Well, bound to happen. Our area has our first “real” cheap home inspector. He charges $199 for a home inspection, a free WDI inspection, and free well test. I don’t know how you can stay in business at those prices. It mathematically doesn’t even cover your overhead here in NY.
Bummer.
Just one? You’re lucky… 
There’s dozen’s here and they’re not all sole prop’s/single operators, at least they get to keep what (little) money they charge. Imagine getting 30-50% of $200-250 :shock:
I don’t know how you can do a quality home inspection for that price. We don’t even have a saturated market though, so I don’t understand why so cheap. The average cost of a home, pest, and well flow test in our area is almost $500. He is less than %50 of that. If he raised his prices $100 he would still be the cheapest by far. It doesn’t make much sense.
Same report for every home? Just change the name and address. He’s a genius that is going to get rich.
Or hurt some poor young family buying their first home
Is he an InterNACHI member, get me his contact info and I’ll call him.
An INachi member down here.
I cannot blame anyone for wanting/trying to make a living.
http://www.fdaluma.com/services.php
Condo / Apt
Up to 1,000 sqft $150.00 **
Single Family Home**
Up to 1,000 sqft $175.00
1,000 sqft - 1,500 sqft $200.00
1,500 sqft - 2,000 sqft $225.00
2,000 sqft - 2,500 sqft $250.00
2,500 sqft - 3,000 sqft $275.00
Nick is the man. Anyone who says otherwise will have to contend with a lot of inspectors out there. He always looks after our industry and for us
even he charges more than the guy in my area… But you make a point Mark - if he is that desperate than who can blame him
When I get a call from a price shopper I always ask them first: “Do you want a price or an good inspector? They don’t necessarily go together!” That powerful statement usually gets the shopper thinking about what’s at stake! In most cases, I get the inspection at my price!
G
I like it Giles!
I got one last week, that I already quoted. The lady emailed back “that is more than I planned on spending”. I replied that there are inspectors in this area that charge $199 any size house, our inspection prices are generally around one tenth of one percent of the cost of the home. I strongly recommend you hire the very best inspector you can afford at this critical junction in your home purchase. She agreed I did the inspection Friday. 
- Switch the caller I.D. off your phone first.
- Call these lowballers when you find them.
- Schedule an inspection with them as if you were a consumer. You’ve answered a million calls from consumers so you should be able to pull it off.
- Then ask them how much is the cost is going to be.
- When they tell you, explain that the price is too low and that has scared you off. That you are looking for one of the better inspectors.
- Then cancel the inspection.
I know it’s wrong (spare me the lecture), but you’ll be helping the lowballer and his family.
Nick, I love it 
you would also be helping the industry as a whole by helping to raise the bar.
Jim
IMO the term is prostitute of the industry.
I guess the initial base fee of $300.00 was forgotten to be added.
I just got info on another one north of me who offers seller pre-inspections for FREE.
Then he wants a measly $150.00 to “transfer” it to a prospective buyer.
That’s just W- R - O - N - G!
Realtor/agent suck-up tactic?
My thought too.
Wow. 4points for free! :roll:
Agree Ian…
“Secret to success”
Charge less than anyone else and do a crap report with fast onsite time and turnaround combined with expensive Insurance to handle several claims a year .
Get out of biz after several years and use the profits to startup another con game.
Ian - I’m also in your area. Did an inspection over the summer for the parents of someone that I know. Hadn’t worked with the agent before, while onsite she commented on how thorough I was and how long the inspection was taking. I spent about 2 1/2 hrs on a 1900 SqFt w walk out basement & 2 car garage. After speaking with another inspector I know I found out the agent typically used an inspector that charges the rates that you described, probably same guy. So if my spending 2.5 hrs on the inspection with well flow, quality sampling & radon was a really long time it kind of tells you the story of the “quality” of the job being done by this other cheap inspector…