Charge off Heated Sq Ft or Total Sq Ft?

[Kurt Stein]

Okay, I know this is a basic question, but do you guys price your home inspections based on heated square footage of the home or the total square footage (including garage, screened in patios, balconies, etc.? I'm in Florida by the way. I've heard of different inspectors pricing each way and wondering what you see as the pros and cons of each?

Thank you,
Kurt

[Jim Luttrall]

Okay, I know this is a basic question, but do you guys price your home inspections based on heated square footage of the home or the total square footage (including garage, screened in patios, balconies, etc.? I'm in Florida by the way. I've heard of different inspectors pricing each way and wondering what you see as the pros and cons of each?

Thank you,
Kurt
I use conditioned space which is a more easily obtained figure since it is the one realtors and property marketing sites (Zillow, etc.) use. It really all boils down to time since that is really what you are selling (along with your knowledge). I plan on a 1600' house having a two car garage and porches so somewhere in the neighborhood of 2000' plus or minus under roof and base my fee on the time it takes to inspect that size home. I try to give my customers an all inclusive price and set my fees high enough to cover most contingencies with the only (add ons) being things that are not normally present in my area such as pools, basements, etc.

[Markus Keller]

For a home or condo we generally price off of number of bedrooms and bathrooms. However, it is important to know where the house is. A 4/2 in the City can be one size, while a 4/2 in the burbs can be twice as big.

[Roy Lewis]

I use total sf. If not you could get screwed .
I've had homes with 2000 sf heated , but 3500 sf plus under roof.
I get my info from the county property appraiser records.

[Kurt Stein]

Many realtors think my prices are too high, but I was basing it off a heated square feet (zillow). But I of several other inspectors in the area using total square footage, so I figured if I do that and lower my prices some it'll be about the same at the end of the day and the realtors won't be up in arms that my prices are a bit higher. What do you all think?

[Markus Keller]

If you are worried about what the agents think you are already screwing yourself. What matters is what customers think and what the market will bear in your area. You should also be thinking about what product you put out in relation to what others are putting out at a given price.
I tell callers I don't compete with checkbox idiots. If that's the rate they want to pay, then they should call one of them. You can use what other businesses are charging as an initial guide but in the end you have to charge for the product you are providing.
Having said all that I am aware that in some geographic areas HI's need to soft ball with agents in order to maintain decent relations and not get blackballed. You have to decide how to handle that given the business environment in your area.
If you do thorough inspections and reporting then that's what you sell. Sell yourself and your product. Why should I pay you instead of the other guy, why should I pay you more than the other guy, what is my upside in dealing with you instead of the other guy?

[Jerry Peck]

If you do thorough inspections and reporting then that's what you sell. Sell yourself and your product. Why should I pay you instead of the other guy, why should I pay you more than the other guy, what is my upside in dealing with you instead of the other guy?

Kurt is in Florida, but his location only says "FL", not 'where' in FL he is ... and Florida is a big place.

There are many, many, places/areas in Florida where there is a market for thorough inspections and the home buyers are willing to pay more for those types of inspections.

The term that, in my opinion, Markus should stop using and replace with another term is "checkbox" as most inspectors nowadays probably use computer reporting systems which offer more than "checkboxes" ... yet many inspectors have not grown past that level of reporting even when using reports which are not "checkbox" style reports.

Do thorough inspections, provide a detailed report, and charge accordingly.

If those are the types of inspections and reports you do, then you may need to start with inspection fees which are a little above the top of the market (which you seem to be stating that you are), ignore the complaints that you are a little higher, and, as your client referral base grows, you will be able to raise your prices to the level of your inspections and reports.