One of the first things that people often ask a home inspector is how long the inspection will take. It’s an important question too – because it answers a lot of other questions.
It answers how long you will need to take off of work to be at the inspection, or at the end of it at the very least. It also gives an indication of how thorough a home inspector may be (although not completely). But it is a difficult question to answer.
There really is no set time for a home inspection because there are so many factors to consider. Here are some things that affect how long a home inspection takes:
THE SIZE OF THE HOME
It’s really simple math – generally speaking, a larger house takes longer. There are usually more rooms, more equipment to check, more potential for defects, more windows, and… well, you get the point. On the opposite side of things, don’t be surprised if the inspection seems a bit quicker on a smaller home.
THE AGE OF THE HOME
The older the home, the more time it usually takes to inspect it. If the home is 200 years old – the inspector will need to look at 200 years worth of repairs, possible damage, issues, building practices, and much more. If the home is a bit older, leave a little extra time for the home inspector to do his job.
YOUR PARTICULAR HOME INSPECTOR
Every home inspector does things differently. Some home inspectors take a bit more time than others. That doesn’t mean that a home inspector who is on an inspection for more time is more thorough though, as every home inspector has their own process.
THE WEATHER
This has a bearing on how long an inspection takes as well. If it is raining outside, then the exterior portion of the inspection might take longer. Wind, storms, snow, hail – all of these weather events can add time to the home inspection.
THE INSPECTION REPORT
Some home inspectors write their reports on-site. This may add a little bit of time to the inspection if they do. Some take extra pictures for your report, and some spend time making sure certain features are there for you and your family – and this all takes time. A good home inspection report is well worth the wait though.
YOU…
That’s right – you are a factor as well. Have lots of questions about the house and for your inspector? They will likely be happy to answer. But this will also add a lot of time on as well. A good piece of advice is to write your questions down and then ask them all at once, if possible. This will help the inspector to be more efficient, as well as focus on his job properly.
Conclusion
There really is no simple answer to how long a home inspection takes. As one home inspector puts it: “It takes as long as it takes”. Be sure to check with the home inspector you plan on hiring to see what they recommend for time frame with your particular home inspection.
If you are looking for some articles on Home Inspections, you might find How Many People Should Be on a Home Inspection? and Why Get a Pre-Listing Home Inspection? interesting.