Answer: A well conducted Home Inspection should take approximately 1 hour per thousand square feet. This time can vary depending on what the Home Inspector is asked to do. If a Home Inspector is also contracted to complete a radon test, mold evaluation or property inspection then the total time at the site will increase.
Older homes take longer than newer homes because of the effects of aging and the tendencies of home owners to modify homes over time. Occupied homes take longer to inspect than vacant homes. A crawl space generally takes longer to inspect than a basement or a home on a concrete slab.
Inspectors who spend only 2 hours looking at a 3000 square foot home are likely working too fast or just not giving the facility the full evaluation required by State or agency guidelines. A quick look like this is referred to as a "drive-by inspection" and the Client is not getting their money's worth.
Before you contract with a Home Inspector, ask them how long they will take to look at the home. If quicker than 1 hour per thousand square feet, you might want to shop around some more.
Comments(12)