Water and Mold Testing

[Junoir]

Good add on or not?

I have been thinking about doing Water and Mold sampling as an additional "add on" to increasing service and revenue.

What kind of equipment works best on-site testing, lab testing etc...

What do you use?

[randynavarro]

Uh oh.

[hausdok]

Hi,

Unless you are a mycologist, microbiologist or an industrial hygienist with a lot of years of experience under your belt, you might want to re-think that.

Getting into mold sampling with nothing more than a mold seminar under your belt will generate a lot of money for the labs you use but will increase your own liability substantially. Miss one house and do so in such a way that your insurance company won't cover you and you could lose your own house, and your car, and your wife's jewelry, and the tuition money for your kids' college education, and....

I wouldn't do it, and I think I'm pretty good at this thing we do. I've never had anyone complain that I've missed a mold issue in their home, or been involved in any litigation, of any sort, in more than 11 years in this business. Ask around and see how many mold sampling inspectors can say that.

If you do one thing - inspect homes - do it well, and charge appropriately for your services, it's not necessary to add other services and you'll stay less exposed to malicious/frivolous lawsuits.

Take it for what it's worth.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Junoir]

Are you referring to water quality sampling as well?

How much is a "appropriate" charge for a home inspections?

[Scottpat]

How many homes are on wells in your area? The training will cost you and then the equipment will cost as well. Well testing in my area is done by well contractors who also have the state required certifications for testing residental well water.

Been inspecting since 1995 and I bet I have had less than 12 request for well testing.

As for the cost of a home inspection, we can't really talk about it. Do some research on the net and call local home inspectors.

[kurt]

Originally posted by Junoir

How much is a "appropriate" charge for a home inspections?

Most folks charge just like they did when they were small remodeling contractors; they charge what everyone else is charging, and they never figure out why they're always broke. Or, they charge what the realtors say is the right amount, w/the same result (broke).

The appropriate charge is the amount that it takes to provide you a profit that allows you to operate your business and life. Calling around to other home inspectors is a very poor way to figure out this number; doing the math is a better way. Never kid yourself on the numbers.

[Les]

I have never seen a business "model" that actually reflects what we inspectors charge. Inspectors charge abt 70% of what they should, given the facts.

[kurt]

Here's a harsh reality, and it can be removed if I'm breaking a law.

If one is charging <$450 per inspection, they're likely going backward. There's no way one can run their business, have health insurance, disability, retirement, and pay all the stuff we have to pay to live in America, and survive on less.

I know I just busted everyone's nut, including my own, but facts is facts.

[Les]

Kurt was that for just one inspection? No wonder I'm broke!

[randynavarro]

Originally posted by kurt

Here's a harsh reality, and it can be removed if I'm breaking a law.

If one is charging <$450 per inspection, they're likely going backward. There's no way one can run their business, have health insurance, disability, retirement, and pay all the stuff we have to pay to live in America, and survive on less.

I know I just busted everyone's nut, including my own, but facts is facts.

I concur.

[randynavarro]

Let me add however that this number is probably accurate for the major metropolitan regions; LA, San Fran., Chicago, Seattle, big cities etc.

Where Les is, I would think the number would be less.

Shoot, in Michigan, doesn't a gallon of gas only cost about $1.50? Do they have cars there yet?

[randynavarro]

Oops, I forgot about Detroit - you know. . .car capital of the world and all.

[hausdok]

Originally posted by randynavarro

Let me add however that this number is probably accurate for the major metropolitan regions; LA, San Fran., Chicago, Seattle, big cities etc.

Where Les is, I would think the number would be less.

Shoot, in Michigan, doesn't a gallon of gas only cost about $1.50? Do they have cars there yet?

Don't get me started on the price of gasoline. Some lady on the national news (I've forgotten which one.) was blathering the other night about how the price of gas has skyrocketed in recent weeks and is probably going to hit $3.25 a gallon soon. Hell, I'm looking back wistfully at that. Grrrr. [:-banghea

[Caoimhín P. Connell]

Hello Gents-

Just a quick note to chime in. Listen to Hausdok - those are pearls of wisdom.

Last week I became involved in (yet another) legal suit as an expert – a multi million dollars on the line legal dispute. Guess whose gonna drop first? The Home Inspector. What did he do? He performed $5,000 worth of useless Pro-Lab “mould testingâ€

[ozofprev]

Caoimhín,

Nice to hear from you again.

I understand that the air samples people ask for (and get) are a waste of time. An expert I have spoken with says that the air samples are very precise, but not accurate. Readings can vary several orders of magnitude in just a couple of minutes.

BUT, my expert friend says home inspectors have an opportunity to provide a service by sampling suspicious areas correctly with tape. He says that our knowledge of buildings and where moisture is likely to be a broblem gives us an advantage. This friend is not your average Joe, and he has me thinking that mold sampling should not be dismissed too quickly. (Air sampling for mold - yes, dismiss that.)

What's your take on this???

[Caoimhín P. Connell]

Good morning, Gary:

Thanks for the question which I see as having two elements; it addresses the accuracy of air samples, and the utility of tape samples.

To begin, since the precision of fungal air samples is notoriously AWFUL, I assume you meant to say your expert friend said that the accuracy was good.

But, your friend is wrong about the accuracy of air fungal samplers; the accuracy of an air sample for mould is almost as poor as the overall precision associated with air sampling (and the precision is REALLY bad, as you alluded in the fact that the value can change in a matter of minutes).

The accuracy will be dependent on the specific method selected, but is mostly poor for all methods – which is why good air sampling theory requires us to rely on other statistical considerations (relevancy, reference and precision) to look at airborne mould results.

Accuracy asks the question: How close is the reported value to the true value? (see my target drawing here http://forensic-applications.com/moulds/accurateonly.jpg)

Precision asks: How reproducible are multiple measurements? (See my target drawing http://forensic-applications.com/moulds/preciseonly.jpg)

So accuracy asks a pin-point question devoid of a time-frame. “Does my single air sample really reflect the airborne fungal profile as it exists right now?â€