I am getting questions on what they should charge for doing draw inspections. First, I feel that the market you live in can only determine that and the demand for draw inspectors. The same as all of your prices for Home Inspections. The more the inspection companies in a certain area the lower the cost for a home inspection will be b/c of competition.
Second, from what I have gathered from you guys doing draw inspections for companies like DDN and etc. almost all of the postings in here have been about having to drive really far for a small fee for that distance. Take me for instance, I very rarely go over 20 miles away from home to do my inspections. On some days I have over 20 to do. Ask your self this, Would I do 20 draw inspections for $45 if I did not have to go no more than 20 miles from home and it only take 4-5 hrs? And make $900 in that time? I sure as hell would. Would I do 10 draw inspections and go no more than 20 miles from home at $45 an inspection and only take 3hrs? And make $450? Hell yes!!
Third, I do not know how much DDN is being payed on draw inspections. I wish I knew!! But for where I live I can gaurantee all of you that it is not over $80. If it was I could get my foot into the door with the banks that use DDN I would undercut them by $20 easily and get their business. I also believe that these banks pay DDN extra for rural areas. What that would be I have no idea.
Focus locally and undercut the competition because draw inspections are SO EASY!!! If you do them through a smaller bank you do not have to jump through as many hoops as you do for DDN and others. Most small banks only require one picture, you fill out a simple draw sheet, and then fax or email it to the banks. So much easier and a lot faster than DDN.
I have gotten three this week from Nationwide. All within 15 min of my home. Now if I was busy doing two home inspections a day, every day, then I would have to pass. I have a full time job in another field right now so what I do is stop by before or after work, stay about 15 mins, take a few pics and upload when I get near a computer. Total time “working” is 30 mins.
Note: I decided to post this here to get some opinions on this issue.
On a draw inspection yesterday I noticed something I would report on in a home inspection.
Though it is of no concern for the draw inspection, what would you do if you came across this?
It would not draft right, possibly resulting in noxious fumes in the house, plus it is a fire hazard to the occupants. Not to mention it is a liability for all parties involved, and could result in a financial loss for the lender. An insurer would probably not offer coverage on the house with a defect as obvious as this one. Did I leave anything out?
Is this picture by itself enough to determine a hazard?
Not bust’n your chops just looking for all the steps involved in drawing a conclusion and the best thing to do for all concerned from the perspective of an HI doing a Draw inspection.
regardless of the manufacturer’s instructions on allowable clearances as far as fire hazards goes, it is too close to the wall and it is too short to draft right in my opinion. If I’m wrong, please correct me.
**From your photos it should have been obvious even to an ASHI inspector that the low termination close to the roof line and the close proximity to the side of the house was a big “No No”! **
After I saw the photo I went to the “Heat & Glow Fireplace” website and looked up the installation instructions for their “Gas Fireplaces.”
On page #10 they state that that for “Snow Regions” they must have a MINIMUM Clearance of 3-feet!
**Does it snow in your area? {Hardy har, har!} **
The bottom line is that this installation is wrong on many levels and I would call it out!
You could turn “Lemons into Lemonade”! I have found many “construction defects” during draw inspections and the Banks have asked me to be a consultant on “Quality Control.”
**Bye the way I charge $150.00 for each “Draw” inspection. **
YUP! I took one look at the pic. and saw that it was “wrong” but Mfg. Installation instructions trump Code so I went straight to their Website and confirmed that it was a :|.)bad install:|.) .
I submit the picture with a note on the draw sheet and a copy of the manuf. instruction sheet. The draw sheet that I use isn’t set up to do much else. That is about all you can do. Unfortunatly, the legal system dictates what we are responsible for not morality. Legally you are only responsible for reporting % of completion, but I can’t stop there (especially with something so obviously wrong).
