Pricing??

If you are booked out on your other company, raise the prices a lot on this one. Do less inspections for more money! If you have a backstop, the other company in this case, you can afford it.

5 ACs, pool was not included nor was the hot tub. That is an ancillary inspection. They did not want to pay the extra for it. As for missing an item, the report was 46 pages. It took over 6 hours. I rounded it up to 7. Saving grace was there was no attic or crawl space. All vaulted ceilings. The house was built in 2005.

That was what I was basing the prices on. The 8000 was a special case. What people do not understand is my motive to become a Home Inspector. I want to prevent people from making a mistake like the ones I see every day in construction. I do, however, feel that my time is precious and well worth what I charge.

Let’s face it this is not rocket science. Pick up your phone and call any service provider—i.e. Plumber, electrician, A/C tech etc. see what they charge for a service call— $90-100 right within a reasonable distance from your office. That’s not a coincidence it’s the cost to put a truck and a tech to a job site. Now start working —figure what it will take for YOU to do the inspection and deliver to client, do all the communication between all involved. Some will be more proficient than others, some may do a great job, some will do a mediocre job and some will be in and out in an hour. Your business plan will dictate, i.e. multiple inspector vs, single man inspector. Add in your overhead, insurance, software, hardware, equipment etc. Now that you’ve done all that stand back and ask yourself if you can put a man on a job site for the price you quote and the services that you provide along with your experience and MOST INMPORTANT----MAKE A PROFIT! .
Personally I don’t know how you can do a 1500 ft under A/C home for 275. (that’s $175 after the cost to put the truck and inspector on site) I am not the most proficient (IT wise) inspector out there but I am one of the most experienced. I only do one due diligence inspection a day and I get top dollar for my inspections. My 1500 ft. home would be a 40 page report ( 4 to 5 hrs on site & report write time) and my 8500 ft home would be more like 110 to 120 pages ( 8 to 10 hrs on site- 6 hrs report write time) –that’s my business plan, it’s not right-- it’s not wrong— it’s just how I want to run my business (footnote I am a one man operation). So there is no right and wrong just do the math and go out there and do your thing and the clients that fit best with you will find you, but above all DO NOT SELL YOURSELF SHORT ! & MAKE A PROFIT. If you can’t make a profit—well consider a salary job.

I’m thinking the same thing. It’s not consistent.
What do you include for your base price? Insurance inspections, warranties, etc?

With all due respect, Roy, that’s a horrible plan. Following others always puts you second.

If your booked with the handyman service, then I think you’re pricing is spot on. You can afford to lose inspections while establishing yourself as the “higher priced” “better inspection”. Regardless, it will take time.
If you’re a one man operation, something will start to suffer, though. Either your handyman business or your inspection business.
I’m in your market and I charge $345. I include insurance inspections with that, though.

agreed

Once again, as I stated in an earlier post. I used the nachi price calculator to base my prices on. I am not particularly looking to perform the required minimum inspections for the lowest price. As I stated earlier you get what you pay for. And for those of you who do not read before you post, I stated earlier " I am not asking anyone’s opinion on what I should be charging". I will continue to charge what I charge regardless of your input. I was asking for insight on how to educate the prospective client on why my cost is justified before they hang up. But I will take the opinions at their worth.

Thank you. My handyman service is a four man operation and growing steadily. I opened in December of 2012 here in Port Charlotte and have grown faster than I ever imagined. I was just recently awarded Best in Port Charlotte for 2014. I am fair, honest, and consistent with all my clients. Again I was hoping anyone could provide insight on how to justify my cost when the usual prospect is off to the cheapest inspector.

Mr. Welch, I appreciate all your input. I would like to ask one thing, do you not think your time is worth more. Are you including a 4-point or a Wind-Mit? Granted you are there already, but I would think the Wind-mit would be more intensive and therefore take more of your time.

In my area I have two bottom feeding builders doing inspections for $159.00. Any home, any condo.

Last time I checked, contractors and builders could not hold themselves out as a home inspector. They are only allowed to perform area specific inspections, not full home inspections. That is unless they have a HI lic.

Not answering for him, but, my software allows me to populate all the necessary fields of a 4-point and wind mit at the same time. I do charge extra for the wind mit, but not the 4-point. If I so desired, I could include all of the insurance inspections with the home inspection…and nit charge extra for any of it.

Your assumption is currently incorrect.

I just recently checked with DBPR and was informed by the supervisor of unlicensed activity for Fort Myers that a contractor cannot advertise themselves specifically as a home inspector unless they have a HI license. If you like you can pm me and I will give you his contact information. I do not make assumptions. Nor do I speak on a subject unless I have checked my facts first. Granted anyone can perform a inspection and claim to be that which he is not. It does not make it legal.

Yes, I do. It’s worth much more. However, $345 is what my market will consistently bear. It even has to be sold. The average home <2000sf takes me about 2.5 hours to inspect with about 1 hour for the report.
I do need to go up:shock:

Booked 2 more $150 4 points for next week :slight_smile:

I started at 99.00 for a wind mit and 110.00 for a 4-point, all the agency looked at me and told me that I was way out of the ball park. They told me there guy can do it for 75 all day long. Me being a new company I had to be in there ball park. I would love to get more.

Yeah and when the clients tell me what their agents say I tell them they ought to pay 1/2 what they do for their insurance. The insurance A-SHOLES have NO BUSINESS quoting what they think folks should pay. Most times unless a client has gotten a bulls-it idea of what something should cost from a ball gobbler that has no idea what they should cost they do not bat an eye when I say $150. When folks call and ask that is what I say on 4 points and I get more than 1/2 of them. That tells me that those bundling fools out there should raise their prices but I no why they do not because the insurance scum OWN them.