It might cost the same to produce, but it sure doesn’t cost the same to sell. You can’t convince me that all oil company employee salaries are exactly the same, that maintenance costs on their factories is exactly the same, that transportation costs to the stations is exactly the same, and that the cost/rent on the station is exactly the same for El Cajon, downtown San Diego, La Jolla, Rancho Santa Fe, etc. No &#$&(%& way! Collusion is the only way that all those oil companies and all those stations in all those cities can come up with the exact same price for a gallon of gasoline.
We have a miminum per gallon gasoline profit here, as in many other states. That way the big guys cant sell below cost to drive the little guys out. (we don’t have any little guys, though, but that is their story and they’re sticking with it) The price for regular is between 2.71 and 2.75 just about everywhere today.
Our pricing will always differ because price is the easiest area to compete in. The new person entering the field can’t come in and compete with a CMI designation next to his name, or tout his 5,8, 10 or more years of experience and thousands of previous inspections. Therefore, price is easy. That is, until the consumer is truly educated about what a home inspection entails, and what it takes to complete one.
When consumers truly realize the value of a proper home inspection, the industrywide fee will rise accordingly. Heck, even most of the new inspectors would rather make $400 than $150! 