How much time does it take to complete a home inspection?

The typical time to complete a home inspection, of an average size single family home, is approximately 2.5 – 4 hours.  If the potential homeowner joins the inspector for a walk-through summary, add another half hour to an hour to that time.  Thorough home inspections take time to complete as home inspectors look at many structural components and mechanical systems of a condo, townhome, single family home, or multi family home.  Inspection times vary depending upon many factors that include age, square footage, and number of findings.

If a home inspector is rushed to finish an inspection, the inspector may miss important findings.  Asking a home inspector how much time it takes to complete an average home inspection may be an important indicator in determining the thoroughness of the inspection and report you will receive.

Some home inspectors will provide only the top 3 – 5 findings during a summary walk through or meeting that will last 15-20 minutes.  I believe it is important for a home owner to be fully informed about the inspection report and will provide you with details of the vast majority of findings in the report along with information about the utilities of a home.  The time to complete a home inspection may be important to know when choosing an inspector.