90-Minute Home Inspections?
- Joshua Mook
- May 16
- 3 min read
Recently, while out in the field I have heard both through clients and realtors there are a couple companies offering 90-minute home inspections. This is not referring to a team of inspectors(which would make this timeframe possible if they were all working on one average-sized home together), but through a single home inspector. I'd like to spend some time briefly discussing this topic, and how its not beneficial to the home-buyer.
Firstly, lets touch on what the two national inspection associations say about the average length of a home inspection:
InterNACHI:
According to InterNACHI (International Association of Certified Home Inspectors), a typical home inspection should take about 2 to 3 hours for an average-sized home (approximately 2,000 square feet) under normal conditions.
However, the duration can vary based on several factors:
Size of the home: Larger homes take longer to inspect.
Age of the home: Older homes may have more issues and require more time.
Condition of the property: Homes in poor condition may take longer to inspect.
Additional services: If the inspector is also doing radon testing, mold sampling, or other ancillary services, it will add time.
Inspector’s experience: More experienced inspectors may work more efficiently, but they also tend to be more thorough, which could balance out the time.
InterNACHI stresses that thoroughness is more important than speed, and inspectors should take the time needed to properly assess the property.
Two to three hours, for an AVERAGE-SIZED home(2,000 square feet) with increases in time for the size of the home, age of the home, condition of the property(number of defects), and additional services offered. Thats a far cry from 90 minutes.
Lets see what ASHI has to say:
ASHI:
According to ASHI (American Society of Home Inspectors), the typical home inspection takes about 2 to 4 hours for a standard single-family home.
However, ASHI also emphasizes that:
Larger or older homes may take longer to inspect.
Complex properties with multiple systems, outbuildings, or unusual features can extend the inspection time.
Additional services (e.g., termite inspection, radon testing) will add to the total duration.
Like InterNACHI, ASHI does not impose a strict time requirement but stresses the importance of a thorough and methodical inspection over speed. The goal is to ensure that the inspector provides a complete and accurate assessment of the home’s condition.
ASHI lists the average time of 2 to 4 hours! With similar conditions for adding to the length of time.
There is almost a 100 percent chance that your home inspector belongs to one of these two associations(as it is one of the requirements set forth for training and licensure by the state of Ohio). Both organizations specifically stress THE IMPORTANCE OF A THOROUGH INSPECTION OVER SPEED, as the inspectors main goal is to provide an OBJECTIVE, COMPLETE, and ACCURATE assessment of the homes condition to give their clients the best information they can have about the property before they close on it. If your home inspector is going through a home in 90 minutes is he/she really providing the most accurate information about the home that they can? Sure itll get you and your realtor to closing on the deal more quickly, but what happens when you close and occupy the home only to find out in the coming months there are multiple defects that were looked over and now YOU and your bank account are on the hook for those repairs.
Lastly, lets touch briefly on what Ohio Administrative Code lays out for what shall and shall not be inspected AT MINIMUM during a residential home inspection in Ohio. Click the link below to read the document:
Thats an awful lot of ground to cover in 90 minutes!
At Mook Home Inspections, we pride ourselves on an objective, through inspection every single time irregardless of the size of the property, the age of the property or the condition of the property. When you are under contract for your next home, and a realtor tells you that they know a company that can complete a full home inspection, accurately, in 90 minutes. Please take a moment to remember what youve read in this blog post, and ask yourself if thats truly in your best interest!
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