Thread: What to pay a new inspector?

Hello! I just want to get an idea of the % to pay an addition inspector. My husband is the inspector and I do all the sales and marketing and we are bringing my son on to help us out and I have no idea how to pay him. Any advice would be appriciated.

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Originally Posted by Kevin Kight

Hello! I just want to get an idea of the % to pay an addition inspector. My husband is the inspector and I do all the sales and marketing and we are bringing my son on to help us out and I have no idea how to pay him. Any advice would be appriciated.

I guess it depends on what he brings to the table! If you are paying his insurance, license fees, training, providing tools, marketing, etc then the pay would be less. It is all relative to what you are providing.

Originally Posted by Scott Patterson

I guess it depends on what he brings to the table! If you are paying his insurance, license fees, training, providing tools, marketing, etc then the pay would be less. It is all relative to what you are providing.

Yep I pay all the above. I just didn't know what is standard. I have heard any where from 40% to 65%. Scott what is your opition?

I think 40% would be pretty nice with no overhead.
One thing to keep in mind, if you are an LLC you might run into tax problems if his salary is more than hubby's.

Originally Posted by Benjamin Thompson

I think 40% would be pretty nice with no overhead.
One thing to keep in mind, if you are an LLC you might run into tax problems if his salary is more than hubby's.

LOL Ben! That's not going to happen! Just trying to be far!

Well, to be fair, add up all the associated costs required to keep him covered per month. Then subtract that from the cost of his inspections. Family or not the business needs to survive. Make him earn his keep fairly and he'll be there to take over when you guys move on...


! Just trying to be far![/quote]

40% - 60% is what I have paid mine.
They made a higher percentage on re-inspections, and we also had a standard fee when doing radon ($$ if only placing monitor, $$ if only picking up, $$ if doing both).

Originally Posted by Jack Feldmann

40% - 60% is what I have paid mine.
They made a higher percentage on re-inspections, and we also had a standard fee when doing radon ($$ if only placing monitor, $$ if only picking up, $$ if doing both).

Thanks for your help!

Originally Posted by Kevin Kight

Thanks for your help!

Wow

I am impressed. I have not talked to any inspector or heard of any inspector that is thinking of bringing someone on to help out for so long I cannot remember. Especially the end of November and into December.

Good for you. I think? Maybe I should be more bewildered.

What she said was "Bringing son on to help us out ". Probably easier to understand in that context.

Kevin,
You need to look at experience and knowledge. Will he be an asset or a liability.
Try to determine how much he will add to the bottom line and also the potential cost in liability exposure to you and your business. Flat % 40 to 60 as a rule of thumb, but run a spread sheet to see bottom line. You may think about a sliding scale to reflect additional business that you son is able to bring in from his own efforts.

Jack,
Depending on family situation bringing a child into the business allows to transfer the tax exemption as a dependent to one of an operating cost. The salary / wages (living expenses) become a business expence that gets a higher right off along with health insurance and other items. Oddly enough it is possible to have the business make less (with additional overhead) and actually be in better overall.

Originally Posted by Ted Menelly

Wow

I am impressed. I have not talked to any inspector or heard of any inspector that is thinking of bringing someone on to help out for so long I cannot remember. Especially the end of November and into December.

Good for you. I think? Maybe I should be more bewildered.

We have slowed down but summers just around the corner. FYI I have been in sales for 20+ years and 8 within the real estate community so I have built some great relationship. I market full time where you guys have to try to market and inspect.

Originally Posted by Kevin Kight

We have slowed down but summers just around the corner. FYI I have been in sales for 20+ years and 8 within the real estate community so I have built some great relationship. I market full time where you guys have to try to market and inspect.

I guess the 8 years in real estate anwers the question on how a new inspector gets so busy so quick in a down market and needs help. From what i have heard from many an inspector is it is diwn just as it is up here. There are a few inspectors out there that i have heard of where there wife was in real estate and they pretty much took off running.

i will be kind and and leave it where i started.

Good for you and good luck.

I pay 30 dollars and hr but the guy comes on the inspection with me, so it is a little different.