Summary: Home Inspections Length

• Some key factors that impact the length of home inspections:  Size of the property, involvement of clients and/or their guests, condition of the property, access to needed areas, and the number of mechanical components to inspect.
• The general guideline is 90-120 minutes from the start time for the first 1500 square feet. Then, add another 20-30 minutes for each additional 500 square feet.
• Call us at 913-390-3376 with any relevant information about the property conditions if you need a more accurate time estimate.

Intro

A common question we receive from an agent or a client is, “How long will the home inspection take?” This is important because people are busy.  They may need to get back to work, schedule another appointment, or just show up towards the end for the review with the inspector. So, how long do home inspections take?

It’s a good question.  But, it’s a little bit of a challenge to answer because there are various factors. So, here are a few of those factors, and then we’ll give you some guidelines to help you estimate how long your inspection may take.

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Factors for Length of Home Inspections

Our home inspectors show up at most inspections 30-40 minutes ahead of time to work on the exterior.  Their goal is to be approaching the exterior and roof review around the time the home inspection is scheduled to begin. Therefore, the start time is when they want to be ready to enter the home whenever possible.

Here are six factors that may impact how long an inspection takes:

1.  Size of the Home – The larger the home, the more time home inspections take.  That makes sense, right?  The more windows, outlets, bathrooms, and square feet we need to inspect, the longer it will take.  A 1500 square foot property in good condition will likely take 90-120 minutes once the inspector is inside.  For every additional 500 square feet, an additional 20-30 minutes may be necessary.

2.  Condition of the Home –  The more issues present in a home, the longer it will take for the inspector to evaluate, document, and explain.  In a brand new home, we anticipate fewer issues, which may knock some time off the inspection. However, more time may need to be added for a 75-year-old house that has not been maintained.  

3.  Engagement of the Client and their Guests –  Another thing that can slow home inspections processes is when a client and/or their guest (a parent, sibling, contractor friend) wants to be an active part of the inspection.  An inspector has a specific sequence they use to process a home.  When someone disrupts the process, it can actually slow the inspector down and result in missing issues.  We are an education company, and we definitely want to discuss the property with our clients.  But, that conversation needs to be at the right time in the process.  At the end of the inspection, the inspector will review their findings and provide an opportunity for further engagement. 

4.  Access to Needed Areas – Homes with personal items in them generally take longer to inspect than vacant homes.  There are more things to navigate and additional challenges to accessing important areas like attics, electric panels, windows, outlets, and underside of sinks.  

5.   Number of Bathrooms, Mechanical Units, Attic Accesses, Sewer Scope Ordered, etc. – Next to the kitchen, bathrooms take more time than any other room in the house.  More bathrooms equal more time.  In addition, homes with multiple HVAC Units, Water Heaters, and Electric panels will take more time because of the process of taking off covers (when needed) and documenting necessary information.  If the inspector is doing a sewer scope, which we highly recommend on any home that has not had a sewer scope in the previous year, this will add another 20-30 minutes.  Finally, if there are multiple attic accesses, getting into each of those can add time to the inspection.

See what an inspection report looks like on Home Partners Inspections Sample Report Page.

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Conclusion

To answer the original question of how long a home inspection will take, a home in good condition that is 1500 square feet will likely take 90-120 minutes from the start time.  Since you’ve been in the property and now understand these factors that impact how long an inspection may take, you may be able to predict it better than we can.

For clients that just want to come for the end of the inspection so the inspector can review their findings with the client, a good rule of thumb is to show up 90-120 minutes after the start time, and the inspector will hopefully be ready within a short time after that.

Our goal is not to get an inspection done fast–it is to get an inspection done right.  If you want more information or have more details that will help us give you an accurate estimate of how long a home inspection will take, please call our office at 913-390-3376.  Also, easily schedule your home inspection online at our scheduling page.

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