How Long Does a Home Inspection Take? What to Expect

Timing is a common topic when it comes to home inspections, and clients often have some basic questions here. The most frequent such query: How long does a home inspection take?

At Aerolite Consulting, we’re happy to offer a huge range of home inspection services for clients around Salt Lake City, including everything from standard home inspections to environmental testing options like mold testing, asbestos testing and more. There are several factors that influence how long your inspection is likely to take – here’s a rundown of the most important and what to know about each of them.

Size of the Home

Naturally, one of the largest factors influencing home inspection time is the size of the property in question. Larger homes will generally take longer to inspect than smaller ones, with more square footage to cover and potentially more systems and components to examine.

As a general rule, you can expect inspections for larger homes – anything over 2,500 square feet or so – to take at least an hour longer than those for smaller homes. However, the other factors we discuss here will also play a role, so this isn’t always a perfect rule of thumb.

Age and Condition

In many cases, older homes will take longer to inspect than newer ones. This is because the overall wear-and-tear on the home that occurs over time can lead to more potential issues and concerns for the inspector to check out. In addition, if there are any signs of previous repairs or renovations, these may need to be examined more closely as well.

Overall, you can expect inspections for older homes to take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour longer than those for newer properties. However, like with size, this will depend on other factors as well.

Inspector Experience and Quality

While it’s important to consider the factors related to the home being inspected, it’s also worth noting that the experience and quality of the inspector themselves can play a role in how long an inspection takes. A more experienced and efficient inspector may be able to complete an inspection faster than someone who is newer or not as thorough.

At Aerolite Consulting, our team of home inspectors have years of experience and are dedicated to providing comprehensive and accurate inspections for all of our clients. We strive to balance efficiency with a thorough examination of the property, ensuring you receive all necessary information without taking up unnecessary time.

Occupancy Status

Another factor that plays a role in home inspection timing is whether the property is currently occupied or vacant. If it’s occupied, this may require more time for the inspector to navigate through furniture and personal belongings to access certain areas. Occupied homes also tend to have more wear-and-tear present, which can add time to the inspection process.

On the other hand, vacant homes may take longer if there are any issues with accessing certain areas due to locked doors or debris blocking pathways. Overall, occupancy status can add anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour onto the inspection time.

Foundation Type

Depending on the foundation type of the home, this may also impact inspection time. For example, a slab foundation is generally quicker to inspect than a crawl space or basement, as there are fewer areas and components to check in these cases.

The kind of inspection being done will also play a role here. For example, if the home has a basement and the inspector is performing a radon gas testing service, this will likely add extra time onto the inspection process.

Weather Considerations

For some inspection services, particularly those related to the exterior of the home, weather can play a role in timing. If there is rain or snow present, for instance, this may impact the ability to access certain areas and could potentially delay the inspection.

For any specific concerns about how weather might affect your particular inspection service, our inspectors at Aerolite Consulting are always happy to discuss potential impacts with you during scheduling.

Multiple Major Systems

If the home in question has multiple major systems, such as heating and cooling or plumbing and electrical, this may also add time to the inspection. This is simply because there are more components to check and each system requires a thorough evaluation.

The best way to estimate timing for these types of homes is by discussing with your inspector during scheduling. They will be able to give you a better idea of how long the inspection process is likely to take.

While there are several factors that can impact home inspection timing, at Aerolite Consulting, we strive to provide efficient yet thorough inspections for all our clients. Our experienced team of inspectors understands the importance of timely inspections and will work diligently to complete your service in a timely manner. Contact us today for more on any of our home inspection services around Salt Lake City!