Land Contamination as part of Add-on Service

[Jack Huntress]

I'm wondering if anyone is being asked about land contamination. We are working on refining a product for home inspectors that shows the location of spills and releases from:

Gas Stations
Dry Cleaners
Landfills
Superfund Sites
State Hazardous Waste Sites
Former Meth Lab Homes
Industrial Mfg Spills


Do you think this would be something that your clients would be interested in and would be of value to your business?

Idea is that inspectors would be able to resell product or include it as part of their service.

I'd welcome any feedback about the concept, value and interest.

[Darrel Hood]

Is the product a map of reported sites or sites in public records?

[Jack Huntress]

It is a map of reported sites. there are about 23million records covering 1400 or so databases. We primarily offer these for commercial transactions but there seems to be a growing interest in residential transactions so people avoid "Erin Brockovich" or "A Civil Action" type scenarios.

we haven't yet added a map but are going to do so very soon. Still trying to get it right. You can see a couple of samples here: Home Inspectors | edrnet.com (http://www.edrnet.com/solutions-for/home-inspectors)

I'd welcome your thoughts and appreciate the feedback. We tried pricing this at $30 and then inspectors were reselling for $100 (very infrequently) but we've found that pricing it at $10 and then $30 resale (or simply including it is a better model) so that is what we are trying now (as well as more improvements).

[Caoimhín P. Connell]

G’Morning Gents:

One of my ASTM Committee has several National Consensus Standards for environmental issues in property transactions.

There are several very good data bases that can be accessed for a minimal fee to provide some of these answers. I think HI’s would do well to incorporate an element of these assessments as an option to your services.

Here are some of the pertinent standards which are available through ASTM International. (Disclosure: I am a nonpaid member of several ASTM Committees – I receive no remuneration for any of my activities, and do not claim authorship of any final standards).

Cheers!

CaoimhÃ*n P. Connell
Forensic Industrial Hygienist
Forensic Applications Consulting Technologies, Inc. - Home (http://www.forensic-applications.com)

(The opinions expressed here are exclusively my personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect my professional opinion, opinion of my employer, agency, peers, or professional affiliates. The above post is for information only and does not reflect professional advice and is not intended to supercede the professional advice of others.)

AMDG


D6008 - 96(2005) Standard Practice for Conducting Environmental Baseline Surveys

E1527 – 05 Standard Practice for Environmental Site Assessments: Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Process

E1903 – 11 Standard Practice for Environmental Site Assessments: Phase II Environmental Site Assessment Process

E1990 - 98(2005) Standard Guide for Performing Evaluations of Underground Storage Tank Systems for Operational Conformance with 40 CFR, Part 280 Regulations

E2107 – 06 Standard Practice for Environmental Regulatory Compliance Audits

E2137 - 06(2011) Standard Guide for Estimating Monetary Costs and Liabilities for Environmental Matters

E2173 - 07(2011) Standard Guide for Disclosure of Environmental Liabilities

E2318 – 03 Standard Guide for Environmental Health Site Assessment Process for Military Deployments

E2365 – 05 Standard Guide for Environmental Compliance Performance Assessment

E2718 – 10 Standard Guide for Financial Disclosures Attributed to Climate Change

D5746 - 98(2010) Standard Classification of Environmental Condition of Property Area Types for Defense Base Closure and Realignment Facilities

E1528 – 06 Standard Practice for Limited Environmental Due Diligence: Transaction Screen Process

E1984 – 03 Standard Guide for Process of Sustainable Brownfields Redevelopment

E2018 – 08 Standard Guide for Property Condition Assessments: Baseline Property Condition Assessment Process

E2091 – 11 Standard Guide for Use of Activity and Use Limitations, Including Institutional and Engineering Controls

E2247 – 08 Standard Practice for Environmental Site Assessments: Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Process for Forestland or Rural Property

E2308 – 05 Standard Guide for Limited Asbestos Screens of Buildings

E2418 – 06 Standard Guide for Readily Observable Mold and Conditions Conducive to Mold in Commercial Buildings: Baseline Survey Process

E2600 – 10 Standard Guide for Vapor Encroachment Screening on Property Involved in Real Estate Transactions

E2790 – 11 Standard Guide for Identifying and Complying With Continuing Obligations

E2797 – 11 Standard Practice for Building Energy Performance Assessment for a Building Involved in a Real Estate Transaction

[Darrel Hood]

Jack,
In answer to your original post question, I can't be interested in this product with my current level of understanding. I am having difficulty figuring out how to limit liability without a complex contract term and time spent talking to the client to limit expectations. That is all doable, but the profit is too low to justify the liability, the monetary investment for the contract creation and the distraction from discussing the home inspection. I'm sure you have a market, but I don't see that I'm it.

Thanks,

[Jack Huntress]

Darrel, I appreciate that candid feedback. My belief is that over time, consumers will ask and even demand this type of information as part of the home buying process.

CaoimhÃ*n, those are good references!

[Darrel Hood]

Jack,
I believe you are probably correct. However, I don't think it is most likely to come from the home inspector. It is probably going to become some kind of disclosure requirement and be handled by a realtor. I am always telling my clients I don't have a crystal ball, so I may be wrong..

[Rolland Pruner]

Jack: All inspectors would have to use this if not! I am sure the realtors wuild not ever use them again if they caused a deal to Killer!!!

I would recommend you sell this direct to the buyers under your name!!

( my opinion only)

[Rolland Pruner]

Jack: All inspectors would have to use this if not! I am sure the realtors would not ever use them again, if they caused a deal to Killer!!!

I would recommend you sell this direct to the buyers under your name!!

( my opinion only)