How Long Do You Take to Inspect a Condo?

It takes me about an hour onsite.
I’ve been hearing horror stories from buyers and realtors in the Chicago area that say they have encountered home inspectors that take up to 3 1/2 hours.
I could scrub all the floors on my hands and knees and cook dinner in less time.
What could these morons be doing to take 3 1/2 hours to do a 5 room condo??

It takes as long as it takes to perform a thorough inspection. Your question is relative to what SOP, inspection protocols, and other factors are involved in a particular Inspector’s methods.

Other answers in blue above.

I inspect them just like a house only less exterior walls and depending on location within the building, sometimes no basement, attic or roof to inspect.

For me, some take an hour but most take 2 to 3 hours. I always show my clients where the disconnects are and which AC unit/heat pump is theirs. There are times when it takes time to figure these things out.

As Emmanuel said, it takes as long as it takes.

Takes me like six. I inspect all the common areas, parking spaces, offices etc…

I take about 10 hours and we usually order dinner followed by dancing then a tour of the Gold Coast area.
I have heard horror stories about lazy is inspectors who take only the time to collect a check and disclaim everything.

Wow, that’s a wide range so far. 1-10 hours, someone is BS’n me.

I do them in about 30 minutes, takes me that long to find the liquor and ice and have a little nip. Sometimes I open the fridge and make a sandwich but even then no more than 45 minutes.

I knew the liquor isn’t safe around you.

That is impossible you can not BS the Bullsh itter:p

Well, look who woke up.

interior of a high rise or large complex condo, where its really only an interior, an hour will due (solo), with my 2 man team like 30 min. but a townhouse that’s technically a condo like in a HOA or a 2 units in one townhouse, its only slightly less time than a regular house.

I did 5 condos this week and they were all different. Anything 1000 ft.2 or less is 40 mins to an hour… tops. Like what was said earlier, HOA changes the exterior and common area focus for me and I just photograph and memorialize the areas with a few comments about what the materials are. I love doing condos…they are nearly always a welcomed break in the action and the margins are wonderful on them, even if I give a size price break.

I think that’s typical.
Anyone taking over an hour on a 1000 sq.ft. condo is choking their chicken to make the client think their doing a good job.

I tend to agree on 1000 sq ft… there may be some exceptions but any more would not be typical. I suspect the condos in question in original post were smaller ones… and the longer time is not justified.

Linas,

What is the average run time of a dishwasher on a “Normal” or “Typical” cycle from the time the cycle is started until the drying actually completes and the unit indicates it is finished?

Inspected an 18 year old third floor 1400 sq ft condo today.

Was in the attic alone just over 20 minutes.

Found the insulation out of place in some areas.
When the new roof was installed they closed off box vents and installed ridge vents, they just forgot to open them.
Found a leak at the furnace/water heater vent.
Found a section of the firewall separating the units was missing.
Found an upper chord that was notched when the box vents were installed.

Also found the hot and cold reversed at the kitchen sink, garbage disposal power wire not clamped at the unit, no air gap in the DW drain line, master bath bathtub fixture failed to produce cold water, HVAC controller loose at the wall, a bad window seal, and a few other minor issues.

Total inspection time was 2 hours 10 minutes.

Depends on how long it takes to get in the basement and confirm if the panel in the unit is a remote distribution or not.

My guess is some do not bother to check the roof of 2 and 3 flats as they are maintained by associations which is free money that falls from the sky.

Perhaps when clients ask questions about rehab and remodeling it would save time to state it is above ones pay grade .:roll:

I probably average about 2 hours as well. Depends on the condo. Some condos have their own unique challenges. Lots of them here have no access to the attic. Sometimes electric disconnect, main water shut-off, etc. take time to find. I bought a condo as a rental property and the main water valve was out in the common hall, above a suspended ceiling. Took me forever to find it.

I don’t run it through a complete cycle.
Do you wash a load of clothes and dry them when you inspect the washer and dryer?
How long does an HE washer and dryer take to wash dry 5 pairs of jeans and 5 pairs of s hit stained boxer drawers?

I dont go by “condo”, I go by square footage