The inspection is designed to tell you what needs to be repaired on the house. There may be some requirements that the house needs to meet in order for your financial lender to lend you the money for the home. This does not mean that the house has “failed” the inspection and will not be able to be sold.
The home inspection is a valuable experience for you as a home buyer and future home owner. The inspector should allow you to attend the inspection. You will be able to see first-hand what potential problems exist now or may arise soon. Knowing what looks normal and what a problem looks like will help you later in maintaining your home.
Knowing the length of time for an inspection is important because you usually have to arrange a time with the realtor and the current owner for the inspector to examine the house. Since an inspection usually involves looking at pipes, wiring, roofing, and areas that may be hard to reach, it may require hours to complete. The home inspector you choose should provide you with an accurate estimate of how long the inspection is expected to take. Normally the inspection could take from two to four hours.