A compiled reference of 66 verified statistics on the US home inspection industry. It covers what a standard inspection and each add-on costs, which systems show up most on reports, what the flagged defects cost to repair, and how many buyers waive the inspection contingency each month. It also covers what inspectors earn, how they are licensed, and what they get sued for. Every figure is drawn from a named public source (HomeAdvisor, Spectora, the National Association of Realtors, Repair Pricer, InspectorPro, O*NET, ASHI, InterNACHI, HUD) and independently checked before publishing. Three famous numbers, the 86 percent, the $377 and the $14,000, are traced to their single origin and labeled for what they are.
Key statistics
8 highlights from this report
Key statistics
Key takeaways
A home inspection is one of the cheapest line items in a home purchase and one of the most argued about. The fee sits between $343 and $569 depending on who is counting. The defects it finds cost thousands. And the share of buyers who waive the inspection contingency has fallen from 23 percent to 16 percent in a single year.
86% of homebuyers said their inspector found at least one problem.
The average home inspection quote jumped 25% to $569 in 2025.
16% of buyers waived the inspection contingency in July 2026, down from 23% a year earlier.
A home inspection costs about $343, with most paying $296 to $424.
50,000 inspection reports turned up more than 1 million repairs, about $10,000 per home.
Water damage drives nearly half of all claims against home inspectors.
Building inspectors earn a median $74,690; the occupation employs 147,600 people.
Rewiring a house averages $16,000 (HomeAdvisor 2023, via NAR). A home inspection averages $343 (HomeAdvisor, October 2025).
What inspectors find, by home system
The most widely reprinted public breakdown of inspection findings by system comes from Porch's survey of 998 recent homebuyers (porch.com), and the Inspection Support Network (inspectionsupport.com) reprints its full table. The percentages are the share of inspection reports with issues on which each system appeared. The roof leads. Electrical is close behind. Windows, gutters and plumbing round out the top five. Foundation cracks sit near the bottom at 8.9 percent.
The findings ladder
Share of inspection reports with issues that flagged each system. Porch homebuyer survey, as reprinted by ISN.
How we built this report
Every figure was compiled in September 2026 from named public sources and checked against the original text before publishing.
- Compiled from primary sources
Cost guides (HomeAdvisor, Fixr, Rocket Mortgage, Bankrate), inspection-software platform data (Spectora), the monthly NAR REALTORS Confidence Index PDFs, Repair Pricer's report analyses and press release, InspectorPro's claims analyses, O*NET occupational data, the ASHI and InterNACHI Standards of Practice, and the HUD/FHA homebuyer inspection notice.
- Only explicitly stated figures
We include only numbers a named source states directly, and attribute each inline at the point it appears. Where a source is itself quoting another (Rocket Mortgage quoting HomeAdvisor, ISN quoting Porch, NAR quoting HomeAdvisor), we say so.
- Disagreements shown, not averaged
HomeAdvisor's $343 and Spectora's $569 both appear. Repair Pricer's 2018 line-item rates and its 2021 press release rates both appear. We do not blend them into a single false number.
- Famous numbers traced to origin
The 86 percent, $377 and $14,000 figures are traced to one Porch survey whose original page is now offline; we read the archived copy. Numbers we could not trace are listed separately, not quietly dropped.
- Independent review
Written by one co-founder, reviewed by the other before publishing.
Scope caveat: cost figures are guide-level and platform-level averages, not an audited fee survey, and they move with region and home size. Finding rates come from a buyer-recall survey and from one repair-pricing vendor's report files, not from a random sample of all US inspections. Waiver shares are Realtor-reported. Federal wage and employment figures cover the broader "construction and building inspectors" occupation, which includes code inspectors, not only residential home inspectors. Confirm any figure against the named source before relying on it.
The home inspection industry, by the numbers
All 66 figures, grouped by theme, each from a named public source and independently verified.
What a home inspection costs
Two kinds of sources answer this, and they disagree. Cost guides report what homeowners say they paid. According to HomeAdvisor's 2026 inspector and appraiser cost guide (homeadvisor.com), a home inspector or appraiser typically costs $300 to $415, or $350 on average. Basic home inspections run $200 to $500, with most homeowners spending closer to $340. Rocket Mortgage (rocketmortgage.com) and Bankrate (bankrate.com) both relay HomeAdvisor's October 2025 figure of $343 with a $296 to $424 range. Fixr's 2026 guide (fixr.com) gives $300 to $500 and a $400 average. Inspection-software platforms report what inspectors actually quote, and those numbers run higher. According to Spectora's 2026 Industry Report (spectora.com), built from 429 inspectors, 433 agents and platform-wide quote data, the national average inspection quote jumped from $457 to $569 in 2025, a 25 percent increase. In the same report, 52 percent of inspectors said they raised prices. Note that Spectora's yearly baselines differ between its publications: the report's $457 starting point does not match the $484 average its August 2024 market update gave for that year. Porch's survey (porch.com) of 998 buyers, the origin of the widely repeated $377, is listed last with its methodology.
Statistic 1
Hiring a home inspector or appraiser typically costs $300 to $415, or $350 on average.
HomeAdvisor cost guide (2026)
Statistic 2
Basic home inspections cost $200 to $500, and most homeowners spend closer to $340.
HomeAdvisor cost guide (2026)
Statistic 3
The flat fee of about $350 covers a single-family home up to 2,000 square feet; the price rises $25 for every 500 square feet after that.
HomeAdvisor cost guide (2026)
Statistic 4
Inspectors who bill hourly charge at least $100 per hour for about two to four hours.
HomeAdvisor cost guide (2026)
Statistic 5
The average home inspection costs $343, with most homeowners paying between $296 and $424, per HomeAdvisor data from October 2025.
Rocket Mortgage cost guide, citing HomeAdvisor (2026)
Statistic 6
By home size, an inspection runs $200 to $250 under 1,000 square feet, $250 to $375 at 1,500 to 2,000 square feet, and $300 to $500 at 2,500 to 3,000 square feet.
Rocket Mortgage cost guide (2026)
Statistic 7
Homebuyers in Hartford, Connecticut pay an average of $489 for a home inspection, against a $343 national average.
Bankrate cost guide, citing HomeAdvisor (2026)
Statistic 8
A home over 2,000 square feet averages around $400 to inspect; under 1,000 square feet might cost just $200.
Bankrate cost guide (2026)
Statistic 9
Home inspection costs range from $300 to $500, with a national average of $400; a 4-point inspection runs about $125 and a thermal imaging inspection up to $800.
Fixr cost guide (2026)
Statistic 10
The national average home inspection quote on Spectora's platform jumped from $457 to $569 in 2025, a 25 percent increase, and 52 percent of inspectors raised their prices.
Spectora 2026 Industry Report (2026)
Statistic 11
In August 2024 the national average home inspection quote was $484, up from $462 in 2023; Connecticut was highest at $771 and Nevada lowest at $320.
Spectora market update (2024)
Statistic 12
Across more than 100,000 inspections in one year, the average quote was $468: Northeast $547, West $452, South $436, Midwest $438.
Spectora cost analysis (2022)
Statistic 13
In Porch's survey of 998 recent homebuyers, the average inspection cost was $377, most paid $500 or less, and the buyer paid in 80 percent of cases.
Porch homebuyer survey, archived copy (2019)
What this means: the gap between $343 and $569 is not an error; it is two different things being measured. Cost guides report what homeowners paid; platform data reports what inspectors quoted, and quotes on Spectora's own network have moved from $468 (2022) to $484 (2024) to $569 (2025). Anyone budgeting inspections in 2026 should plan on the platform figure and treat the guide averages as the low end of the range.
What add-on inspections cost
A standard inspection is visual and non-invasive. Anything beyond the standard visual scope, whether a specialist, a sample, a lab or a sensor, is priced separately. According to HomeAdvisor's 2026 guide, a roof inspection averages $215, mold testing runs $300 to $1,015, asbestos averages $500, radon $150 to $750, and lead paint $230 to $415. Spectora's 2026 pricing guide gives inspector-side add-on averages: radon about $250, mold about $660, and a sewer scope anywhere from $270 to $1,734. Bundled with an appraisal, HomeAdvisor puts the total near $915.
Statistic 14
A roof inspection costs $215 on average, with most paying $120 to $315; a drone roof inspection can cost up to $400, and a thermal drone inspection up to $600.
HomeAdvisor cost guide (2026)
Statistic 15
A professional mold inspection costs $300 to $1,015.
HomeAdvisor cost guide (2026)
Statistic 16
An asbestos inspection costs $500 on average and up to $2,000 for large homes; removal usually falls in the $2,000 range.
HomeAdvisor cost guide (2026)
Statistic 17
A radon inspection costs $150 to $750, and remediation adds about $1,000 on average.
HomeAdvisor cost guide (2026)
Statistic 18
A lead paint inspection costs $230 to $415; removal adds $1,300 to $5,650.
HomeAdvisor cost guide (2026)
Statistic 19
A licensed appraisal averages $350 and takes roughly two hours; an appraisal plus a home inspection together run around $915.
HomeAdvisor cost guide (2026)
Statistic 20
Specialty add-ons carry their own pricing: radon about $250, mold about $660, and a sewer scope $270 to $1,734; city averages range from $300 in Miami to $450 in New York.
Spectora pricing guide (2026)
What this means: the add-ons together can cost more than the inspection itself. For a rental operator, the sewer scope and the mold test are the add-ons worth considering first: both look at conditions a visual walk-through cannot see, and both are priced well below the repairs they catch.
What inspections find
Two datasets exist and they measure different things. Porch's survey asked buyers what their inspector found: 86 percent said at least one problem, and the roof, electrical and windows led. Repair Pricer (repairpricer.com), a vendor that converts inspection reports into repair estimates, counted line items in actual reports. Its July 2018 analysis of 15,000 reports put missing exterior caulking first at 16.26 percent of homes, then doors needing adjustment (15.47 percent) and faucets needing service (14.75 percent). Its June 2021 national report, described in a PR Newswire release (prnewswire.com), covered 50,000 reports from 2020 and found more than one million repairs, about $10,000 per home. InspectorPro Insurance (inspectorproinsurance.com) quotes a Florida inspector who estimates eight in 10 homes he inspects show water intrusion or damage.
Statistic 21
86 percent of homebuyers said their inspector identified at least one problem.
Porch homebuyer survey, archived copy (2019)
Statistic 22
The survey covered 998 homeowners: 818 single-family, 99 condo or town house, 81 apartment, from 48 states, median age 37.
Porch homebuyer survey, archived copy (2019)
Statistic 23
Where a problem was found, the roof was the culprit in a fifth of cases, electrical problems were nearly as common, and windows appeared on over 18 percent of reports.
Porch homebuyer survey, archived copy (2019)
Statistic 24
Gutter issues, branches overhanging the roof, and fencing problems each appeared on more than 10 percent of reports.
Porch homebuyer survey, archived copy (2019)
Statistic 25
Share of inspection reports with issues, by system: roof 19.7 percent, electrical 18.7, windows 18.4, gutters 16.9, plumbing 13.6, branches over the roof 13.3, fencing 12.6, water heater 12.2, driveways and walks 11.9, air conditioning 9.9, exterior paint 9.6, foundation 8.9, downspouts 8.9, grading 8.8, moisture 8.5.
Inspection Support Network, reprinting the Porch survey (2026)
Statistic 26
In Repair Pricer's July 2018 analysis of its last 15,000 inspection reports, missing exterior caulking and sealer was the most common defect, on 16.26 percent of homes (2,439 reports).
Repair Pricer defect analysis (2018)
Statistic 27
Doors needing adjustment appeared on 15.47 percent of homes, faucets needing service on 14.75 percent, outlets or switches with deficiencies on 14.00 percent, and cosmetic sheetrock cracks on 13.09 percent.
Repair Pricer defect analysis (2018)
Statistic 28
Missing GFCI protection was found on 12.41 percent of homes, light fixture or bulb deficiencies on 11.79 percent, smoke alarm issues on 10.62 percent, poor lot drainage on 10.50 percent, and exposed nails or shingle deficiencies on 9.27 percent.
Repair Pricer defect analysis (2018)
Statistic 29
Across 50,000 inspection reports from homes for sale in 2020, more than one million repairs were needed, averaging $10,000 in repair cost per home.
Repair Pricer national report, press release (2021)
Statistic 30
In that 50,000-home sample, almost half of homes did not have a functioning smoke alarm, more than a third lacked GFCI protection, and almost half had drywall cracks.
Repair Pricer national report, press release (2021)
Statistic 31
Individual defects in the study ranged from under $100 to more than $10,000 in repair cost.
Repair Pricer national report, press release (2021)
Statistic 32
One Florida inspector quoted by InspectorPro estimates that eight of every 10 homes he inspects has water intrusion or water damage issues.
InspectorPro Insurance, inspector estimate (2026)
What this means: what buyers remember (the roof, the wiring) and what reports actually list (caulking, doors, faucets, outlets) are different lists. The report list is mostly small, cheap, water-and-safety items that were missed by whoever was maintaining the property. That is the same pattern that shows up in tenant damage data and turnover audits: the expensive failure is usually downstream of a cheap one nobody documented.
What the findings cost, and what buyers negotiate
The inspection fee is small next to the repairs it surfaces. In a December 2023 National Association of Realtors article (nar.realtor) drawing on HomeAdvisor's 2023 cost data, rewiring a house averages $16,000, an electrical panel $2,400, an HVAC replacement $5,000 to $12,000, foundation repair $2,175 to $7,823, and floor joist repair $12,500. On the negotiation side, Porch's respondents reported saving $14,000 on average from their inspection, though the same survey shows their average closing price ended about $3,400 above their post-inspection offer.
The fee and what it finds
A $343 average inspection (white line) against national average repair costs for defects inspectors commonly flag. Bars show the low-to-high range where the source gives one.
Repair figures: HomeAdvisor 2023 cost data as cited by the National Association of Realtors (nar.realtor). Bars are scaled to $16,000. The fee marker is drawn at $343.
Statistic 33
Respondents reported saving $14,000 on average on the final price by negotiating from their inspection; their average offer was $209,000 and the average closing price was roughly $3,400 higher than the offer.
Porch homebuyer survey, archived copy (2019)
Statistic 34
In nearly half of cases where an inspection turned up problems, buyers bargained down the price; heater problems cut the price $1,250 on average, air conditioning problems $500.
Porch homebuyer survey, archived copy (2019)
Statistic 35
38 percent of buyers took their agent's advice on revising the offer after an inspection; 23 percent relied on guesswork.
Porch homebuyer survey, archived copy (2019)
Statistic 36
Foundation repair averages $2,175 to $7,823 nationally; minor cracks can cost as little as $500, extensive repairs $10,000 or more.
National Association of Realtors, citing HomeAdvisor 2023 cost data (2023)
Statistic 37
Rewiring a house averages $16,000; replacing an electrical panel averages $2,400.
National Association of Realtors, citing HomeAdvisor 2023 cost data (2023)
Statistic 38
Replacing plumbing supply pipes runs $1,500 to $15,000; repairing floor joists averages $12,500, or $100 to $2,000 per joist.
National Association of Realtors, citing HomeAdvisor 2023 cost data (2023)
Statistic 39
An HVAC replacement averages $5,000 to $12,000; installing gutters $624 to $1,705.
National Association of Realtors, citing HomeAdvisor 2023 cost data (2023)
What this means: an electrical panel replacement costs about seven times the average inspection fee; a rewiring job costs about 47 times it. The economics are lopsided enough that the interesting question is not whether to inspect, but how to keep the condition record current after the inspection, when nobody is paid to look. Our rental electrical repair and plumbing repair references carry the operator-side versions of these costs.
Who waives the inspection
The National Association of Realtors tracks this every month in its REALTORS Confidence Index (nar.realtor), a survey sent to a random sample of tens of thousands of Realtors. According to the July 2026 report, 16 percent of buyers waived the inspection contingency, down from 20 percent one month earlier and 23 percent one year earlier. The share was 22 percent in March 2025, 21 percent in September 2025 and 18 percent in December 2025. Redfin (redfin.com) measured the pandemic spike: 19.9 percent of winning offers in June 2020, up from 13.2 percent a year before. Clever Real Estate's 2025 survey of 986 buyers (listwithclever.com) found 13 percent waived the contingency as a concession and 12 percent regret that their inspection missed problems. Massachusetts now bars sellers from requiring a waiver as a condition of acceptance.
Statistic 40
In July 2026, 16 percent of buyers waived the inspection contingency, down from 20 percent a month earlier and 23 percent a year earlier; 21 percent waived the appraisal contingency.
NAR REALTORS Confidence Index (July 2026)
Statistic 41
The July 2026 survey went to a random sample of 75,000 Realtors and drew 3,612 respondents.
NAR REALTORS Confidence Index (July 2026)
Statistic 42
In December 2025, 18 percent of buyers waived the inspection contingency, down from 20 percent one month and one year earlier.
NAR REALTORS Confidence Index (December 2025)
Statistic 43
In March 2025, 22 percent of buyers waived the inspection contingency, down from 24 percent the month before.
NAR REALTORS Confidence Index (March 2025)
Statistic 44
In September 2025, 21 percent of buyers waived the inspection contingency, up from 18 percent the month before and 17 percent in September 2024.
National Association of Realtors news report (2025)
Statistic 45
Since October 15, 2025, Massachusetts sellers may not condition acceptance of an offer on the buyer waiving a home inspection.
National Association of Realtors news report (2025)
Statistic 46
In June 2020, 19.9 percent of winning Redfin offers waived the inspection contingency, up from 13.2 percent in June 2019; 20.6 percent waived the appraisal contingency.
Redfin market report (2020)
Statistic 47
The share of Redfin offers waiving inspection dropped to 15 percent in April 2020 from 23.1 percent in March 2020.
Redfin market report (2020)
Statistic 48
13 percent of recent buyers waived the inspection contingency as a concession to the seller, and 24 percent agreed to buy as-is without asking for repairs.
Clever Real Estate homebuyer survey (2025)
Statistic 49
1 in 8 buyers (12 percent) regret that their inspection missed problems, and 1 in 12 (8 percent) regret they cannot afford repairs.
Clever Real Estate homebuyer survey (2025)
Statistic 50
Nearly 9 in 10 buyers used an inspector; 83 percent of those said their lender insisted on it, and 72 percent considered only one inspector.
Porch homebuyer survey, archived copy (2019)
What this means: roughly one buyer in six still closes without an inspection contingency, and one recent buyer in eight regrets that the inspection missed problems. Both groups take possession with an incomplete condition record. For anyone who then manages, rents or insures that property, the first documented walkthrough after closing becomes the de facto baseline.
The inspector workforce, standards and liability
Federal data does not break out home inspectors; it counts "construction and building inspectors." According to O*NET (onetonline.org), that occupation paid a median $74,690 a year in 2025, employed 147,600 people in 2024, and is projected to decline through 2034. Spectora's earnings guide describes a market of part-timers earning $10,000 to $30,000 and multi-inspector firms grossing $500,000 to $3 million. On liability, InspectorPro reports water damage accounts for nearly half of claims and that over 80 percent of claims are meritless. The ASHI (homeinspector.org) and InterNACHI (nachi.org) Standards of Practice define what an inspection is not: not invasive, not a cost estimate, not a guarantee. And HUD's FHA notice (hud.gov) reminds buyers that an appraisal is not an inspection.
Statistic 51
Construction and building inspectors (the federal occupation that includes home inspectors) earned a median $35.91 an hour, or $74,690 a year, in 2025.
O*NET OnLine, US Department of Labor (2025 wages)
Statistic 52
The occupation employed 147,600 people in 2024, is projected to decline (-1 percent or lower) through 2034, with 14,800 projected job openings over the decade.
O*NET OnLine, US Department of Labor (2024 to 2034 projections)
Statistic 53
Part-time and semi-retired inspectors doing 10 to 100 inspections a year make $10,000 to $30,000; multi-inspector companies of 1 to 20 inspectors make $500,000 to $3 million a year.
Spectora earnings guide (2026)
Statistic 54
Inspectors employed by multi-inspector firms earn a 30 to 60 percent split per inspection or a $30,000 to $60,000 salary.
Spectora earnings guide (2026)
Statistic 55
In 2022, 14 percent of solo inspection companies and 2 percent of multi-inspector companies reported 12-month average revenue under $100, making them likely out of business.
Spectora industry snapshot (2022)
Statistic 56
Asked what drives referrals, agents named accuracy (53 percent), clear reports (48 percent) and communication (47 percent); only 7 percent named price.
Spectora 2026 Industry Report, agent survey of 433 (2026)
Statistic 57
Inspectors using AI tools were 20 points more likely to have raised prices in the past year: 58 percent versus 38 percent of non-adopters.
Spectora 2026 Industry Report (2026)
Statistic 58
Water damage accounted for nearly half of claims against home inspectors in the past three years.
InspectorPro Insurance claims analysis (2026)
Statistic 59
The five most common claims against home inspectors involve water damage, roof issues, foundation defects, plumbing problems and mold; over 80 percent of claims received are meritless.
InspectorPro Insurance, 10+ years of claims data (2026)
Statistic 60
Claims professionals recommend keeping inspection photos and records at least five years, regardless of the local statute of limitations.
InspectorPro Insurance claims analysis (2026)
Statistic 61
Under the ASHI Standard of Practice, an inspector is not required to determine methods, materials, or costs of corrections, and need not enter crawlspaces with less than 24 inches of vertical clearance.
American Society of Home Inspectors, Standard of Practice (current)
Statistic 62
InterNACHI defines a home inspection as a non-invasive, visual examination of accessible areas, and its standard does not require the inspector to move personal items, dismantle any component, or determine a component's service life expectancy.
InterNACHI Standards of Practice (current)
Statistic 63
InterNACHI, founded in 1994, operates in 65 countries and nine languages, and its message board holds 1.7 million posts and receives more than 1,000 new posts a day.
InterNACHI about page (2026)
Statistic 64
Spectora's 2025 state licensing map lists Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Utah and Wyoming as states where home inspectors are not regulated.
Spectora state licensing map (2025)
Statistic 65
Arizona requires a minimum of 84 hours of pre-licensing education and 30 parallel inspections for an inspector-in-training license; Arkansas requires 80 pre-licensing hours and 14 annual continuing-education hours; Connecticut requires 40 pre-licensing hours and 20 hours of CE.
Spectora state licensing map (2025)
Statistic 66
FHA does not perform home inspections, and an FHA appraisal is not a home inspection; the EPA and the Surgeon General recommend that all houses be tested for radon.
HUD, FHA homebuyer inspection notice, form HUD-92564-CN (2023)
What this means: the standards say it plainly. An inspection is a visual snapshot of what was accessible on one day, with no obligation to price repairs or predict remaining life. Water damage produces half the lawsuits precisely because it hides and then grows between snapshots. The five-year record-keeping advice from claims professionals applies just as well to anyone documenting property condition, whether the photos come from an inspector, a cleaner or a move-out walkthrough (see our rental inspection ordinance and HUD inspection score references).
Claims we traced, and claims we could not verify
A handful of home inspection numbers appear on hundreds of pages, usually without a source. We traced each to its origin where we could, and we list the ones we could not confirm rather than repeating them.
Cite this study
Academic or press use: copy a ready-made reference. RapidEye is the publisher. RapidEye builds inspection intelligence for property operators, which is why we keep this reference current.
Quick FAQ
How much does a home inspection cost in 2026?
About $343 on average, with most buyers paying $296 to $424, per HomeAdvisor data from October 2025. Spectora's platform data puts the average quote higher: $569 in 2025, up 25 percent from $457. Fixr's 2026 guide gives a $300 to $500 range with a $400 average. Size matters most: under 1,000 square feet runs $200 to $250, and 2,500 to 3,000 square feet runs $300 to $500.
What percentage of home inspections find problems?
86 percent, per Porch's survey of 998 recent homebuyers, first archived in 2019. That figure is self-reported by buyers. Repair Pricer's analysis of 50,000 inspection reports from 2020 found more than one million repairs, or about $10,000 in repairs per home.
How many buyers waive the inspection contingency?
16 percent of buyers waived the inspection contingency in July 2026, per the NAR REALTORS Confidence Index, down from 20 percent a month earlier and 23 percent a year earlier. The share was 22 percent in March 2025, 21 percent in September 2025 and 18 percent in December 2025. Redfin measured 19.9 percent of winning offers waiving inspection in June 2020.
What are the most common home inspection findings?
By system, the roof leads at 19.7 percent of reports with issues, then electrical at 18.7 percent, windows at 18.4 percent, gutters at 16.9 percent and plumbing at 13.6 percent, per the Porch survey. By line item, Repair Pricer's 15,000-report analysis found missing exterior caulking on 16.26 percent of homes, doors needing adjustment on 15.47 percent and missing GFCI protection on 12.41 percent.
How much do home inspectors make?
Construction and building inspectors, the federal occupation that includes home inspectors, earned a median $74,690 a year ($35.91 an hour) in 2025, per O*NET. Spectora reports that part-time inspectors doing 10 to 100 inspections a year make $10,000 to $30,000, employed inspectors earn a 30 to 60 percent split or a $30,000 to $60,000 salary, and multi-inspector companies gross $500,000 to $3 million a year.
How long does a home inspection take?
About two to four hours, per HomeAdvisor's 2026 inspector and appraiser cost guide; inspectors who bill hourly charge at least $100 per hour for that window. A licensed appraisal averages $350 and takes roughly two hours.
Data sources
Every figure on this page traces to one of these named public sources, each checked against the original before publishing. Sources are named at the publisher level and shown by root domain.
HomeAdvisorInspector and appraiser cost guide, 2026homeadvisor.com
Spectora2026 Industry Report summaries, market updates, earnings guide, licensing mapspectora.com
National Association of RealtorsREALTORS Confidence Index monthly surveys; inspection issue and waiver reportingnar.realtor
PorchHomebuyer inspection survey of 998 owners, archived copy, 2019porch.com
Repair PricerTop-ten defects analysis of 15,000 reports, 2018repairpricer.comRepair Pricer via PR NewswireNational home deficiencies report release, 50,000 reports, 2021prnewswire.com
InspectorPro InsuranceHome inspector claims analyses, 2026inspectorproinsurance.com
O*NET OnLine, US Department of LaborOccupation summary, construction and building inspectorsonetonline.org
American Society of Home InspectorsStandard of Practice, current editionhomeinspector.org
InterNACHIStandards of Practice and organization profilenachi.org
US Department of Housing and Urban DevelopmentFHA homebuyer inspection notice, form HUD-92564-CN, 2023hud.gov
RedfinHousing market report on contingency waivers, 2020redfin.com
Clever Real EstateAmerican home buyer survey of 986 buyers, 2025listwithclever.com
Inspection Support NetworkCommon inspection findings article, 2026inspectionsupport.com
Rocket MortgageHome inspection cost guide, 2026rocketmortgage.com
BankrateHome inspection cost guide, 2026bankrate.com
FixrHome inspection cost guide, 2026fixr.com