FAQs
- What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
The pricing for home inspections is based on $0.20 per square foot of living space for homes over 2,000 square foot. A $400 minimum applies. The square footage must include any finished basement area which is not always included in the real estate listing. I will gladly re-quote a price if you have any concerns about the accuracy of the square footage. Other additional items are wood decks and other outbuildings such as detached garages or storage sheds are not in the base price. The age of the home is also a factor. Homes over 50 years old are slightly higher. The location of the home can be a factor if it is greater than 30 miles from St. Charles, IL. Radon testing is an additional $200 coordinated with a separate Radon inspection firm. Payment can be made by cash, check, or PayPal at the time of the inspection. For newly constructed residential homes, please call for a free consultation on my new construction inspection and consulting services. New construction may require additional inspections such as a rough framing inspection, a pre-drywall inspection, and the review of your selected options. My pricing is average or slightly below average. When you ask for an estimate, please remember that every Home Inspector that you ask to send an estimate must pay Thumbtack to send you that estimate. When you are looking for the lowest cost, please choose other Pros. My pricing is average and lower than some Home Inspectors in the Chicago area.
- What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
We will have one or more phone conversations prior to the inspection. I will ask about any special concerns that my clients might have that I could include in the base fee. Extra services that may be beyond the normal scope of a home inspection will require additional fees which will be known and listed in the Inspection Agreement. I can also make referrals and coordinate the inspections for special situations such as Radon Inspections. A written or electronic agreement will be signed prior to the inspection. This can be done by email, or in person at the beginning of the inspection. Inspections can be as short as 1 to 2 hours for very small ranch style homes without a basement. Medium sized homes can take 2 to 3 hours. And some of the largest homes could take 4 or 5 hours. I would like for the client to be on site for most or all of the inspection so that I can show them what I see as issues and they may ask questions at that time. This may not always be possible, so follow-up phone calls are always welcome after the client reads their report.
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
My State of Illinois Home Inspector license is current and is valid until 12-1-2022 The training and testing requirements for this license are established by the State of Illinois. However, Thumbtack does not allow any home inspector to include my license number in my profile. Thumbtack also does not allow me to include the Illinois Department of Professional Registration website in this profile where you may look up my license number and status. I am a LEED AP which means LEED Accredited Professional. This is a professional accreditation from the US Green Building Council. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. I am also an Illinois State Certified Weatherization Assessor.