How do you handle add ons?

**Bill Penn** · 09-30-2011, 06:17 PM

scenario:
You quote your standard fee for a "normal" size home and you get the signed agreement back.

You arrive 3-4 hours before your client to do the inspection and find that there are things that weren't mentioned, additional furnaces/AC units, or 2 garages, or a complete living space above the garage, or etc.

Do you just do it and forget it? Call before you start? Do it and explain the additional charges at the wrap up?

Just wondering what others do.

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**Hank Spinnler** · 09-30-2011, 06:54 PM

If you can, I suggest looking up the listing while you have them on the phone. "I see this home has a blank and a blank. The fee to inspect it including the blank and the blank, is $xxx."

Ted Menelly · 09-30-2011, 07:15 PM

Originally Posted by Bill Penn

scenario:
You quote your standard fee for a "normal" size home and you get the signed agreement back.

You arrive 3-4 hours before your client to do the inspection and find that there are things that weren't mentioned, additional furnaces/AC units, or 2 garages, or a complete living space above the garage, or etc.

Do you just do it and forget it? Call before you start? Do it and explain the additional charges at the wrap up?

Just wondering what others do.

I go exactly what they told me it was. That is unless they dont sound sure and i will look it up while i am talking to them either on the computer or phone. If the home is only slightly different then i dont really bother with anything but if there is a decent difference then i tell them what they owe me and why and they pay me.

Never have a problem.

**wayne soper** · 09-30-2011, 07:19 PM

3 to 4 hours before you're client?
And then walk them through the whole thing again?
I agree with hank.
Sounds like you have too many add on's

**Jack Feldmann** · 09-30-2011, 07:33 PM

I base my fee on the square footage, and up charge for really old homes. Unless there is a big difference, I let it go.
I have gotten into the habit of looking houses up before I go out there. If I notice there is a big difference, I will call them back to "clarify" what they told me.

I had a 4-plex a few months ago that was over 2000 SF difference. They were taking the info off a flyer, but when I looked it up (and saw the photos), I realized something was not right. I called the client and told him my concerns, and told him I may have to adjust my price if the building was larger than he quoted. He understood.

**Bruce Ramsey** · 09-30-2011, 07:47 PM

Originally Posted by Bill Penn

scenario:
You quote your standard fee for a "normal" size home and you get the signed agreement back.

You arrive 3-4 hours before your client to do the inspection and find that there are things that weren't mentioned, additional furnaces/AC units, or 2 garages, or a complete living space above the garage, or etc.

Do you just do it and forget it? Call before you start? Do it and explain the additional charges at the wrap up?

Just wondering what others do.

I don't have a fee for a "normal" size home. My fee is based on square footage . I have a base fee for homes under 1000 and increase $25 for every 500 sq ft.

I presume that every single caller has absolutely no clue about the actual square footage. Tax records are online for my area so I compare the clients estimate of sq ft against the tax records. If the numbers are significantly off, I recommend they have their agent confirm the sq ft. I also charge extra for homes more that 20 yrs old. Again I check the tax records and add more to the price. Once the data is in, I offer a quote and stick to it.

Outbuildings are excluded unless specifically requested and they pay extra. Once I quote the price, I meet the price. 80% of the homes in my area are crawlspaces. No up charge for crawls and no discounts for slabs. Bonus rooms, finished attics and basements are living space and count in the sq ft. calculation.