A home inspection is an extensive examination of the condition of a property. It allows you, the prospective home buyer, to make a fully informed decision on whether or not to move forward with the sale. A home inspection also allows you to feel confident in that decision.
The benefits of a home inspection have been well documented, and the money you spend on getting a home inspection is seen as nothing compared to the money it will save you in the long run. The price of a home inspection varies with a couple different factors, and we’re going to talk about them in this article.
Average Cost Of A Home Inspection
The actual cost of a home inspection depends largely on where you’re located, as well as on the total square footage of the home that will be inspected. The average cost of a home inspection is between $400 and $600, and that’s for the bare bones visual home inspection. If you want to have your potential new home tested for radon, mold, gas leaks; or other additional services such as a sewer scope or pest inspection, those will add to the cost of your home inspection. However, there is a significant amount of evidence that shows that investing money into a quality home inspector will save you and your family money in the long run.
If you invest in a quality home inspection before committing to purchasing a home and you pay extra for a sewer scope of the pipes, that sewer scope will either give you peace of mind in moving forward with the sale, or will alert you to a huge, potentially costly issue that would have made a nasty surprise down the road. Sewer line repairs can cost upwards of $10,000 to $20,000.
Factors That Affect Price
The most impactful factor in the price of a home inspection is the square footage of the home that will be inspected. It will be one of the first questions you will be asked when scheduling your inspection. Home inspectors need this information to determine both the length of time the inspection will take. Larger homes and more items to inspect will mean the home inspection report will require more detail. When you call to schedule your home inspection, make sure you include the total square footage of all areas you want to be inspected. Don’t forget about the basement or the garage!
Some home inspectors will vary their price with the type of foundation a home has as well. For example, a home built on a concrete slab will not require any extra work for the inspector as it is not visible and there is nothing to inspect. A home with a crawl space will allow the inspector to examine the condition of the foundation and other systems, such as any visible plumbing. The crawl space will also add time to the inspection.
Some inspectors charge by the total amount of the purchase price. This can skew the price of the inspection and is not recommended.
What Is Included In A Home Inspection
A home inspector is a generalist, not a specialist. You hire a home inspector to come visually inspect your home and report back to you on the general gist of the home’s condition. While a home inspector is not there to repair or necessarily diagnose an issue, they often can recommend you to a quality specialist. A home inspector will look at visible elements of the foundation, insulation, interior plumbing, electrical systems, heating and cooling systems, basement, garage, attic, exterior of the home, and the condition of the roof. A home inspector will also look at any appliances inside the home and items pertaining to safety, such as carbon monoxide detectors, smoke alarms, guardrails, and garage door openers.
Average Cost Of Common Home Inspection Add-ons
In addition to your typical home inspection, there are a number of additional services you can choose to add on as well. These include services such as termite/other pest inspections, sewer scope service, radon, gas leak, or mold testing. Whether or not these services are worth the additional charge will depend on your family and their needs, as well as the specific home and its location.
Sewer scope inspections are always a fantastic idea. There are a number of things that can go awry in a home’s pipe system, such as broken pipes, a blockage, or tree roots. These are impossible to see without getting a sewer scope down there, and would be nasty surprises to discover once you’ve moved in and just gotten settled, especially since pipe repairs can be quite costly.
A sewer scope inspection will either warn you of the issue right away, allowing you to use it as a bargaining tool during negotiations, or give you the peace of mind you need to feel good about moving forward with the sale. The national average cost of a sewer scope inspection is about $500 when done by plumbers or as a stand alone. Most companies will lower the cost if they are already there doing the inspection. This service is recommended for homes that are older than twenty years old or that have been vacant.
Radon is an invisible, odorless gas that has made a name for itself as the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. For this reason, a lot of people choose to test their prospective homes for the invisible carcinogen. The process of testing for radon is simple, just requiring the test system to run for 48 hours in the lowest livable level of the home. If your radon test discovers less than ideal levels, it’s not the end of the world.
Simply installing a mitigation system will reduce the levels of radon in your home. The Environmental Protection Agency’s website maps out EPA radon zones, essentially color-coding counties in accordance with their risk level for high radon levels. However, it’s important to note that you can find elevated radon levels in any of the zones. On average, a radon test will run you about $150.
A termite or Wood Destroying Insect inspection is another add on. Depending upon the state, there will be different insects that the inspector is looking for. In Ohio, powder post beetles, termites and carpenter bees and ants are looked for. The average cost of a termite inspection is about $75.
Water quality testing is another service that is important for those that will have a well for their water. There are several different tests that can be done. The most common are for coliform, nitrates, lead, arsenic. The fee for this depends upon the tests that you have done and can range anywhere from $100 on up.
VOC testing or Volatile Organic Compound testing is done in the home. This tests the air quality of the home in regards to different chemicals from lifestyle type chemicals to those like butane and formaldehyde. This is a good test for someone with chemical sensitivities or if a person is ill and there is no known cause. This test averages about $400.
Tips For Hiring A Home Inspector
Unlike realtors or others involved in the transaction, a home inspector is a neutral party. There are red flags that you should look for when deciding who to use for your own inspection. Here are seven tips for hiring your own inspector.
- Look for certifications, licenses and time in business. Make sure they have been around awhile.
- Online reviews will tell alot about what other people think of them and how they treat clients.
- Home inspections are the focus. You don’t want someone who is looking for work for their construction company.
- Insurance is also important. It shows they take care of their clients.
- What services are offered is important. Do they offer ancillaries that you need?
- Pricing is more important than you think. You don’t want the cheapest, but you do want quality and skill.
- Do they offer warranties in case something happens after you move in to protect you?
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Go to https://homeinspectionsinohio.com/ to check out the reports and warranty information. If you are in the area, schedule online with Habitation Investigation. If not, use their site as a guide to help you look for a good inspector or company. Remember to do your research. If you have any questions and want to use them as a resource, contact them from their online form.
You can find the full article on hiring a home inspector here…
