Fazlur Rahman
At a glance
- A standard inspection costs $350-$600, national average around $450. High-cost metros run $600-$900.
- Condos are $250-$400; townhouses sit between the two.
- Four add-ons earn their cost: radon, termites, sewer scope, chimney on older houses.
- The inspection does not cover the roof interior, walls, mould, asbestos, lead, pools, or wells.
- On a $500,000+ house, spending an extra $150 on inspection is the highest-return money in the purchase.
Prices last verified October 2026. Inspection fees vary heavily by market — get three quotes and check the sample report before hiring.
What the fee covers, and what it does not
The price buys a documented condition assessment of the accessible, visible, and operable parts of the home. That word list matters, because what is outside it is a long list of things buyers reasonably assume are included.
Excluded by standard of practice: the roof interior, everything behind finished walls and ceilings, radon gas, termites and other pests, swimming pools and spas, wells and septic systems, mould, asbestos, lead paint, and any system requiring destructive access or a permit.
| Area | Standard inspection | Why it is excluded | What to add instead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roof covering | Viewed from a ladder or drone | Walking a roof risks damage and the interior is inaccessible | Roof inspection, $150-$350 |
| Roof structure | Not inspected | Requires attic access and often destructive testing | Included in many roof inspections |
| Electrical panel | Inspected and tested | Included in the standard | Licensed electrician, $150-$400 |
| Plumbing inside walls | Visible fixtures only | Behind walls requires opening them | Sewer scope, $150-$300 |
| Radon | Not tested | Requires a multi-day measurement device | Radon test, $150-$250 |
| Termites | Not inspected | Requires a licensed pest operator | Termite inspection, $100-$250 |
| Septic system | Not inspected | Requires a licensed septic inspector | Septic inspection, $300-$600 |
| Well | Not inspected | Requires a well specialist and water test | Well test, $150-$400 |
| Mould | Not assessed | Requires sampling and lab analysis | Mould testing, $200-$500 |
| Chimney | Visually noted | Flue lining requires a certified specialist | Chimney sweep and inspection, $150-$300 |
| Pool and spa | Not inspected | Specialised and liability-heavy | Pool inspection, $150-$400 |
| Foundation | Visually observed | Structural evaluation requires an engineer | Structural engineer, $400-$900 |
Cost by property type and market
The fee scales with square footage, age, and difficulty of access. Age is the strongest driver because an eighty-year-old house has more of everything to fail, and difficulty of access matters on a steep or multi-level property where the inspector needs a ladder or a drone.
| Property or market | Typical fee (2026) | Why it differs | Total inspection budget |
|---|---|---|---|
| Condo, interior only | $250-$400 | No roof, no exterior, no grounds | $250-$400 |
| Townhouse | $350-$500 | Exterior walls only, shared roof | $350-$500 |
| Detached, under 1,800 sq ft, built after 1990 | $350-$450 | Newer systems, everything accessible | $350-$450 |
| Detached, 1,800-2,800 sq ft, built 1960-1990 | $450-$600 | More systems, some buried lines | $450-$600 |
| Detached, over 2,800 sq ft or pre-1960 | $600-$850 | Age means more systems and more access problems | $600-$850 |
| High-cost metro, any size | $600-$900 | Labour rates dominate | $600-$900 |
| Farm, rural, or heavily wooded lot | $450-$750 | Other structures, long drive, limited services | $450-$750 |
| New construction | $350-$600 | Warranty covers much of it, but verify separately | $350-$600 |
The four add-ons worth paying for
These have the highest return of anything you can spend during the inspection window, because each detects a defect that a standard inspection structurally cannot see.
| Add-on | Cost | Which homes need it | What it finds that the standard misses | Cost of not doing it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sewer scope | $150-$300 | Every home built before 1985, or with a known septic | Tree root intrusion, offset joints, collapsed clay, bellies | $8,000-$25,000 to replace a line |
| Termite inspection | $100-$250 | Southern US, any home with wood framing near soil | Active colonies, damage, conducive conditions | $3,000-$10,000 treatment plus damage |
| Radon test | $150-$250 | Any home with a basement, crawlspace, or slab on grade | Elevated radon, the second leading cause of lung cancer | Mitigation runs $1,000-$3,000 |
| Chimney inspection | $150-$300 | Any home with a working fireplace or gas fireplace | Cracked flue liner, missing clearance, failed cap | A chimney fire and an uninsurable home |
| Roof inspection | $150-$350 | Any home where the roof is over 12 years old | Failed sealant, lifted shingles, flashing problems | $8,000-$20,000 replacement |
| Septic inspection | $300-$600 | Any home on septic | Failing system, hydraulic overload | $8,000-$20,000 replacement |
| Well and water test | $150-$400 | Any home on a private well | Bacteria, nitrates, arsenic, hard water | A treatment system, or a health risk |
| Structural engineer | $400-$900 | Signs of movement, crack patterns, unusual spans | Actual load-path and foundation assessment | Catastrophic, and it voids insurance |
Worked example: a 1978 house in the Southeast costs $450 for the standard inspection, $250 for termites, $200 for radon, and $250 for a sewer scope — a $1,150 total that found, on average, at least one issue worth several thousand dollars. Skipping all four add-ons to save $700 on a $350,000 purchase is a bad trade.
How to choose an inspector
- Check the credentials. InterNACHI or ASHI membership is the baseline. State licensing is required in about half the states.
- Read a sample report before hiring. A good report is photo-annotated, itemised by system, and written within 24 hours. A report delivered as a checklist with no photographs is a warning sign.
- Ask how long they spend on site. A thorough inspection is 2-3 hours. Anything quoted at 45-60 minutes is a partial inspection regardless of what the report says.
- Confirm insurance. Errors and omissions coverage protects you if the inspector misses something structural.
- Ask what they do not inspect. A good inspector is explicit about limits. One who claims to inspect everything is either lying or doing a very short visit.
- Confirm they are not also a repair contractor. Some states restrict this. An inspector earning a commission on repairs has a conflict of interest.
- Book early. Inspectors in spring and summer are booked 2-3 weeks out. Booking the day the offer is accepted is normal and expected.
What the report actually looks like
Reports have a consistent structure, and knowing it makes them far more useful. Defects are described in terms of safety, function, or cosmetic, which maps directly to how much they are worth in negotiation.
| Finding category | What it means | Negotiation value | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Safety issue | Risk to occupants or property | High — fix before closing or credit the cost | Exposed wiring, no GFCI in a bathroom, failing smoke detector |
| Functional defect | A system does not perform as intended | High to moderate | Water heater not producing hot water, HVAC not cooling |
| Deferred maintenance | Will become a problem if unaddressed | Moderate | Old flexible plumbing, worn roof shingles, tired water heater |
| Cosmetic issue | Appearance only | Low — usually not worth contesting | Chipped paint, worn carpet, small drywall crack |
| Note for the buyer | Informational, not a defect | None | Service life remaining on the roof |
The negotiation that follows
An inspection report is a negotiation input, not a repair list. The process that works is: read the whole report, categorise findings by severity, get your own contractor estimates on the serious items, and present credits rather than demands.
| Step | Do this | Avoid this |
|---|---|---|
| Read everything | Read the full report including the notes section | Reading only the summary of major items |
| Price the serious findings | Use your own licensed contractor | Using the inspector's estimate as a fact |
| Separate categories | Group safety, functional, and cosmetic separately | Handing the seller a 40-item list |
| Present credits | Ask for a credit or a price reduction | Demanding the seller complete every repair |
| Watch the deadline | Complete before the contingency expires | Missing the inspection contingency window |
| Keep it in writing | Email the agreement to all parties | Verbal agreements that evaporate later |
| Watch the reaction | A seller who ignores serious findings may be hiding something | Accepting a fix without documentation |
One tactic worth knowing: a seller who agrees to every requested repair without inspection almost never intends to complete them. If you want a repair rather than a credit, require it in writing with a completion date and a photographic record, or take the credit and hire your own contractor.
The short version
Budget $350-$600 for a standard single-family inspection, $250-$400 for a condo, and add $150-$300 each for sewer scope, radon, termites, and a chimney inspection where they apply — about $700-$1,000 in total on an older home. Read a sample report before hiring, confirm they spend 2-3 hours on site, and price the serious findings with your own contractor before presenting credits.
