To all those CHEAPos in Toronto who still charge $350 for the inspection of the million dollar houses - STOP. You are disgrace for the profession and undermine the value of your services.
Agree! there are $199 (or less) “any size home” guys here. :roll:
Frustrating isn’t it? We are some of the lowest paid people in the transaction yet assume some of the most liability and are expected to have the most knowledge concerning the home. Our prices should be doubled across the board.
Another reminder to all inspectors to raise prices for the new year.
We can wonder all we want at people who buy $ Mln houses and want to find the cheapest inspector but until those part-time beer-money “professionals” exist, the damage they cause for the industry and seasonal inspectors will only grow. I’m curious to know if those complaining about poor quality home inspections did their price shopping and thought they hit the jackpot by choosing the cheapest one in town.
Hi Yuri!
Totally agree! People buy million+ properties but try to cheap out on professional services.
We are also now dealing with some RES/Bs advising their clients to get an inspection “so they have someone to go after if there is a problem”.
As part of regulations, the Home Inspection Service MUST be made mandatory!
And yes, fees are going up this January!
Best wishes and a Happy New Year!
Pat
Dream on buddy :roll:
Never gonna happen
Happy New Year!
Cheers
Here’s a high level brief on Mandatory Home inspections, I believe studied back about 2003 by CMHC. http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/publications/en/rh-pr/tech/03-101-e.html
I’d like to see it happen, but certainly those outside of the home inspection world fail to see the benefit.
I agree prices are way too cheap, but competitive pricing is necessary to stay in business.
Some refer to ‘paltry’ pricing, but their is a reality in the real world.
No it is not!
If you can’t lead your clients inquiry through to the justification of the Inspection fee, you don’t need to be in business.
This is not Wal-Mart, it is a service business. Quit treating it as such.
There is nothing you can do if someone wants to do Inspections for free.
If you do, it’s against the law anyway.
Try asking your potential client if they are looking for a cheap, worthless inspection or are they looking for something specific from the Inspection Report.
If they want cheap, do it cheap or tell them not to wast their money and go find something better to do with your time (like becoming a better inspector) which makes your services more marketable which people will be willing to pay for.
If cheap inspectors are taking away your business, the problem lies with you, not them…
My suggestion simply do a cost analysis of what it cost to perform a home inspection. Consider ALL cost both direct and indirect. This will at least give a starting reference point. Now factor in the those conditions that would take you more time and cost.
Absolutely agree with Juan. Its all about selling the quality of your service ie selling you!
There are very specific reasons one salesman in a car dealership sell 70 percent of the cars sold while the rest sell 4 or 5 % , same is true of realtors in any brokerage.
My best advice to you is take a course in salesmanship and closing the sale.
$1,800 three weeks ago.
Bravo David.
Juan and David are absolutely correct. Inspections are not commodities. Stop marketing your professional services as a commodity. Cost does not equal value. If your service is no more valuable than the $199 guy, then you are overpriced. A $1,000 inspection that returns $5,000 in real savings to the buyer is a fantastic value when compared to the $199, content free inspection and report, whether you’re in Canada or the U.S. The $199 inspectors are entitled to charge what they think they are worth. They aren’t a factor for me. I have no problem marketing what I do vs. comodity inspectors.
Remember: If you ask you government to regulate homebuyers and force them to buy your services, they have every right to ask that same government to regulate the price you charge for your service. The absolute worst thing that I can think of for the industry is mandatory home inspections.
I completely agree. If that ever happened, I would start another business and focus less on home inspections until the industry died.
Gents - with all due respect - what do you see as the downside of mandatory home inspections? In a large part of the Canadian market bidding wars has had major impact on the home inspection being waived.
Now couple that with licensing home inspectors. Your thoughts please.
What kind of business would you start?
Thanks Claude
Exactly , I was getting average $450;00 an inspection 7 years ago when we retired.
I still communicate with many inspectors in our area and they all are not making much money.
Another CMI just gave up this week .
Most who are continuing have a pension or a wife who helps with the expenses .
It shows up on the NACHI site many still listed are no longer in Business .
Two guys on my street do lawns in the summer and snow removal in the winter ,
They make a great living and are both are in a healthy state.