How Long Does a Home Inspection Take?

• Size- This is the biggest factor.  A 600 square foot home just has less spaces to inspect than one that’s 2000 square feet.  Assuming that an inspector takes an equal amount of care in both homes and if both are in similar condition that 2000 square foot home will take longer to inspect.
• Condition- Houses with more items that cause the home inspector concern will likely take longer. They’ll want to make sure they investigate everything they find as thoroughly and take detailed notes so the report can be as comprehensive as possible.
• Other extraneous issues- Things like inclement weather that makes the roof more challenging to inspect and spaces that take longer for the inspector to get in and out of, like a tight crawl space, will slow things down. 

The process goes like this:  Our home inspector will arrive at your home a little earlier than the appointment time to get a feel for the neighborhood.  The inspector will then check the major systems of your home, starting with the roof. After they’re done with the roof, they’ll move onto examining the exterior of the home. Then they’ll head inside and work from the top down, inspecting the attic first, then the finished interior, along with bathrooms and the kitchen, and then finally make their way to the basement or crawlspace, if the house has one to inspect. They’ll be sure to check your water heater, HVAC, furnace or boiler, and electrical systems, as well as the visible portions of the home’s structure and foundation.  

So, what should you be doing during a home inspection? While the home inspector can do everything on their own, and we understand that you may not be able to make it to the inspection, we’d prefer to have you there. And the best thing you can do while at the inspection is be engaged.

Walk around with us and ask lots of questions about what you’re seeing. Show us anything that you have concerns about. You will understand the report much better, understand what your deal breakers are, if it’s information that we’ve already discussed and before you even see the report you’ll already have a lot of the knowledge you’ll need to make your decision.

Speaking of, how long will it take to get the report? It generally takes us 24-48 hours to make the inspection report available to you. If you are having a radon test conducted, that’s a multi-day test, so it typically takes three days to get results.

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