This is a question that we get a lot – as you would expect – but the only true answer is: it depends. It depends on the the size of the building and the location. People understand that bigger buildings will be more expensive, but why does the location affect the price? We are based in Berkeley, CA, and while we are happy to inspect a home in Hawaii, there will be a travel fee added to the cost of the inspection.
Minimum Fees
Each inspection company sets their own prices, so this only applies to JMC Inspections, but our pricing will likely reflect other inspection companies in the San Francisco Bay Area. While the price depends on the size and location, here are the minimums for smaller properties. For example, a small 2 bedroom / 1 bathroom house is $660. An interior-only inspection of a 1 bathroom condo unit is $480. A small commercial property is $755.
Bigger properties obviously cost more, and if you’d like an accurate quote, please call our office! Travel fees are added for properties outside of our normal service area, but the fees are small and only cover the cost of gas and time it takes to get to the inspection. After all, if we are sitting in traffic, we can’t do inspections.
Price vs Value
Shopping for a home inspector based on price is a bad idea, because that assumes all inspectors have the same work ethic and competency. The old adage – you get what you pay for – definitely applies to professional inspectors. If a home inspector is doing 3-4 inspections in a day, how much time could they really spend at an inspection, or crafting a report?
Is it worth “saving” money on an inspection if the inspector misses potentially expensive damage or defects? At JMC Inspections, all of our inspectors have the highest level of training, education, and work ethic required of a top notch inspector. Why settle for less?
JMC Inspections: Service, Experience, Professionalism since 1994
“Good decisions are made with good information”
Leave A Comment