Home Inspection Cost: $296 to $425 + Add-Ons Priced (2026)

How much does a home inspection cost

Published US prices. HomeGuide's cost page carries a 2024 byline; HomeAdvisor's was updated June 2026. The averages land within a few dollars of each other.

HomeAdvisor's June 2026 average is $344, with most buyers paying $296 to $425. HomeGuide's national average is $340, with a typical range of $200 to $500 and up to $800 or more in high cost areas. HomeGuide says a standard inspection typically takes 2 to 4 hours.

Home inspection cost by home size

Both guides break the price out by square footage:

Standard inspection only, before add-ons. Older homes, detached structures and travel add to these figures.

Add-on inspections: radon, sewer scope, termite, mold, roof and pool

A standard inspection leaves out several things buyers often want checked. Each is an add-on with its own fee, and many inspectors do several of them on the same visit:

Where HomeAdvisor gives no figure, the cell says so.

• Radon. The EPA and the Surgeon General recommend testing all houses, per HUD's inspection notice. If the result is 4 pCi/L or more, radon mitigation runs $1,200 to $2,000 in most HomeGuide jobs.
• Sewer scope. A camera inspection of the sewer line, $125 to $500 in HomeGuide's data. It is priced as a separate add-on.
• Termite or WDO. Pests are outside the standard inspection under both InterNACHI's and Arizona's standards, so a termite or wood-destroying organism inspection is a separate fee: $50 to $350 in HomeGuide's data.
• Mold. Under InterNACHI's standard, an inspector is not required to determine mold. If the inspector notes staining or a musty crawlspace, a mold test runs $300 to $650 (HomeGuide) or about $660 (HomeAdvisor); mold remediation covers what removal costs.
• Roof. A general inspection treats the roof as one of its areas. A roofer's inspection goes further; roof inspection covers what it includes, the Florida four-point and wind mitigation forms, and when to get one before closing.
• Pool. InterNACHI's standard does not require inspecting pools and spas, and Arizona's excludes them as recreational facilities.

What a home inspection covers, and what it does not

Inspectors work to a published standard of practice, such as InterNACHI's or one adopted by a state. Under InterNACHI's standard, a home inspection is a visual, non-invasive look at the readily accessible parts of a house with up to four units. It covers ten areas: roof, exterior, basement and foundation and crawlspace, heating, cooling, plumbing, electrical, fireplace, attic insulation and ventilation, and doors, windows and interior.

What it does not cover is just as important. Under InterNACHI's standard, the inspector is not required to determine:

• mold, radon or other airborne hazards
• pests, lead paint or asbestos
• code compliance
• how many years a system or component has left
• anything underground (irrigation, buried tanks), or septic systems, wells, pools or spas
• dismantling components or entering unsafe areas

Arizona's standards, adopted in October 2023, add that inspectors are not required to report repair costs, market value, insurability or product recalls. Under InterNACHI's standard, a component near or past its normal useful life is not by itself a material defect. HUD's buyer notice makes a related point: the lender's appraisal estimates value and does not replace a home inspection. HUD suggests asking the inspector for a sample report and the standard they follow before you book.

When a report flags something, the next call is usually a specialist: an electrician for a panel (see electrical panel upgrade), a roofer for a worn roof (see roof replacement cost), or a chimney company for a cracked crown.

When to schedule the inspection: option period and contingency

Book the inspector early. HUD advises requesting the inspection early so the purchase contract can be contingent on the results. The window is short and set by your contract, so the inspection, any add-ons and any repair negotiation have to fit inside it.

In Texas, the TREC contract has an option period. The buyer pays an option fee for a negotiated number of days in which they can terminate for any reason, and TREC says an inspection can be performed during that period. If the option fee is not delivered on time, the buyer may lose that right to terminate. Elsewhere, look for the inspection contingency and its deadline in your contract.

New construction phase inspections

A new home still gets inspected. HomeGuide lists three common visits:

• Pre-drywall: $100 to $400, done before the drywall goes up.
• Full home: $200 to $400.
• 11-month: $250 to $350, timed before the builder's one-year warranty ends so you can report defects while it still applies.

Buying a house with solar panels

Solar is not one of the ten areas in InterNACHI's standard. Ask for the solar paperwork, check whether the system is owned or leased, and consider a solar panel inspection before the option period ends. Buying a house with solar panels walks through the full checklist, including what to ask about the roof under the array.

Home inspection near me: state licensing

Rules differ a lot by state. Newsweek, citing ASHI, reported in August 2026 that 35 states require a license or registration and 15 do not regulate inspectors at all. For our six states:

Nevada is not shown: we could not confirm its rule from the state's website. In any state, ask the inspector which license or certification they hold and get the number.

Questions to ask a home inspector

1. Are you licensed or certified in this state, and what is the number?
2. Which standard of practice do you follow, and can I see a sample report?
3. What does the fee include, and what do radon, sewer scope, termite or mold add?
4. Can you finish the inspection and deliver the report inside my option or contingency period?
5. Do you walk the roof, use a drone, or look from a ladder?
6. Can I attend the end of the inspection?

Calls to the inspection line go to an independent company that serves your area and takes this kind of job. How calls work.