Home Inspection Cost: What You Pay For, Who Pays and Inspection vs Appraisal
A home inspection is a check of the house's physical condition by an inspector you hire, before you commit to the purchase. It is not the appraisal: the appraisal estimates the home's value for your lender and does not replace an inspection. No federal agency sets or publishes a standard price for a home inspection. The fee is set by the inspector, and tests such as radon or lead-based paint are separate services you can ask about.
What a Home Inspection Covers
The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) form For Your Protection: Get a Home Inspection (HUD-92564-CN) says the purpose of a home inspection is to inform and educate you about the property before you make a financial commitment. For a fee, a qualified inspector will:
- Take an unbiased look at the home to evaluate its physical condition.
- Estimate the remaining useful life of the major systems, equipment, structure and finishes.
- Identify any items that need to be repaired or replaced.
What is included varies by inspector. HUD suggests you ask a prospective inspector for their Standards of Practice (SOP) or for a sample home inspection report before you hire them. To find one, HUD suggests references from friends, real estate professionals, local licensing authorities and organizations that qualify and test home inspectors.
How Much a Home Inspection Costs
No federal agency publishes a national average or a set price for a home inspection, so we do not quote one. The inspector sets the fee, and what you get for it depends on their Standards of Practice. Ways to compare quotes on equal terms:
- Compare what is covered, not only the price. Ask each inspector for their Standards of Practice or a sample report, as HUD suggests.
- Ask which tests are extra. HUD's form tells buyers to ask the inspector whether additional health and safety tests are relevant for the home, such as mold, air or water quality, asbestos, lead paint, urea formaldehyde insulation or pest infestations. Radon testing is also a separate test (see below).
- Know where the fee shows up. On a home loan, Regulation Z lists "fees for inspections to assess the value or condition of the property if the service is performed prior to closing, including fees related to pest-infestation or flood-hazard determinations" among the real-estate fees that are not part of the finance charge, if they are bona fide and reasonable in amount.
For the other fees you pay to buy a home, see closing costs.
Who Pays for the Home Inspection?
- The buyer arranges it. HUD's form says a home inspection will only occur if you arrange for one. FHA does not perform home inspections.
- FHA lenders must give you the form. FHA's Single Family Housing Policy Handbook 4000.1 requires lenders to give prospective homebuyers form HUD-92564-CN at first contact, whether for prequalification, pre-approval or the initial application.
- Order it early. HUD says that if you request an inspection early in the process, you may be able to make your purchase contract contingent on its results.
- The CFPB puts it in the closing phase. The CFPB's homebuying guide lists "Schedule a home inspection" as an action step once your offer is accepted and you have chosen a loan and a lender.
Home Inspection vs Appraisal
| Home inspection | Appraisal | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Your information about the home's physical condition | Estimates the home's value for the lender |
| Who orders it | You, if you arrange one | The lender, for a mortgage |
| Does one replace the other? | No. HUD: an appraisal "does not replace a home inspection." VA: "An appraisal isn't a home inspection or a guaranty of value." | |
| Your copy | Ask the inspector for a sample report before you hire them | For a first-lien home loan, the lender must give you a copy promptly upon completion or three business days before closing, whichever is earlier |
HUD's form is blunt about what the appraisal does not do: FHA does not guarantee the value or condition of your new home. If you find problems with your home after closing, FHA cannot give or lend you money for repairs, and FHA cannot buy the home back from you. For VA loans, the VA says the lender requests a VA appraisal, which estimates the house's market value at the time of inspection.
The appraisal copy rule comes from Regulation B (12 CFR 1002.14). You can waive the timing and agree to receive the copy at or before closing, but any such waiver must be obtained at least three business days before closing, except for a revised copy with only clerical changes.
Radon, Lead and Other Extra Tests
Radon
- HUD's form says the Environmental Protection Agency and the Surgeon General recommend that all houses be tested for radon. EPA's A Citizen's Guide to Radon says EPA and the Surgeon General recommend testing all homes below the third floor.
- EPA recommends you fix the home if the radon level is 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) or higher, and says levels below 4 pCi/L still pose a risk and in many cases may be reduced.
- Short-term tests stay in the home for two days to 90 days, depending on the device. Long-term tests stay for more than 90 days. If you are buying or selling a home, EPA says you can hire a qualified tester, and suggests asking your state radon office for a list.
Lead-based paint (homes built before 1978)
- Before you are obligated under a contract to buy most pre-1978 housing, federal rules require the seller to give you a 10-day period to conduct a risk assessment or inspection for lead-based paint or lead-based paint hazards (40 CFR 745.110).
- You and the seller can agree in writing on a different period, and you can waive the opportunity in writing.
- EPA notes that lead-based paint for use in homes was banned in the U.S. in 1978 but is still present in millions of homes.
Other tests
HUD's list of tests to ask about includes mold, air or water quality, asbestos, lead paint, urea formaldehyde insulation and pest infestations. Whether any of them is relevant depends on the home, so ask the inspector before you book.
Sources & Methodology
- What an inspection covers, who arranges it, inspection vs appraisal, extra tests: HUD/FHA form HUD-92564-CN, For Your Protection: Get a Home Inspection (form dated 02/09/2023).
- Lender must provide the form: FHA Single Family Housing Policy Handbook 4000.1, Update 18 (last revised August 12, 2026).
- When to schedule: CFPB, Buying a house, Step 4: Closing on your new home (page last modified November 3, 2025).
- VA appraisal: VA, How to apply for a VA home loan.
- Appraisal copy: Regulation B, 12 CFR 1002.14. Inspection fees and the finance charge: Regulation Z, 12 CFR 1026.4(c)(7).
- Radon: EPA, A Citizen's Guide to Radon. Lead: EPA, Real Estate Disclosures about Potential Lead Hazards, and 40 CFR 745.110.
- All sources retrieved November 7, 2026. We did not find a government source for a national average home inspection cost, so this page does not give one.
FAQ
How much does a home inspection cost?
No federal agency sets or publishes a price, so we do not give an average. The inspector sets the fee. Compare quotes by asking each inspector for their Standards of Practice or a sample report, and ask which tests, such as radon, cost extra.
Who pays for the home inspection, the buyer or the seller?
HUD says a home inspection only happens if you, the buyer, arrange for one, and the inspector does it for a fee. FHA does not perform home inspections.
Is a home inspection required to get a mortgage?
FHA does not perform one, and HUD says an inspection only occurs if you arrange it. Your lender orders an appraisal instead, which estimates value and does not replace an inspection.
What is the difference between a home inspection and an appraisal?
An inspection reports on the home's physical condition for you. An appraisal estimates the home's value for your lender. HUD and the VA both say an appraisal is not a home inspection.
Do I get a copy of the appraisal?
Yes, for a first-lien home loan. Regulation B requires the lender to give you a copy promptly upon completion or three business days before closing, whichever is earlier.
Should I test for radon when I buy a house?
EPA and the Surgeon General recommend testing all homes below the third floor. EPA recommends fixing the home if the level is 4 pCi/L or higher.
How long do I have to test an older home for lead paint?
For most homes built before 1978, the seller must give you a 10-day period to conduct a lead-based paint inspection or risk assessment before you are bound by the contract, unless you both agree in writing on a different period or you waive it in writing.
