling, they want to go to the local news and solicit sympathy from the public and “warn” others.
Like it has been said by others…higher fees attract a different type of client.
I thought you was going to get things started with commercial inspections by putting NACHI members under one company. This was about a year or two ago when you was talking about. Whatever happened to that idea? I thought it was pretty good!
It is the ones here that are under 200 that kills me. Since our state is finally requiring a license maybe we can get something going. It was just an idea.
There is an interesting letter in this month’s ASHI Reporter from an ASHI member who is retired. Ran his business in the 70s and 80s and is remarking as to how today, with so much more liability, continuing education and expensive tools…inspection fees are so much lower than what he charged 40 years ago. Think about it. He was charging more to inspect the $27,000 house that, today, is selling for $150,000 and getting a low $295 inspection fee.
Too many inspectors are trying to compete on the basis of lower fees instead of greater value — as if a person making a $150,000.00 investment would rather have a half-azzed inspection to save a few nickels. What people want, and most are willing to pay a fair price for, is a complete, accurate and unbiased description of the home that they intend to buy.
No one wants to pay more than they should, but the illusion that you can get a quality home inspection without paying for it is hurting the consumer as much as the industry, IMO.
I blame the schools that lie to potential students in order to get enrollments proclaiming a home inspector works “a part time job for full time pay”. That lie might fill a class with students…but all it turns out to the field are disillusioned, short term newbies who cause a lot of harm before they leave and move on to other employment opportunities.
Jim has his head around the problem. I agree with him. Now, does anyone have their head around the solution? What can we do other than open up an international for-profit company, allow our members who agree to certain things buy stock and work for the company, and then have the company go out and compete for the gravy only?
I feel really weird about forming a for-profit and going out and competing on the same field as other inspectors. I would need some encouragement from the membership to pull this trigger. Feels too weird.
Sounds very interesting.
Want a cure to the solution? STOP NICK from ruining our profession! I cannot believe you guys fall for his stuff! He lets people use NACHI name to get the credentials for licensing for about $250 and a free year of NACHI! Now he goes in your back door and says we deserve more? We deserve NOTHING more. You have no RIGHT to a high price? You are entitled to nothing! Now you want $1000 for an inspection that our organization says you can get the education for $250! LMAO…no wonder they thing we are worth $99, NICK actually promotes it!
If you went to a Lawyer and he got his prerequisites for $250 and a year of free membership to the national Bar, would you pay him $200 an hour? I would tell him to pound sand!
When our organization promotes the speedy, uneducated, and malicious way to get licensed you want people to treat you as professional? You want professional wages. BE PROFESSIONAL. There is no secret sauce, there is no man behind the curtain, there is no one but you and the ability to adapt and overcome. If you can’t do that, then starve.
You cannot have it both ways and serve two masters. Its either quality and low member numbers or its hodge podge and lots of members. I see the road that has already been taken.
If you are not getting the market share you deserve, DO SOMETHING productive. LISTEN to the public if they don’t want to pay then do something different. Whining, crying and slinging snot here is not going to get people to come to you. ADAPTING IS…
Let the comments begin…
I was at a sort of secret dinner meeting with a bunch of industry big-wigs when the ASHI President said essentially the same thing as Russell and complained that education was too accessible and inexpensive, and that getting licensed was too easy and inexpensive, and that was the cause of low fee structures in our industry. When I pointed out that licensing in Texas, which has one of the lowest fee structure in the U.S., required 440 hours of education and that none of it was very inexpensive… he sat down, unable to respond. Colorado, which doesn’t even have licensing requirements (everyone can be an inspector simply by saying so) has one of the highest fee structures for inspectors.
Sorry Russell, there is no correlation between robust, convenient, inexpensive training and average fee structures. Repeating your beliefs doesn’t make them true.
LMAO…twist away. I am talking about is the way you let people advertise to the public using the NACHI name for about $250 and a year free of NACHI. Now you want to be the baller and say “We need more money!” You always try it both ways. You double talk constantly and these people fall for it!
Nick you cannot serve two masters. It has NOTHING to do with NACHI membership dues. IT has to do with your lack of respect to already licensed inspectors, you cheapen the industry to get new members and in the process hurt the already established ones.
You want the title “Professional” at a fee of $250 for prerequisite education and test and year of NACHI…LMAO
Can’t have it both ways NICK…you want numbers or quality…
Here is another way of looking at it: Lets say an inspector does 200 inspections a year for 3 years or 600 inspections and spends $400 a year on licensing and CE for 3 years or $1200. $1200/600=$2/inspection. That’s all. Only $2 of an inspection fee can be attributed to covering licensing fees. Even if the cost of licensing were tripled… the inspection industry would only need to charge an extra $6 to cover it.
This notion that inspectors can’t raise their fees because InterNACHI or the State charges too little… is nonsense.
Why do you guys always mention VALUE…have you stopped and thought of what VALUE is or what it means?
You love the way you throw the word around and use it and claim you have more than your competition.
I have a golf ball on my desk, and its worth $5,000,000! Really! Well kinda, I just put that price tag on it. If someone will pay $5,000,000 then its worth that. If someone is willing to pay $2 then its worth that.
I think you have perceived value. The truth is people will only pay for what they see and you can sell as value. You can believe you have all the value in the world, if no one is willing to pay for it, your value is useless…
OK, well the pig sat on a yellow blanket then the sky would be red. That last statement means absolutely nothing, just as yours has no context to the conversation.
Its not the cost of the the licensed, its your TOUTING the ease and painless effort it takes to the general public. WE WANT $1000 AN INSPECTION SAY NICK!
Step right up ladies and gentlemen get a Florida licensed for only $249…thats not it! Lets brag that it takes no experience! (that help our public image), wait folks there is still the 1 year of free NACHI with every test. Can’t pass it once, hell we will give you three time! SELL THAT TO THE PUBLIC AS PROFESSIONALISM!
I have no problem with inspectors wanting more, just you cannot promote professionalism at professional fees in one breath and then get the people with no experience to join your organization and unleash them on the public with the next breath.
I know, I know…Your going to educate them. Let me read a book on heart surgery then perform open heart surgery on you…hey, you say its the best education out there…Lets give it a whirl…
Agreed. People don’t hire associations to do home inspections.