Along with Services & Fees, we offer various modifiers that can be applied to your base pricing to account for factors such as extra square footage or meters, the age of the home or the year it was built, miles or kilometers away the home is, and the type of foundation. These modifiers help ensure that you are charging your clients accurately and fairly for the specific services they require.
In this article, we'll walk you through how to add modifiers, how they work, and examples of modifiers.
How to Set Up Modifiers for Your Services
In this section, we'll show you how to set up modifiers for your services.
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Click "Settings"
Click "Services & Fees"
Click the service you want to add modifiers to
Click "Modifiers"
Click "+Modifiers"
Select your modifier from the dropdown menu (ex. Square Feet, Age of Home, etc.)
Select your modifier type (Range or Per Unit) from the dropdown menu
Set your modifier range or unit
Set your preferred additional fee and hours
Be sure to make your modifier ranges overlap; The Greater Than field will only trigger that number +1.
Keep in mind that each tier you make for your modifiers will have its own fee and duration that will add to your base cost and base duration, to reflect accurately on your calendar. See below for examples!
How Modifiers Work
When you book an inspection, the system calculates the modifiers based on the information provided about the home. We'll try to automatically fill the square footage and year built from data taken from public records.
Always make sure you double-check these numbers since they could be outdated.
Unfortunately, we can't guarantee that the automatic square footage will be the same as the listing. There isn't currently a database that offers the square footage of homes without any margin for error. Some include the basement sqft, some don't have the most recent additions to the house, etc.! We have picked a database that has the most accurate information out there.
You can always edit the square footage or pricing after the inspection is created, or turn off the square footage auto-calculation entirely.
Modifier Types & Examples
Square Foot Modifier
Square Foot Modifier
Square footage modifiers need to overlap; the 2nd number on the first line needs to be the exact same as the 1st number on the second line. As you can see below, the first square footage range is set to "1000 - 2000" and the second range is to "2000 - 3000."
If the ranges are set to "1000 - 2000" and then "2001 - 3000," the system will see a gap between 2000 and 2001, and will therefore not calculate the modifier correctly.
All modifier ranges should be set with the numbers overlapping like so:
In this example, a house that has 1,001 square feet will add $50 to the inspection cost, but NOT a house that has 1,000 square feet.
Age of Home
Age of Home
Age of home modifiers need to overlap; the 2nd number on the first line needs to be the exact same as the 1st number on the second line. As you can see below, the first square footage range is set to "10 - 20" and the second range is to "20 - 30."
If the ranges are set to "10 - 20" and then "21 - 30," the system will see a gap between 20 and 21, and will therefore not calculate the modifier correctly.
All modifier ranges should be set with the numbers overlapping like so:
Year Built
Year Built
Year-built modifiers need to overlap; the 2nd number on the first line needs to be the exact same as the 1st number on the second line. As you can see below, the first square footage range is set to "1940 - 1970" and the second range is to "1970 - 2000."
If the ranges are set to "1940 - 1970" and then "1971 - 2000," the system will see a gap between 70 and 21, and will therefore not calculate the modifier correctly.
All modifier ranges should be set with the numbers overlapping like so:
Zip Code
Zip Code
Multiple zip codes per tier can be separated by a comma
Foundation Type
Foundation Type
Miles Away From Company Address
Miles Away From Company Address
"Miles away" modifiers need to overlap; the 2nd number on the first line needs to be the exact same as the 1st number on the second line. As you can see below, the first square footage range is set to "25 - 50" and the second range is to "50 - 75."
If the ranges are set to "25 - 50" and then "51 - 75," the system will see a gap between 50 and 51, and will therefore not calculate the modifier correctly.
All modifier ranges should be set with the numbers overlapping like so:
Miles Away From Home Address
Miles Away From Home Address
"Miles away" modifiers need to overlap; the 2nd number on the first line needs to be the exact same as the 1st number on the second line. As you can see below, the first square footage range is set to "1 - 40" and the second range is to "40 - 65."
If the ranges are set to "1 - 40" and then "41 - 65," the system will see a gap between 40 and 41, and will therefore not calculate the modifier correctly.
All modifier ranges should be set with the numbers overlapping like so:
Modifiers Using Custom Scheduling Fields
Modifiers Using Custom Scheduling Fields
Additionally, you can add Custom Scheduling Fields to your online scheduler to create new pricing modifiers as well.
First, go to Settings > Scheduling Options to create your custom field.
Then, go to Settings > Services & Fees to add a modifier using your new custom field. You will be able to select the custom field at the bottom of the list.
Here are a few examples of the final product:
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I turn off the automatic square footage?
This can be done in Settings > Scheduling Options > Uncheck the Enable Sqft/Age of Home Data.
Why doesn't the square footage match what the online listing says?
Currently, there isn't a database available that provides home square footage without any margin for error. We have picked a database (ATTOM) that has the most accurate information out there, but unfortunately, it's impossible to guarantee 100% accuracy with those kinds of databases.
Why aren't my modifiers calculating?
If your modifiers are not working, be sure to check that your modifier ranges overlap; the last number on the first line should be the exact same as the first number on the second line. This applies to all modifier types!
Also, be sure to check that you have enough ranges! If your last square footage range, for example, is 2000-4000 and the home you're scheduling for is 4700 sq ft, the system doesn't have a range to look at for additional fees/hours. You may need to add an additional range to your modifiers list.
If you have any questions or feedback, write into our chat bubble or email support@spectora.com!
