HOW MUCH DOES A HOME INSPECTOR MAKE? General Overview

how much does a home inspector make

A home inspector inspects buildings before they are sold to verify they are up to code and safe to live in. They are in charge of inspecting the air conditioning units, electrical wiring, plumbing systems, security systems, and structural components of a home. In this chapter, we’ll look at how much a home inspector makes in different states like Georgia and Texas per year. 

Who Is A Home Inspector?

A home inspector is someone that inspects buildings before they are sold. He makes sure that they meet the necessary standards and are safe to live in. Based on their findings, they will identify any necessary repairs and prepare an inspection report for evaluation. Home inspectors frequently travel for work and collaborate with real estate brokers and their clients.

How Much Does a Home Inspector Make?

The average home inspector makes from $30,000 to $90,000 per year. However, because there are numerous elements that influence home inspection salaries, the best answer is “it depends.”

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the national median salary for professional home inspectors in 2020 will be little more than $62,000 per year. The top ten percent of inspectors made more than $97,000 per year. On the other hand, the worst ten percent earned less than $35,000 per year.

In general, the amount you make is directly proportional to the number of inspections you are willing to fit into your schedule. If you complete four inspections per week and charge $425 per inspection, you will earn $1,700 per week. That’s like $88,400 per year.

A home inspector’s salary is determined by a variety of criteria, including:

  • Your current location
  • How much does a home inspection cost?
  • Your home inspection encounter
  • The path you take in your home inspection career

Whether you work full-time or part-time, the easiest method to estimate your revenue is to estimate how many inspections you expect to perform in a week. You then multiply that by the typical home inspection fee in your area.

Factors Influencing a Home Inspector’s Salary Location

The pay scale for home inspectors varies by location of the country. In general, when there is a lot of new home construction activity and homeowners are selling their existing houses, the demand for home inspectors is highest – and thus where inspectors get paid the most for their services.

Experience with Home Inspections

Home inspector’s salaries tend to rise with experience, as they do in many other industries. The more experience you have as a home inspector, the more valuable your services will be to clients. With time, your reputation as an inspector will be sure. This will increase the likelihood that you will receive reference business from prior customers. You’ll eventually learn how to conduct home inspections and issue reports on your findings more quickly and efficiently. Thus, you can enhance your profits by taking on more projects.

After completing a high-quality training program, the average home inspector earns the following at the one and three-year periods in their career:

1 year: $75,000

3 years: $90,000

Working for Yourself vs. Working for a Home Inspection Company

Whether you work as a self-employed home inspector, for a well-established home inspection company, or for the government, your prospective earnings will be affected. Home inspectors who work for the government typically earn more than those who are self-employed or work in the private sector. Your income will be determined by whether you work full-time or part-time, regardless of the home inspection job path you choose.

Add-Ons Increase Home Inspector Salary

A 2,000 square foot single family dwelling inspection normally costs between $400 and $450. Smaller, two-bedroom homes and condos typically cost less, averaging between $300 and $350 per inspection. A home inspector’s compensation can be enhanced by offering extra services to clients, such as:

  • Conducting mold inspections to look for mold kinds that could be dangerous to the home’s occupants.
  • In homes built before 1978, look for lead-based paint and lead plumbing lines.
  • Inspecting residences built before 1977 for the presence of asbestos in roof and siding shingles, insulation, textured ceilings, and vinyl floor tiles.
  • Inspecting the radon levels in and around the house, as well as the pool and spa.
  • Thermal imaging can be used to detect moisture entry, energy loss, and hot spots.

For each of these and related additional services, home inspectors normally charge between $100 and $200. As part of your home inspection training package, ICA includes free bonus courses for these home inspection services, so you can finish as many as you want based on your interests.

Disaster Inspectors from FEMA

As a home inspector, you can augment your income by working as a FEMA disaster inspector. When the President proclaims a site to be a major disaster area, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, responds to all forms of natural catastrophes throughout the United States and its territories.

WSP USA Inspection Services (previously known as P B Disaster Services) and Vanguard EM are two outside companies that the government contracts with to supply FEMA inspectors for responding to national catastrophes. Both pay their inspectors in a different way.

Vanguard pays its inspectors based on their actual field experience for each inspection. Entry-level inspectors with fewer than 500 FEMA inspections are paid $35 per property. Intermediate level inspectors have performed between 501 and 2,500 house inspections and are paid $39 each residence. Vanguard pays $45 each inspection to advanced level FEMA inspectors who have completed more than 2,500 inspections.

Your home inspector training should also cover how to draft pre-inspection agreements, issue inspection reports, inspect rooftops using drones, and start and promote a home inspection firm.

Is Working as a Home Inspector a Good Career?

There are numerous advantages to becoming a home inspector, including the opportunity for a solid and continuously increasing salary. Home inspectors that provide excellent customer service, high-quality reports, and additional services may anticipate their business and revenues to increase year after year.

Men and women of different ages and backgrounds have chosen careers as certified home inspectors, and the work and effort put in pays off handsomely. Becoming a licensed home inspector can be a lucrative and hard professional path.

Inspection Certification Associates home inspector training is the quickest, simplest, and most cost-effective approach to become a certified home inspector. Completing ICA’s online course will qualify you to work as a home inspector in almost every state in the United States (see state licensing for the requirements in your area). Enroll today and you’ll be on your way to a successful and exciting career as a Certified Home Inspector!

How Much Does a Home Inspector Make in Georgia?

As of May 27, 2022, the average Home Inspector income in Georgia is $51,438; however, the salary range frequently ranges between $46,191 and $57,996. Salary ranges can vary greatly based on the city and a variety of other essential aspects such as education, certifications, supplementary talents, and the number of years you have worked in your field.

How Much Does a Home Inspector Make in Texas?

As of May 27, 2022, the average Home Inspector pay in Texas is $52,208, with a normal range of $46,882 to $58,864. Salary ranges can vary greatly based on the city and a variety of other essential aspects such as education, certifications, supplementary talents, and the number of years you have worked in your field.

The Varieties of Home Inspectors’ Earnings

Home inspections are a simple part-time profession. As a result, many semi-retired inspectors perform 10-100 inspections per year and earn $10k-$30k per year.

In comparison, multi-inspector firms (which typically employ 1-20 home inspectors on salary or contractors) earn $500k-3M per year.

The others fall somewhere in the middle, with the active ones making a good livelihood. It’s also worth mentioning that data for the 50% of inspectors who go out of business each year is tough to get by. This would undoubtedly skew the averages.

This is analogous to attempting to determine the average income of real estate brokers. The cyclical nature of the real estate industry, along with the opportunity to do it part-time, makes hard statistics tough to obtain and maintain track of.

What Does a First-Year Home Inspector Earn?

In their first year, new home inspectors should expect to perform between one to one hundred inspections.

With a home inspection costing on average $358, you may expect to earn up to $35,800 in your first year as a home inspector.

This will, of course, depend on the individual inspector’s ability to network with agents, provide quality inspections and customer service, and swiftly develop their firm.

If you opt to work for a multi-inspector firm, you can expect to earn a percentage split per inspection (30-60%) or a salary ($30k-$60k).

Job Description for a Home Inspector

A full-time, certified home inspector to evaluates houses and ensures they are code compliant. They inspect every area of the home, identify any defects that need to be rectified, and present a detailed report to each client. He is also well organized and enjoys assisting others. 

Responsibilities of a Home Inspector

  • Arrange access to the property with the homeowner’s real estate agent.
  • Complete building inspections before selling to ensure that the home meets current standards for electrical systems, roofing, HVAC systems, plumbing systems, security systems, structural components, and building code upgrades.
  • Mark particular repairs that may be required so that homeowners can enhance the property before selling it.
  • Estimate the possible cost of completing necessary repairs and provide a variety of solutions.
  • Following each inspection, provide a complete report that includes images and specific descriptions of any damages found.
  • Assist home buyers with any additional requests regarding the home inspection in order to maintain open lines of communication and adapt to their needs.

Qualifications of a Home Inspector

  • A high school diploma or an equivalent qualification is necessary.
  • Where applicable, state licensing is obtained, and the American Society of Home Inspectors certification is obtained (ASHI)
  • At least one year of work experience in a home inspection or construction company is required.
  • A valid driver’s license in the United States and the ability to travel by car are required.
  • Working understanding of fundamental home systems such as plumbing, HVAC units, electrical, and security alarms is required.
  • Walking over rooftops and climbing in limited locations such as attics or crawl spaces with ease
  • Attention to detail is essential in this function for both inspections and reporting.
  • Excellent organizational and multitasking abilities
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills, as well as customer service abilities, are required.
  • Basic computer abilities, such as emailing, are required.

How Much Do Home Inspectors Make In NC?

In North Carolina, the average yearly compensation for a house inspector is $51,430, or $24.72 per hour. Of course, if you want to be average, you won’t remain self-employed for long. When you become the best, your earnings potential skyrockets.

How Much Does A Home Inspector Make In Oklahoma?

In Oklahoma, the average yearly salary for a house inspector is $48,210, or $23.18 per hour.

How Long Does It Take To Be A Home Inspector In NC?

To obtain a North Carolina Home Inspector License, you must complete 120 hours of state-approved study. To obtain a license, 10 site visits totaling 80 hours are required.

Is The NC Home Inspector Exam Hard?

The exam is regarded as difficult, but taking the time to prepare thoroughly prior to the exam will assist secure your success.

In Conclusion,

On average, a home inspector makes $30,000–$90,000 a year. However, it depends on a number of factors. These factors have been outlined in this chapter, and we hope it helps you as you take up a career in home inspection.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much doe Texas home inspectors make?

In Texas, the typical yearly compensation for a home inspector can reach $100,000, or $48.07 per hour.

What do home inspectors do?

A home inspector will examine the foundation, structural components, roof, HVAC, plumbing, and electrical systems, and then offer a written home inspection report with results.

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