Re-Inspection Agreement

[randynavarro]

Anyone got a good 'contract' for a re-inspection that I can plagiarize? (with my own modifications of course)

I've never really used one before on a re-inspection of the same property I originally inspected but I'm thinking I'd like a bit more clarity on paper when I do one.

[mwg27]

I just did an 11th month warranty inspection for a client I did the original inspection for last June. Used the exact same PIA (except now it's 2 pages with the FREA required Arbitration Statement)

If you're asking about re inspection of previously called out and repaired items. Simply modify your inspection agreement to cover only those items to be inspected.

[paul burrell]

On a follow up inspection I simply write up an addendum to original inspection which states that all follow up inspections or additional statements "are a part" of the original agreement.

[JEuriech]

Randy,

I tend to shy away from re-inspections. I may do one in a hundred inspections. When I do a re-inspection, I add the following to my contract and in my report:

A re-inspection is an inspection of only the items on the original summary report. The inspection can only tell if the items are now functional and sometimes if proper methods and materials were used. Most repairs are internal and cannot be viewed. The re-inspection is a limited visual inspection and latent or hidden defects may still be present.

If the customer only wants one item re-inspected I will add an additional sentence to the above paragraph like: Per customer's request, re-inspection is for broken tiles in the right front of the house only.

Jeff Euriech

Peoria, Arizona

PS. I got the above information from another inspector in town. I do not know where it originated from.

[hausdok]

Hi,

I have a reinspection clause in my pre-inspection agreement for the original inspection so there's no need for a second one.

Not to change the subject, but I hope you are charging for your reinspections. For about the first five years I was in this business I did reinspections for free and did them on about 40% of the homes that I'd inspected. Most of the time I was on-site for only about 10 to 20 minutes but it might have taken me an hour or two to get there.

One day I sat down and tallied it up and found that the time involved probably would have totalled about $55,000 to $60,000. From that day forward, I never did a free reinspection again.

Now I address the question of reinspections at the time that I brief the client during the pre-inspection phase of the original inspection, I inform the client that my rate for doing reinspections is twice my normal hourly fee and that the clock begins ticking when I put my key in my door at home to leave for the appointment and it ends when I put my key into the lock upon return home. I make it clear to them that I charge for any time sitting in traffic or waiting for delays if they are late for the reinspection, and I charge an additional $30. for anything outside of 20 road miles from my home.

I tell 'em only to call me if it's something that they can't look at and know has been fixed and not to call me to re-inspect something that a licensed professional - plumber, electrician, architect, engineer - was in charge of fixing or overseeing, because I don't see any point in checking their work and then assuming their liability.

Funny, since I began this policy the reinspection business went away overnight. Now, reinspections are extremely rare and I find that I'm no longer embroiled in constant arguments with trades that do sloppy work or with "professionals" whose work isn't to a very high standard. The clients are still happy and I'm getting more referrals from previous clients than ever. I have no idea whether there is any correlation - all I know is that I'm just doing a tiny fraction of reinspections compared to what I used to do and this has cut my annual mileage almost in half.

Works for me.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[randynavarro]

Thanks all for the responses.

Mike, I'm getting really close to discontinuing any and all re-inspections. Its almost funny how many times I'll do a re-inspect and hardly ever is any of the work completed. Not just completed half-way; its simply not done at all!

But, there is that rare case, where it does make sense for me to re-inspect in the interest of helping the client. The one I have coming is a re-inspect job on a pretty pricey brand new home.

One of the more important items was really bad insulation in the crawl space. If I don't re-inspect, who will? The builder supposedly assured them the first time that his home was quality, yada, yada, yada. . . . Can these poor souls trust the builder to do it right again?

Anyway, thanks again. And yes, I do charge for re-inspections.