Buying a home is potentially one of the most expensive and paramount investments you will make in your lifetime. Of course, you want to make sure your investment is smart, but you also might be worried about the costs of everything needed to determine the home you want is the right choice. You are looking into a home inspection to confirm there are not any surprises hidden in your new home, which is admirable! But when you are already spending a sizable chunk of money buying your home, you could be worried about how much a home inspection will cost.
Here at the FBI Group, we help over six thousand new homeowners each year by inspecting their homes to discover any surprises not easily seen. Your peace of mind is our priority.
In this article, we will answer what a home inspection is, how much a home inspection costs, and discuss the factors that can affect the price of your home inspection.
What is a home inspection?
A home inspection is a visual, non-invasive inspection of a home including plumbing, electrical, roofing, and HVAC systems. In a standard home inspection, we will inform you of any issues found regarding the exterior, interior, attic, and crawlspace if your home has one.
How much does a home inspection cost?
Home inspections can vary in price depending on a few factors. Generally, you can expect your home inspection to cost you around $300 to $3,000. Now, you might think this is a considerable span of money, and it is. But once you consider the specs of your home, you should be able to see where your home might fall on the spectrum.
Factors that influence the cost of a home inspection
Several factors come into play when determining how much your home inspection will cost. The biggest factor to consider is the size of your home, followed by the features such as if the home has a pool or spa, dock, sea wall, or a detached garage or building. If you want to add specific insurance reports to make life easier after you purchase your home that will tack on an additional cost.
Gross Square Feet
Some say size does not matter, but in the home inspection business, it is one of the factors that helps determine how much your home inspection costs. Most companies base the cost on gross square footage, which is any part of the home under the roof, not just living spaces. Gross square footage might include (if applicable): garages, covered porches and lanais, attached carports, etc. The size of your home matters because size often correlates to the time it will take to inspect the home and provide thorough feedback on any issues found. There is a sizable difference between inspecting a 1,000 sq. ft. home versus a 5,000 sq. ft. home.
Home Features
Beyond knowing the gross sq. ft. of your home, the features of your home can also affect the price of your inspection. The pool and spa you fell in love with while viewing your new home are not covered in a standard home inspection and could be costly if any issues are hiding. Additional features of your home, such as docks, sea walls, and detached garages, are crucial add-ons we highly recommend you include during your inspection, so it does not cost you down the road.
Insurance Reports
Insurance – you can’t live without it. Insurance reports are another add-on to your inspection fee that can save you time and money when bundled with your inspection. After purchasing your home, the natural next step is to protect your investment. The insurance reports we can provide are: 4-point, wind mitigation, and roof certification.
Additional Services
There are other additional services available to ensure you know all you need to about your home before you buy. These services go above and beyond to provide even more detailed information in the specific areas they specialize in. These additional services will tack on an additional fee but depending on your home's needs they can be very worthwhile. For example, FBI Group includes some of these additional services: drone inspections, sewer scopes, thermal imaging, radon testing, mold testing, and wood-destroying organisms evaluation (WDO).
Invest in a home inspection for the long term
Now you can see that many factors go into pricing your home inspection. Based on your home and all its specifications you could be looking at anywhere from $300 to $3,000 for your home inspection. This is money well spent to ensure no surprises are waiting for you after you sign on the dotted line. The cost of your home inspection does not have to be a mystery to you. If you are a new homeowner looking to buy a home in Central or Southwest Florida fill out our online form to schedule your inspection today!