What's your highest paying ancillary service?

[Jbrow327]

What service? How much do you charge? How many do you do per week?

[Bill Kibbel]

I dont do any - no time for it. I can arrange radon, termite and septic if needed.  They show up while I'm there and deal with the client directly.

[Jbrow327]

4 minutes ago, Bill Kibbel said:

I dont do any - no time for it. I can arrange radon, termite and septic if needed.  They show up while I'm there and deal with the client directly.

Ok. Do other inspectors do your services for you or are they companies that only do ancillary services?

[Les]

My company did nearly all services.  Each was a separate entity.  How much was charged is not germane to the discussion.  The number is also not important.  The percentages are important. They tend to be profitable,  They require another level of management and usually are not done by the "inspector".   When you start your business try to stay focused on home inspections. 

[Bill Kibbel]

8 hours ago, Jbrow327 said:

Ok. Do other inspectors do your services for you or are they companies that only do ancillary services?

They are credentialed and experienced experts in their individual fields. They don't work for me, they work for the client.

[Marc]

1 hour ago, Bill Kibbel said:

They are credentialed and experienced experts in their individual fields. They don't work for me, they work for the client.

I occasionally do that with termite inspections and with mold assessment/remediation. They're experts that I know and trust. I never refer clients to any home inspector offering mold testing as an ancillary. The ones in my area have no idea what they're doing, and they charge an arm and a leg.

I like what Les does.

Edited September 28, 2022 by Marc

[Les]

1 hour ago, Marc said:

I occasionally do that with termite inspections and with mold assessment/remediation. They're experts that I know and trust. I never refer clients to any home inspector offering mold testing as an ancillary. The ones in my area have no idea what they're doing, and they charge an arm and a leg.

I like what Les does.

Thanks Marc.  It took us nearly 10years to put everything together properly.  The most salient factor is what Bill said about credentials and separation.  All Home inspectors for me were, at a minimum;  Licensed Building Contractors, college graduates, full  time, Licensed Wood Destroying Insect, Passed the NHIE Exam, Certified ASHI member, Credentialed Radon Screener - plus any speciality.  The other independant companies also had the highest and best credentials. 

[Jbrow327]

Thanks guys. I’m still going through internachi training to become a CPI. When I’m finished, I’ll be starting business offering only ancillary services to other home inspectors and realtors. I will start with only 1 service. I’m deciding between, radon, sewer scope, mold testing, or maybe infrared scanning. Whatever I choose I'll be getting the appropriate training to use it. Which of these would you guys recommend? I'm in Utah BTW.

Edited September 28, 2022 by Jbrow327

[Marc]

17 hours ago, Jbrow327 said:

Thanks guys. I’m still going through internachi training to become a CPI. When I’m finished, I’ll be starting business offering only ancillary services to other home inspectors and realtors. I will start with only 1 service. I’m deciding between, radon, sewer scope, mold testing, or maybe infrared scanning. Whatever I choose I'll be getting the appropriate training to use it. Which of these would you guys recommend? I'm in Utah BTW.

You'll need to test the local market yourself for those services.

[Jim Baird]

On a contrary note, my lowest paid service is your inclusion of me as a resource during your ownership of the building, which service I include when I send my report.  I get a few, but very few replies.

[Les]

22 hours ago, Jbrow327 said:

Thanks guys. I’m still going through internachi training to become a CPI. When I’m finished, I’ll be starting business offering only ancillary services to other home inspectors and realtors. I will start with only 1 service. I’m deciding between, radon, sewer scope, mold testing, or maybe infrared scanning. Whatever I choose I'll be getting the appropriate training to use it. Which of these would you guys recommend? I'm in Utah BTW.

What makes you a CPI?  Why would another inspector use you for "xxxxxx" services?  Why not find out if you know what you are doing before you hire out?  etc. 

 

PS:  I don't think you mean ancillary service.

[Marc]

Last I heard is that the cost of a CPI is $2,500, sold by Inachi. It sells on the premise that if your name is followed by an impressive sounding credential that no one knows anything about, folks will subconsciously fill that credential with everything they hoped to find in an inspector and hire the guy on the spot.

[Tom Raymond]

1 hour ago, Marc said:

Last I heard is that the cost of a CPI is $2,500, sold by Inachi. It sells on the premise that if your name is followed by an impressive sounding credential that no one knows anything about, folks will subconsciously fill that credential with everything they hoped to find in an inspector and hire the guy on the spot.

CPI is the Certification you receive upon completion of Nacho training. Certified Professional Inspector. CMI, Certified Master Inspector is the expensive program you're thinking of.

[Marc]

20 minutes ago, Tom Raymond said:

CPI is the Certification you receive upon completion of Nacho training. Certified Professional Inspector. CMI, Certified Master Inspector is the expensive program you're thinking of.

Ahhh. I see. Well, I'm just an ordinary inspector. Is that not enough?