How Long Does a Home Inspection Take?
If you want to make sure you’re paying a fair price for your investment, a home inspection is a must. The point of this in-depth home analysis is to make sure all the plumbing, electrical, mechanical, and structural aspects of your new home are in working order. If they’re not, you may have some room to negotiate your offer price, or move on to another prospective property.
But how long does a home inspection take, and when can you expect to get the results of the report?
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How Long Does a Home Inspection Take?
Since most buyers want to be present during the inspection, it’s natural to want to know how long the process takes. On average, you should expect the home inspection to take 2-2.5 hours.
With the market the way it is right now, many buyers are opting out of a home inspection. This could turn out to be a huge mistake because you may end up eating the costs of much-needed home repairs.
That’s why we recommend not only getting a cost-effective home inspection but also encourage you to be present so that you can ask any questions. At this time, if you choose not to come due to safety measures, you can expect the home inspection report within 24-48 hours.
We also understand how stressful a home purchase is, so if you choose to be present, know that we have your safety in mind. We require practicing social distancing and properly worn masks at all times. We’ll even have hand sanitizer handy!
Now, there are many opinions out there about how long a home inspection should take. Some say 3-4 hours, but most won’t be that long. But we have had some that have taken all day! A few factors will slow down in inspection, so keep these in mind while you’re touring the house for the first time.
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Things That Will Slow Down a Home Inspection
What can make a home inspection go from a few hours to an all-day endeavor? Well, the process is primarily based on four things: size, age, and the condition of the home play a big role. Excessive clutter and personal items in the way matter, too!
Size
So, a small condo can be as quick as an hour, while a large home can take 4-6 hours… or even more! The average size house (3BR/2BA) takes about 2-3 hours.
Also, keep in mind that the pool/spa, wind mitigation, thermal imaging, and irrigation inspections can add to the time frame in which we complete the examination.
Age
With great age comes great responsibility. So we do our due diligence! Older homes tend to have more issues, so we make sure to work through the house, keeping a keen eye out for things like plumbing, electrical, roof, and mechanical discrepancies.
Clutter
If there are currently residents occupying the home, that can really slow down how long it takes. We’ve had some homes so bloated with “stuff” that it took a while just because it was tough to navigate.
Keep in mind that home inspectors don’t move personal items, which is why a cluttered home can make the job take twice as long.
Type of Inspection
This article is primarily about the general home inspection. However, additional inspections requested may add to the time the visit takes.
Home insurance companies require a four-point inspection for older homes 30+ years old. A four-point inspection is limited to only a few systems, so it takes about 30-45 minutes. You will also likely have a wind mitigation inspection performed, which could result in discounts on your insurance. This inspection also takes additional steps and time to perform.
A general home inspection requires many more systems and components to be inspected. This type of inspection requires at least twice as long. When the other insurance inspections are bundled with this, it can add at least an hour.
Don’t make the mistake of skipping out on a full inspection to save time and money, though. These insurance inspections are not a substitute for a complete general home inspection. A thorough report of the condition of your prospective home can be the difference of thousands of dollars less by the time you sit at the closing table.
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What a Home Inspection Includes
The inspection time period occurs after your offer is accepted. You should have had a clause in your sales contract that says the final purchase is contingent on the findings of a professional home inspection. And while no property can technically “fail” an assessment, if your inspector identifies structural and/or major system flaws (especially anything safety-related), you’ll have more information to either negotiate a more favorable price, or even walk-away.
The seller and the buyer will come up with a mutually agreed-upon time to get this inspection done. Then, the buyer schedules the inspection, and we come out and do what we do best! The default time frame to get an inspection completed is 15-days per the contract. However, especially in a competitive market, your contract may have a shorter time allotted, so be sure to know exactly how long you have. And don’t wait to the last minute to schedule. We can often do an inspection as soon as the next day, but in busy times the schedules can fill up quickly!
Here is our complete home inspection checklist. Once the inspection starts, you will know the state of everything from the home’s roof to the plumbing after just a few hours!
NEXT: WHAT TO EXPECT FROM YOUR HOME INSPECTION – BEFORE, DURING & AFTER
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