Radon: charge more for canisters or for CRM?

I started out with a couple Sun 1028 monitors. You do not need a printer for that model. You can plug it into your computer after the test and use the Sun software to configure your report. From there you can save the report as a PDF. Isn’t as slick as the newer monitors that connect over Bluetooth to your phone, but it is better than using a printer.

Thanks Ryan. Ideally I would like a monitor that I can control from an app on my phone. Do you know what CRM allows that?

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Almost all of the newer ones do I believe. I use the Corentium Pro and have been happy with them. You can kick out the report from the driveway before leaving if you want. They also have a rental program if you don’t want to purchase.

Thanks Ryan. Having a radon report ready that quickly after pickup sounds like you’d have a very happy and impressed client and realtor.

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Another thing I’d like info on is how many things do I have to record and keep track of when using a monitor? Maybe when I take the radon and advanced radon course I’ll find out.

It’s expected nowadays. That’s why I wouldn’t even consider charcoal kits, especially if you will be offering this service to other inspectors. When they hire you as a sub to do the radon testing, their reputation is on the line as well as yours. Lose one test in the mail and have to delay the results for another week, well you probably won’t be working for that inspector again.

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Did I just read that right?

Good points thank you. I know you recommended sewer line out of my options I listed but for some reason the radon idea just keeps nagging at me. I know inspectors could just offer the service themselves easily. I don’t know lol. I could probably get setup for sewer scopes cheaper than for radon. 600 dollar camera and 600 training as opposed to at least 2 monitors at least 800 each if new.

Which part?

I think you would have more success with sewer actually. Most plumbers (at least in my area) are so busy nowadays they can’t meet the time commitments I would need in order to sub it out to them. Having someone who only does scopes for inspectors, and understands the time constraints, would be great.

But you have to come through and get it done. I would check to see if you are required in your state to be a licensed plumber in order to remove a toilet in someone else’s home. If not, practice doing it on your own toilet until you have it down (it isn’t very hard). Then do some research so you can stock your vehicle with the parts you may need if things go south when removing/replacing the toilet. Won’t really be that much stuff, but you need it on-hand.

Sewer scopes is something many inspectors just don’t want to mess with, but is generally in demand. Many cities in my area are now requiring it as part of all real estate transactions.

The fact that you haven’t taken any Radon courses, but ask questions like this?

Someone here is being played.

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Thanks. I have no idea where to look to find out if Utah requires only plumbers to remove toilets. Is it possible to push the camera line through the p trap in a toilet?

I’m not trained on sewer scopes or the equipment, but I highly doubt you could feed it through the toilet trap, especially considering you may have a long way to go after that.

I see. The problem with removing toilets is I really don’t want to be held liable if/when I damage one or don’t set the seal properly.

Have you ever done one before?

It really is pretty simple in 80 percent of cases. But the other 20 percent you will come across some where the bolts are so deteriorated you will have to break them to get the toilet off. So you will need some new bolts on hand. Of course you will need wax rings. And you may want to carry a few different types of flanges just in case. And you will also want a variety of supply lines (with valves) to replace those old ones that will not seal up once you remove and try and reinstall it.

That said though, you are talking about only the cases where removing the toilet would be necessary (no accessible cleanout) and then only a fraction of those would give you problems. Most times you would have a cleanout to go through.

I haven’t done one before and honestly I don’t know the rules for Utah. Like I mentioned before though I’d set up a system that notifies any potential client that I may not get to the cleanout to do the inspection. That way every client that books an inspection will know.

I understand that and get what you are saying. I was under the impression you were going to market to home inspectors who wanted to sub out this service. I can tell you, at least for me, I would not sub it out to someone who might not get the job done. The reason is that my reputation is on the line when I bring in a sub. I would want someone who could do whatever it takes to get the job done, in the timeframe it needs to be done in. That’s great that you throw out the disclaimer, but at the end of the day, the job didn’t get done and now my phone is ringing. Just something to think about!

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I understand thanks. I’d probably market mostly to realtors whether I choose sewer scope or radon. Every agent knows a handful of inspectors and knows what services they do and don’t offer.

No problem! Just trying to help out by giving my perspective.

To the point of the question, 99.9% of buyers don’t know the difference and would be unwilling to pay more for one v. the other. They just want a test.

My multi-inspector company uses CRMs but I know if at least one other similar size company near me that uses charcoal and does plenty of tests.

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