An attic inspection costs an average of $350, and most homeowners pay between $200 and $500, depending on attic size, complexity, and more.
An attic inspection costs around $350, on average, but you could pay as little as $100 or as much as $1,000, depending on a few factors. For an average-sized, unfinished attic, you can expect to pay somewhere between $200 and $500 or between $1 and $4 per square foot.
There are a few key things that will influence the cost of your attic inspection, from the size and condition of the space to your geographical location.
The size of your attic will often be the most impactful cost factor when it comes to your attic inspection, as larger spaces will take longer to inspect and will likely come with higher inspection costs. You can expect to pay somewhere between $1 and $4 per square foot for your attic inspection.
| Attic Size (sq. ft.) | Inspection Cost |
|---|---|
| 200 | $200–$800 |
| 500 | $500–$2,000 |
| 750 | $750–$3,000 |
| 1,000 | $1,000–$4,000 |
The condition of your attic will also have a major impact on how long the inspection takes, and since most of your cost goes toward labor, the condition will play a big role in the total inspection cost.
Unfinished attics are easier to inspect since everything is readily accessible. You’ll likely pay somewhere between $100 and $350 for an inspection if your attic is unfinished.
Finished attics have flooring, drywall, and other finishing materials covering structural elements and home systems in the space, so your inspector will need more time to carry out the inspection, which will drive up your total. More often than not, you’ll pay somewhere between $350 and $1,000 to get an inspection for your finished attic.
The age of your home can affect your inspection costs, too, with older homes generally taking a bit longer to inspect and fetching higher inspection prices. With new construction, your inspector will really just be looking to make sure the builder installed everything correctly and according to code. With an older home, they’ll be looking for code violations as well as assessing the building materials for integrity and remaining life, which takes longer.
An attic inspection can uncover many different issues, including the following:
Structural issues related to trusses, rafters, and roof decking
Leaks and water damage
Pest infestation
Insulation quality and remaining life span
Air leaks
Inspection of HVAC ducts and/or air handlers
Complete inspection of finished areas, including all finishes
If you need an attic inspection for just one of these line items, you’ll likely spend far less than if you needed a complete inspection that checked for all potential problems.
Where you live can also affect your attic inspection costs. Most of the total for an inspection goes toward labor, and labor prices can vary based on the local cost of living, with prices being higher in major metropolitan areas and in states with a higher cost of living.
| State | Attic Inspection Cost |
|---|---|
| California | $510 |
| Florida | $360 |
| Georgia | $320 |
| Illinois | $330 |
| Michigan | $320 |
| New York | $430 |
| North Carolina | $340 |
| Ohio | $330 |
| Pennsylvania | $330 |
| Texas | $320 |
You can expect to pay somewhere between $1 and $4 per square foot for an attic inspection. Prices will usually sit between $1 and $3 per square foot for an unfinished attic and somewhere between $2 and $4 per square foot for a finished attic.
It’s a good idea to add a DIY attic inspection to your home inspection checklist at least once a year to check for obvious issues. Your attic inspection should include things like visible water damage, mold growth, sagging or missing insulation, and clear damage to roof decking. You can do this for free with just a few minutes of your time, and it could end up saving you money on repair costs if you find early signs of property damage.
However, you should never rely on just a DIY inspection. DIYers are unlikely to have a firm understanding of local building codes or how to detect less obvious problems, like structural issues, pest infestation, and air leaks.
If you suspect you have a problem in your attic, or you’re purchasing a home and want to make sure it’s free of problems before you close, hire a home inspector near you to conduct a professional attic inspection for you.
An attic inspection is seldom a standalone service that homeowners need. More often, you’ll need to hire a local attic insulation company, an air sealing professional, or additional inspectors to carry out other work. You may want to budget for the following add-on services to avoid surprise charges following your attic inspection.
Whole-home inspection cost: $300–$420
Electrical inspection cost: $100–$400
Plumbing inspection cost: $100–$500
HVAC inspection cost: $70–$500
Mold inspection cost: $300–$1,050
Lead paint inspection cost: $350–$700
Cost to finish an attic: $7,500–$35,000
Cost to add a dormer: $6,000–$25,000
Attic inspections can cost up to around $1,000, and they can get even pricier if they uncover issues that you then have to pay to correct, like water damage or structural issues. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to help keep inspection costs down.
Couple it with other inspections: If you’re conducting other inspections at the same time, especially when you’re purchasing a home, ask your inspector if they offer discounts if you have them do multiple inspections at once. You may save on trip fees, and some pros offer discounts if you give them additional work.
Defer to a professional: It might be tempting to try to save money by DIYing your attic inspection, but you should always have an expert do the work. DIYers may notice obvious problems like water damage, but professionals will often be able to find issues before they become severe, potentially saving you money on the solution.
Complete an inspection before finishing the space: If you’re finishing your attic and want an inspection as a part of that project, do a pre-drywall inspection before putting up walls and finishes. You’ll spend about $1 less per square foot for the inspection if your pro has easy access to everything behind the walls and ceilings.
Get multiple quotes: Get estimates from at least three home inspectors before hiring. You can compare based on price and value, depending on what’s included in the inspection, and then choose the one that suits your needs and budget best.
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It’s a good idea to conduct a DIY attic inspection at least once a year to look for signs of water damage, pest infestation, and damage to the underside of the roof decking. If you suspect any problems, call in a professional to confirm and come up with a solution. You should also hire a pro to inspect an attic before purchasing a home, and you can have an inspection done as a seller to entice buyers to move forward with an offer or purchase.
An attic inspection checklist for inspectors can include many things, like signs of water damage and pest infestation, structural issues, damage to insulation and roof decking, air leaks, opportunities to boost home efficiency, and HVAC duct and air handler inspections. If your attic is finished, your attic inspector might also confirm that all of the work was done according to local building codes to ensure your space is legally finished.
Mold remediation costs between $1,200 and $3,750 in most cases, but the exact price will depend on the extent of the mold issue and how accessible your attic space is. Keep in mind that this price range only includes the removal of damaged materials. Your total might be significantly higher if you need professionals to provide build-back services, too, like replacing damaged insulation or roof decking.
