Would checking the amount of pips in the Spread in an EA be as simple as checking the difference between the bid and ask?

http://docs.mql4.com/common/MarketInfo/

Spread value in points - double MarketInfo(Symbol(),MODE_SPREAD)

The example has that as an int return. Will specifying a double allow for the return of something like 0.5?

Spread is integer but MarketInfo can return many other information - some of these values are double (like prices), so by default MarketInfo is double too.

http://docs.mql4.com/constants/marketinfo

Thanks for the clarification. So, at minimum, the spread will be 1 pip.

I never heard about broker with so small spread. So it will be 2, 3 (more common for majors), 4, ..., 7, ...

No Metatrader broker anyway. However, InteractiveBrokers offers 0.5 spread on majors most of the time...

Depending on how your using the spread info, you may need to watchout for broker spread widening.. newstime/illiquidity etc. I remember something in Cybertrader code about not relying on MarketInfo/spread return and actually running a bid/ask subtraction calc. I think MarketInfo/spread returns the brokers published spread.
May be wrong.. Not a programmer. Can reduce your room with tight sl/tp.
If your working in this area.. and have time..what might be an interesting little gismo for newstraders and scalpers would be a background script/ind/ea that logged changes to the spread with timestamp to a small csv file (or gave an alert?). Make interesting viewing and comparison for ascessing broker spread behaviour in volatile market conditions..I don't trade news, but it would be interesting to track..?