Looking for some advice

Specific Inspection Topics Thermal Imaging, Infrared Cameras & Energy Audits
1

Hey guys, I’ve been thinking about getting into thermal imaging, but I’m not 100% sure. So I was wanting to ask some questions from guys that do offer this service, and maybe some guys that have and don’t anymore, or guys that have thought about it, and decided against it.

I have taken NACHI’s thermal imaging class with John Mackenna and the building science and thermal imaging with William Decker. My plan if I choose to go forward with it is to get more training, and practice for a few weeks to a month before offering the service to anyone.

My reasons for wanting to get into it are basically as follows: Find problems that are hard to see with the naked eye, and reduce my liability. Set myself apart from guys in my area - some have it, some don’t, not sure about how they price it. Diversification, I like the idea of energy audits, consultations for contractors, and other things that aren’t directly related to home inspections.

So, on to the questions, and I apologize if these have been asked before. Guys that offer it: do you charge on top of a home inspection, or raise your prices across the board, and include it with all inspections? When doing it with home inspections, does it slow you down, or add to your time at the house, and also for the report? What other services do you do with your equipment? Do you do work for contractors, ie plumbers, roofers, etc and how hard was it to convince them that they needed your service? Any other tips would be appreciated.

Guys that don’t do it, why not? What were the main factors for not jumping into it?

If anyone did do it and stopped, what were you reasons for stopping, and what dos you do with your equipment?

Thanks for he help guys. Sorry for the long post.

2

Right now, it’s just included as part of the home inspection.
Which tanks my ROI, but there are so many guys that are using it right now, it seems silly to not get into it. And it does set me apart from the older guys that have been around for ever who still want to inspect like it’s 1979.

And I have found leaks and other issues I would not have seen otherwise. So yes, liability has been reduced. And a few clients who called around and went with me because I offered it and the other person didn’t.

I do have roofers who are interested in bring me in, but there is a drought and there has been no significant rain, so theres been no real call for that right now. Ask me again in 3 months.

In the longer run, I want to get into energy audits and more thermal applications. So that seed is planted, even if I’m not actively growing that right now.

If nothing else, it’s a fascinating science.

And, I could be wrong, but I suspect in another 5 years or so, if an HI isn’t offering Thermal, they won’t be working. But with the prices of camera dropping, the barrier to entry won’t be as high.

As for slowing down, the only extra time is tweaking the pictures, and then loading them off the memory card into the report. It’s an extra step, but it’s not a huge extra step.

3

Keep thinking about it but already very busy and nobody seems to care.
If you desire it have the spending Capitol, time, or wish to find ways to increase business it is a no Brainer.
No reason not to other than increased liability as an argument as consistency is king if ever pulled into court.
So if you start using it you better always use it in my opinion.

4

Well said.

5

I agree with consistency, and that is my plan. If I am using it, I will always use it. I don’t see why you wouldn’t. That is one of the reasons that I wanted to know if guys charge extra or include it. And if included, how much more is added to an inspection in order to include it?

6

It is just another tool available to help me perform the inspection. I do not charge extra for it. I have lost count of the number of times I have found something that would have come back to bite me if not for the camera.

I think you need a high end camera and training for the other opportunities available.