How much does your Dayton Home inspection cost?
“It’s unwise to pay too much, but it’s worse to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money — that is all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot — it can’t be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run, and if you do that you will have enough to pay for something better.”
Benjamin Franklin is often credited with the quote “The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.” Regardless of the quote origination, it remains as true.
Often the very first question asked by a client researching my services is “How much?” We have been conditioned to search for the best deal based on price alone, and so price remains at the forefront of every purchase decision. It’s not a fault… its’ simply fact. Unfortunately the “best” deal isn’t necessarily the cheapest, nor is it the most expensive. Price is certainly an important factor when comparing the exact same identical brand products. Services on the other hand, are completely different! No two service providers are the same or can provide the same level of service.
Experience and knowledge are incredibly important when choosing a home inspector or commercial building inspector! You likely encountered various differences in property types during your search including: amenities, age, size, number of rooms, location, acreage, upkeep, improvements, modifications, landscaping, and so forth. Just as no two homes or commercial properties are the same, so too will inspection services, knowledge, experience, and fees vary! Inspectors will have very different backgrounds, very different skill sets or qualifications, different levels of experience and service, vastly different levels of training and education, different qualities or types of equipment, varying qualities of products and reporting methods, and of course different pricing. Just as the actual inspection requires hard work from the inspector, finding the right inspector for your home or building can be a daunting task! So I encourage you to research your prospects thoroughly just as you did your home or commercial building!
Hire on 'price' alone at your own peril...
Below are examples of your low-cost options. These are REAL inspectors hired by clients just like yourself for one of the biggest financial investments to be made! Some are local, and others from around the country. They are humorous yet alarming reasons I charge the fees I do, and the reason you should choose your inspector wisely.
My fees are commensurate with my experience and knowledge… The fees charged by the inspectors in the following examples are in my opinion too expensive at any cost! But it’s still YOUR choice.
Umm… I dunno… Maybe you could ask your clients for the same advice? I’m sure they would appreciate the experience in lending their expertise!
It’s called a concentric vent… but you would know that had you acquired training prior to starting your inspection business.
Sorry Charlie… doesn’t work like that.
It’s considered 200 amp. Rare to find any amperage above this in residential. But feel free to ask your other Facebook peers while you work on this report!
It’s called a retention screw. Retention devices are required for back-fed main breakers. Covered in the electrical class of your training…
Finishing up your report eh? Can’t wait to read your Facebook peers narratives.
Oh boy…
There’s nothing inherently wrong with the personal choice of the temperature setting on a water heater, unless the water temperature reaches scalding hazard levels (typically above 125° F).
Unfortunately you need more help than a simple narrative can provide. (And so do your clients…)
A word of advice… don’t quit your day job!
Yes I am ACTUALLY in business as a FULL TIME Inspection company. This isn’t just some side job for “extra spending cash” like several of your peers have proven on Facebook.
Perhaps, Mr. Inspector, the word “Incinerator” embossed across the top of it might give you a clue?
You’re welcome!
Signed: Mr. Obvious
A second opinion???
YES IT”S NOTEWORTHY!!! And it’s wrong!
My first and last opinion is for you to refund the client fee to them!
Severe mold problem??? Seriously?!?!?
You’re making mountains out of molehills… and unnecessarily alarming your clients.
It’s called mildew in the shower… move along! Seriously… move along to some other form of employment please.
I’m obviously calling for a trained professional to hopefully save them from your incompetence!
Umm yeah… it’s an iPod charger…
And to think some agents accuse me of being excessively thorough. Sheesh…
Can’t wait to see this report likely full of unnecessary concerns…
First off… please don’t use the term “fellow inspectors”! It’s obvious from this post that you sir are NOT an inspector, but rather an actor.
Second, this is basic electrical 101 taught in most home inspection courses. With a little more information gathered while on site, you should be able to immediately know if this is a problem or not. You should not need to ask nor “research” this basic information!
Again… Sorry Charlie. That is a 20 amp 2-pole circuit breaker for the air conditioner. That does not make it 40 amps total.
Did you actually charge the clients for this inspection?
It’s called a split-bus electric panel. A precursor to our modern electric panels. An experienced inspector knows this. Keyword “experienced”…
Tell me again about your low-cost inspections?
Document what? Your complete lack of training, or the hazardous condition created by electrical splices not contained in a covered and secured junction box?
No it shouldn’t be “under the shingles”. Basic water shedding principles. Installing it under the shingles would be the equivalent of tucking your raincoat inside your rain paints and hoping this funnel keeps you dry.
Uhh… NO.
A hearth is not required for a Decorative and Pre-Fabricated gas log fireplace…
Ummm… it’s a shutoff valve for the plumbing supply pipe it is connected to. Red being the indicator of most likely a “hot” water supply leading to the dishwasher…
Did you actually charge your clients a fee for this inspection?
Dear “Clueless in Seattle”:
This fitting requires the internal plug to be physically (and forcefully) removed if it is to be used with a dishwasher discharge line. Since none is connected… and there is no evidence of leakage, it would be a safe bet that the internal plug remains intact. I’m hoping you were slightly more concerned about the visible corrosion at this unit than unnecessarily plugging a connection point…
Are you asking if I would place a thermal image of a perfectly functional dimmer switch into my report???
NO. No I wouldn’t.
Please get some formal training and a better thermal camera before you try this again!
All else fails… ask more experienced inspectors to write your report for you!
Yeah… “Try not to touch the copper parts…” sounds less alarming to your clients and the agents involved. Go with that… smh
Put the infrared camera down and step away from the panel!
GFCI’s have internal circuitry that create heat… They will appear “hot” under “normal” operation!
Ummm… I personally would want my clients to be EXTREMELY concerned with this severe foundation issue depicted! But that’s just me…
Oy vey…. SERIOUSLY???
It’s called a propane (or more accurately liquefied petroleum gas LPG) tank. And as an added bonus… I also know what to inspect regarding them.
I’m sure your warn your potential clients about your fundamental lack of “understanding all this electrical stuff”!
Congratulations on getting your license to inspect homes though…
I certainly don’t reference it as burnt wood! It’s called evidence of a previous roof flashing leak at the chimney!
It’s what I’m paid to already know. How about you?
First off… a full time and experienced inspector would know the difference between Rafters and Trusses…
Second… these Trusses don’t need Rafter collar ties…
The short answer is yes, these compression fittings are fine…
The longer answer is… this is not CPVC piping, but rather polybutylene, or more specifically, PB2110… a problematic plumbing material that was the subject of class action lawsuits… commonly identified by the grey coloration and… these compression fittings you inquired about.
Hope your clients received this important tidbit of information.
Yeah… let me write your report for you!
“This Wadsworth brand panel is not a Federal Pacific Stab-lok ‘junk’. While robust for it’s era, it is simply obsolete and difficult to find replacement components. There were no inherent safety concerns as typically found with Federal Pacific Stab-lok service panels.”
P.S. Both panels clearly identify the name brand on their respective labeling should you have difficulty inspecting or differentiating them in the future…
I believe the name you are looking for is Vermiculite (a potentially asbestos contaminated mineral)… not “Villiaumite” (a rare and toxic halide mineral composed of sodium fluoride).
And NO it’s neither of these materials… what you’ve captured in the photo is quite a harmless yet very effective insulation known as loose-fill cellulose (typically recycled and treated newspapers) and some fiberglass batt insulation. But I digress… it’s pretty easy for an experienced inspector to misidentify one of the most common insulation products on the planet… NOT!
(*facepalm*) Umm… No… right classification (insect), but wrong species. But I guess I may be at an advantage having had an interest in insects since I could walk.
These are the nest remnants of a solitary wasp known as a “Mud Dauber”. Quite a common, harmless, and beneficial insect (especially if you dislike spiders). Not a termite or any other form of wood destroying insect.
In my professional opinion… NO. I would recommend this catastrophe be removed and replaced by a competent trades person. But I guess that’s the difference between a professional inspector and one who can’t identify this masonry installation as an utter failure.
I’m simply at a loss for words…
And no… I didn’t make this one up…
This inspector (and their unfortunate client) won’t find an answer. Baseboard hydronic heating systems don’t require any clearances to combustible materials… If it ever got that hot, there are other far more serious concerns to be worried about… namely a boiler explosion.
You sir… chose the wrong career path.
Best of luck to your clients.
They’re going to need it!
Yep! Looks like a fuse panel from here! Can’t tell you much of anything else without looking inside…
Did you inform your clients you didn’t know anything about this most basic electrical system?
Ummm… It’s called a faulty condensate drain system… and a serious issue based on the location of the system.
As a ‘Professional’ Home Inspector, You should already know this…
This was covered in Home Inspection 101. Did you skip that day?
It’s a serious venting issue that needs prompt attention! But yeah… go with scalding hazard if it gets someone to correct it. Oy vey!
It’s called PEX (or crosslinked polyethylene)… Only common in just about EVERY new construction and re-plumb project for the past 20 or so years.
May I see your training credentials?
The BC Warner Difference
As you can see from above, not all your options are the same when choosing a property or home inspector. So comparing inspectors by price alone is a risk you may or may not be able to afford. Above are examples of your low-cost options. These are REAL inspectors hired by clients just like yourself for one of the biggest financial investments to be made! Some are local, and others from around the country. They are reasons I charge the fees I do, and the reason you should choose your inspector wisely.
BC Warner Inspections and Thermal Imaging Services fees are commensurate with my accumulated experience and knowledge… But it’s still YOUR choice on who to hire.
Because no two homes or commercial properties are the same, the fees I charge are determined with care and consideration for the differences, as well as the work, experience, knowledge, equipment, time, and dedication that I will devote to you in providing a detailed and comprehensive inspection and report. Please feel free to give me a call or send an email to request quote customized for your specific property.
I don’t exaggerate my experience and qualifications. In fact, I don’t even list them all. You can review a brief list of my qualifications, training, and experience by viewing THIS PAGE and THIS PAGE.
I offer my clients a simple and honest promise which you can read HERE.
Many of my clients have honored me with compliments and reviews of my work. You can read a few of their comments HERE.
Experienced inspectors earn their fees many times over. They do more, they deserve more, and yes they generally charge a little more. Do yourself a favor…and pay a little more for the quality inspection that you deserve.
If you are an active military member, served in the armed forces, military veteran, or First Responder, I (and my family) would like to genuinely and sincerely THANK YOU for your service to protect our Liberty and Freedoms both here and abroad! In return, I offer you and your family a service discount for your inspection. Please mention your (or your immediate family member/spouse) service when you contact me.
Thank you for your consideration in my services!
Bill Warner – BC Warner Inspections & Thermal Imaging Services
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