Well, here we go with a massively broad question. Not so hard to answer once we narrow down what’s going to be included in your inspection package, but as a matter of planning for your schedule, we really do need to break it down. Of course, we want to be respectful of the schedules of our clients, the seller who generally leaves the home during the inspection, and your realtor who may be present. That said, the inspection will also take as long as it needs to. Our inspectors all use a system or process to inspect and stay on track, get a very high level of detail, and address questions.
Home Inspections
https://www.michiganpro.com/services/ We do home inspections that are anything from a 600 square foot cabin on a slab foundation, all the way up to multi-million dollar properties spanning over 15,000 square feet. This being true, our average inspection is likely 1,700-2,200 square feet.
The typical “move-in ready” home around 2,000 square feet will take the inspector about 2.5 hours to inspect. This includes about 10 minutes for the inspector to sum up some of his findings with you on-site. Of course, the inspector is available by phone to review and answer questions as needed… just a phone call away.
*Many things can add time to the inspection; furniture and other belongings taking up a good deal of space, large attics and crawlspaces, mold, and additional services added to the home inspection base package. Lastly, the “unexpected” time vacuums sneak in on occasion.
Services that will add time to a home inspection.
- Mold testing: 10-45 minutes (lab turnaround time is 1-2 business days). https://www.michiganpro.com/michigan-mold-inspection-and-mold-testing/
- Radon testing: 5-10 minutes (plus a return trip to pick the kit up, and a lab turnaround time of 3-5 days) https://www.michiganpro.com/radon-air-quality-testing/
- Water quality testing: 5-10 minutes (lab turnaround time is typically 2-3 days) https://www.michiganpro.com/well-load-test-inspections/
- Well and Septic inspection: 30-60 minutes (depending on if there’s an above ground tank access) https://www.michiganpro.com/septic-tank-inspection/
- Sewer line camera inspection15-25 minutes (longer if cleanout is difficult to access)
Stand alone Mold Inspection
Let’s start with an “average” 1,800 square foot home that has no “major” issues and you’ve called us because of some sort of suspicion of mold due to allergic symptoms. Up to 90 minutes would be a good average with some testing being done. We’ll inspect the exterior and interior of the home for the visible presence of mold, and any conducive conditions (things that may cause or lead to mold).
*Know mold issues going on? Leaks, water infiltration through the foundation, moldy attic, rot? Most often, this will take more time and will likely be 90+ minutes.
Mold cleanup? We stay independent from the cleanup process just reputable mold remediators stay independent from the testing process. No conflict of interest! We have had many of our clients tell us they have had a good experience with Elliot Environmental. https://michiganmoldspecialist.com/
Stand alone Well and Septic Inspection
As a stand-alone service, we’ll need 60-90 minutes if everything goes well… and the tank is marked prior to our arrival. The seller (or if it’s your home, you) should mark the tank or have a drawing available if there isn’t above-ground access. Can we locate tanks if it isn’t marked and no one really knows where it is? Yes… most of the time. We locate the vast majority of tanks, but not always. This is why they should be marked or a drawing/map should be made available.
Environmental, Single System, and Atypical Inspections
A minimum time block for anything is in general 60 minutes. We inspect roofs, remodeling, and anything else as needed to be an independent 3rd party set of eyes to follow up and see if the project has loose ends or items that could have been done better/differently.