Is there any requirements for doing pool and spa inspections in Texas. I have completed the InterNachi course and have worked on and been around them all my life. I feel very good about doing the inspection but did not know if we had specific certification needs in Texas.
Thanks
Chris
None.
No “requirements” that I know of for doing pool and spa inspections. Just be sure you know the Texas SOP inside and out.
Good luck selling them. So far, most people don’t want to spend the measly extra $35 for a pool inspection as part of their home inspection. Go figure…
$35.00 wow thats way to cheep:shock: I am just getting ramped up for them also thinking more like 60.00
$60 is cheap and $35 is …well…are you doing a drive by? My pool guy charges $125 and I have yet to hear any buyer question it.
Not sure the kind of folks you are talking to but 80% of my buyers get a pool inspection or they have already owned a pool and pass on it.
I don’t give them the choice. Do you allow the client to let you skip the attic inspection or the crawlspace inspection? Will you reduce your fee if those areas are skipped?
Don’t kid yourself - there’s a ton of additional liability when the property has a pool or spa. If you do not inspect these systems (for whatever reason), you need to be sure the client understands the importance of a thorough safety check - and this should be WRITTEN in the report.
I have talked with inspectors (one with more than 15,000 Inspections under his belt) that do not do not do pools specifically because of the liability. The extra $75 -$125 may not be worth it.
I used to charge $75. Found a specialized pool inspector (older gentleman who built them for 35 years and is now semi retired) in the area who charges $110 - $125. I send all pool inspection straight to him. I do not up charge them or make anything. Experience has showed me he finds all kinds of things other inspectors miss. I am sure he has forgotten more about pools than I ever knew. I personally do not inspect them anymore, sending everything to the specialist.
I know this does not completely remove any chance of liability on my part, but I feel like it provides a better service to the client. I have no trouble getting people to do these when the house in question has a pool. I simply explain that pools are huge potential money sinks and that they need to be informed about them in the same way they are the home.
I read somewhere here in the forums about a pool inspector in San Diego that some HI’s were referring to do their pool inspections. Can’t seem to find the post now. Can anyone offer a recommendation?
If you do not do pool inspections make sure you report on the child safety gates, alarms, latches and fences on EVERY one. Also make sure you inspect the sub panel as it is part of the electrical system even though you did not inspect the pool.
If you do inspect them, make sure client signs separate agreement for the pool. FREA requires that
Chuck
Good points Chuck, thanks. My client does not have children, intends to have them sometime in the future, so in this scenario would you still report on child safety issues? I suppose one can never be too cautious.
My latest inspection did not have a sub-panel for the pool, it was wired into the main panel.
Do you have an example of a pool agreement that you could share? I’m with Allen Insurance and I don’t see that they require a separate agreement. Again, good idea regardless.
Even with no kids, ALWAYS report on safety gates etc. The gates need to make it diffucult for the neighbor’s kids who might want to take a swim when no one is home.
Allen doesn’t require a separate pool and spa contract. CREIA has a good one and every little bit of legal protection helps.
Chuck
Jeff,
While I certainly respect you and agree with you in theory, in Texas we have a standardized form for inspections. Pools are listed in the Optional System section and are not part of the bargained for report unless agreed upon prior to the inspection. I don’t disagree that a safety check is warranted.
Now whether or not this would protect an inspector who was not contracted to inspect the pool, I do not know and don’t want to be the first to find out.
FWIW, I did a pool last week for an additional $100. It takes me an extra 45 minutes to 1.5 hours (depending on the type of pool). A year ago, my client hired a local pool company to do a pool inspection at the home I was inspecting. The inspector charged my client $125. This same pool company charges an additional $350 if they have to dive the pool.
What do you do for $35 ?
How to Inspect Pools and Spas.](http://www.nachi.org/pool-spa-course.htm) Free course.
I sell a ton of them $250.00 as a stand alone, or $125.00 with a HI.
So then, when the property has a pool, but you are not contracted to inspect it, do you just ignore it? What if there is no fence? What if the service drop is 12 feet above the pool?
These have no real consequences until the P&S are thrown in to the mix. You leave yourself wide open if you don’t report on them, simply because you’re not doing a P&S inspection, and you should charge them for your service if you do report on them.
The checklist reporting form is near the end of the course: How to Inspect Pools and Spas.](http://www.nachi.org/pool-spa-course.htm)
See there, you’re using common sense and logic! And I’m sorry to say, that it hadn’t dawned on me prior. I will say that if there is a pool, I normally do the inspection, but that’s not 100% of the time. I have told clients about their liability regarding fences, but that was verbally and not in the report (shame on me).
I am going to contact our SoP committee and make this case.
Thank you very much.
SoP or not. If a kid drowns and you said nothing in writing you can bet you butt you are going to be hauled into court!
I always have and always will report on fences, gates and alarms whether I inspect the pool/spa or not.
CHuck