How Much Should a Home Inspection Cost
by Jeremy Goodmurphy, Certified Professional Home Inspector

Inspectors quote inspection fees using different criteria or methods. Some charge a flat rate, others charge by the square foot of living area. Some charge by square foot of area under the roof, some charge by the price of the house and others charge by the amount of time spent (which is reflective of not only size but condition.) Some consider detached garages as part of the main house and do not charge for them (but may include the square footage into the overall size calculation) while others consider detached garages as outbuildings and charge extra for them.
Let's put home inspection fees in perspective: If you're buying a $400,000 house and the inspection fee is $700, that's less than .2% of the cost of the house! Most real estate agencies charge 3% to 6% to sell a home, that would be $12,000 to $24,000 for a $400,000 house! The cost of a home inspection is a bargain, even if you paid $1500 for the inspection, and most are less than half that!
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Getting Your Home Ready For an Inspection
by David Fogle of HomeScope Property Inspection Services, Inc
It is typically the seller's responsibility to get the home ready for the inspection. The listing agent should notify the seller of these expectations. The following suggestions will help get the home ready for the home inspection, and minimize the need for the home inspector to make a return trip to the home, which may cost an additional fee.

• All utilities need to be turned on (available to the device) and all gas appliances need to be ready to run (pilot lights must be on).
• Access needs to be cleared to areas like attics, crawl spaces, electric panels (main service panel, disconnects and sub-panels), water heaters, furnaces, air conditioners etc.
• Closets need to be cleared if access areas, such as to the attic, are located within closets. The home inspector is not required to move personal property.
• Keys should be available for any locked areas, such as the crawl space.
• The inspector should be notified if there are any occupants of the home that may be sleeping, such as infants.
• Aggressive or "escape artist" animals should be removed from the property to allow full, unencumbered access to all areas that are to be inspected (the complete structure, including interior spaces, garages and exterior areas).