That says it all right there.
I have a stipulation in my agreement that says any return trip to inspect something that was not accessible AT the time of inspection will come at a nominal fee of not less than $200 and will come with a new report for what ever it is to be inspected.
Now if it was 5 minutes away, I’d probably meet them in the middle of that number. If it’s an hour drive each way, price $200 minimum. Won’t even leave the house for less than that.
If they just want the foundation checked then they should call a foundation expert. I do crawlspace inspections but I inspect everything in the crawlspace…and there will be stuff there they should know about. It’s hard not to report a leaky pipe or a disconnected AC vent. I think people mean well and are trying to save money but they don’t realize the kind of stuff we find in the crawlspace…there can be a lot of action down there. Plus you still have to go into the house to see what’s happening with the plumbing. Charge enough to make it worth your while. Your clients will be glad you found all that stuff.
Ray… you must have missed it. He stated that he did the full home inspection, but couldn’t access the crawl. This would be a return visit to inspect the crawl.
I would charge for an Item inspection and report on everything you can visually access in the crawlspace. Although if there is moisture entering the crawlspace from the exterior you are then looking at gutters, downspouts, and landscape grading. But yes, you have plumbing, electrical, possibly HVAC, and structural, plus the crawlspace itself. I would be at $200-$250 depending on the size. My last crawlspace entrance was at one end of a 70’ modular…. Vertical space was 24” from ground to beam.
I have inspected crawlspaces. My fee…I charge $450;00, as much as a condo or apartment inspection, to leave my office return and write a report.
Crawlspace is unique it entails the exterior, structure, hvac at times, electric, plumbing, insulation.
You could charge your hourly rate, do it for free as a courtesy, or recommend a foundation specialist (if you don’t want to do it) on the grounds that any issues you find would come with that recommendation anyway.
It’s critical to take a few minutes before you start any inspection to identify obstructions and call the BA / LA / or Client and give them a chance to get you access while you’re there. That takes the burden off of you when things like this come up.
An advance email, alerting the agents of the need to have all areas accessible, was my preferred method. Hence, allowing me to inspect unfettered.
in my opinion, this is one of the most important lessons a new inspector like @ssturgeon2 can learn.
managing expectations. the clients haven’t read the sops and most don’t plan to. but they will expect you to find everything.
automatic emails badgering the client, clients agent & listing agent relieve you of unreasonable expectations. tell them you will require accessibility. panels need to be unlocked. move the stuff out of the way of the furnace/water heater/etc. you will not be turning valves. you will not be flipping breakers. you will not be prying nails (LOL! as if!). animals will need to be restrained. its not your fault if the new build construction isn’t finished yet.
one you send out those emails and an additional reminder email, the resentment regarding an incomplete inspection stops, the reinspection fees can begin and you still get positive reviews.
easy. I’ve never pryed a nail during inspections and I don’t expect I ever will
further more, if you do choose to reinspect for free… now you can say you’re doing it for free because your such a nice guy! not because you have to…
I’m pretty sure my insurance agent has an expectation that I wont disassemble the structure, no?
You’re kidding, right?
Opening an access hatch or cover (even if that means turning screws or removing fasteners, etc.) to gain entry for the purposes of an inspection isn’t even close to what your suggesting.
My emails were quite a bit more professional than badgering…just sayin’.
I agree completely, and a great choice of words! That is exactly how agents feel, and one of many reasons why most have issue with inspectors!
Why do inspectors feel the need to treat agents like children? Do agents really not know what is expected for a Home Inspection? Do they really need to be told to make sure there is access to everything? Just because it doesn’t get done all the time, isn’t on them, it’s on the SELLERS!!
I personally don’t market to Realtors/Agents, and I absolutely don’t kiss their asses, and yet, I get my share of referrals from them. Perhaps it’s because I ALWAYS treat them as human beings and with respect.
Nope, I’m not kidding. I remove fasteners or panels or access hatches that are intended to be removed for inspection. In my opinion, a panel that is nailed on is not an “access hatch”.
I don’t fault you for thinking differently and accept that this is kinda riding a line, but in my opinion, nails are not intended to be removed.
Afterall, they cannot be easily replaced. What, now I need to carry around a hammer? And the nail won’t get the same purchase in the previous hole, and I won’t be making a new hole in fiber cement board, for example… so now I’m replacing the panel in a new position than it was in initially? Nope, that’s past my line.
edit: to be fair, you can make some of those same arguments about screws and I have removed screws for attic/crawlspace entrance. i don’t love doing it because I know screws can go in and out only so many times, but its better than nails. nails cross the line for me.
I was being a little hyperbolic, but you could very possibly damage the panel trying to pry it off. Especially if it’s fiber cement
Correct, that would be considered a “secured” opening, not intended for everyday service or maintenance, which is what an inspection would be classified as.
THIS is what would/should be found on an “Access Hatch”…
Questions:
I did not say disassemble the structure. I said make a reasonable attempt to gain access. I understand we are now quibbling over nails vs screws. Fine, quibble away. (and yes, I carry a hammer and an assortment of other tools)
Many inspectors get paid by working with an engineering firm, completing the foundation inspection onsite and supplying notes and pictures and the engineering firm finishes the report by reviewing it and signing off on it as their work.
From experience, some of the jobs are supplied by the engineering firm and some are supplied by the inspector. But, if a true “FOUNDATIN INSPECTION” all need to be signed off by the engineering firm.
I hear you, but I doubt the hatch was fiber cement if someone hammered in nails. I wouldn’t hammer on cement siding either.
I’ve see plenty of f’ed up hatch covers secured with a wide assortment of whatever hardware was laying around the day it was put back on.
I carry a drill/driver and bits to remove the screws (all sorts of fasteners in the field, phillips, slotted, allen, torx, etc) and a hammer & pry bar, so I can get in there while I’m there and not have to wonder how much to charge to come back.
I even have a small camping shovel for the covers partially covered with dirt along the bottom.
Certainly some hatches are simply unopenable, but they are in the minority. Way to many things in that crawl to just shrug it off.
This ^^^^^ 
You guys really use a hammer & prybar to gain access on an inspection?
