Home Inspection Home Warranty????

[Brandon Whitmore]

Do any of you offer free home warranty's with your inspection?

I got a call from a soon to be client today stating that I was the only inspector of 3 or 4 that wasn't claiming to provide a free home warranty, so it sounds like inspectors are making this a big deal to help sell themselves???

The good news is that after selling myself to him for a few minutes, he forgot all about the lack of a "free" home warranty, and decided to hire me. Maybe it's because I laughed it off and told him to read the small print in any free home warranty provided.

[Bain]

A dude I mentioned earlier in another thread offers some sort of warranty. The fine print renders it useless but, more importantly, the warranty only covers mishaps that cost more than $100.00 to correct. Because of this, I'm told the guy doesn't bother to check GFCIs because they cost less than a hundred bucks to replace.

hahahaha . . .

[ericwlewis]

The home warranty's I've heard of around here are offered in connection with the sale. I understand that they only cover issues not covered uncovered in the inspection??? It seems like insurance for a bad inspection.

[Brandon Whitmore]

I've been looking into it, and remember this topic being brought up on a message board in the past.

On one competitors website, he indicates that the warranty is good for 90 days, and if the house closes after it has expired then it is good for something like 15 more days. There's no fine print on his site, but it is mentioned.

I think he offers the home warranty to sellers (pre listing inspection?).

I'll keep digging into it to see if any of them are worth anything.

[mgbinspect]

It's all kinda funny. Most of us are at a point where if a client has us do their inspection, they won't need a warranty. But, it's kinda hard to make someone realize that.

I don't offer a warranty. Offering a warranty is a position of weekness, to my way of thinking.

[Jim Katen]

. . . Maybe it's because I laughed it off and told him to read the small print in any free home warranty provided.

That's the truth. When you read the actual warranty, you discover that it's worthless.

[Marc]

There is no warranty that can serve the client better than a home inspection done right, though I'll admit that it's more easily spoken than conveyed.

Marc

[Brandon Whitmore]

I found one such warranty program: warranty

I have a feeling the company starts hounding the client once the 90 day "warranty" has ended. Also, the cap of $500.00 for mechanical issues and $2k for structural defects won't pay for much.

[gtblum]

Offering a warranty is a position of weekness, to my way of thinking.

If the warranty is specific to the inspection.

Things break just like they do in cars, your camera, or whatever.

I had a discussion about this with a friend of mine who is a big shot with one of the bigger after market auto warranty companies, who he says, actually pay their claims, because, they don't need the bullshit and because so few are ever turned in to begin with.

It's really nothing more than an insurance policy.

Last I knew, he brought it it up to the bigger wigs at a meeting, and they tabled it, but were considering it.

On the other hand, I would never offer it as part of an inspection. Talk about rolling the dice.

Let's say a claim is made. The first thing they're going to do is send someone out to look at it. As with any insurance company, the first thing they're going to focus on is covering their own ASSets.

Once a problem is discovered, It will be dialed in under the microscope and then comes the finger pointing.

Guess what, Mr inspector who also sells warrantys?