Why get a home inspection — and what it actually costs here

The basics

What a home inspection is, and what it is not

A Florida home inspection is a visual, non-invasive review of the readily accessible parts of the house. The inspector does not open walls, dig up the yard, or take the roof apart. What they do is look at everything a buyer walking through would never think to look at, in a fixed order, and write it down.

A general inspection usually covers the roof surface and structure, the attic, insulation and ventilation, the foundation and visible structure, exterior cladding, grading and drainage, windows and doors, the electrical panel and accessible wiring, the plumbing supply and drains, the water heater, the HVAC system and ductwork, built-in appliances, and the garage.

It is not a code inspection, not an appraisal, not a warranty, and not a guarantee that nothing will break. It is a snapshot of condition on one day by one person who is not allowed to damage the property to find out more.

The part that is different in Florida

Wind mitigation and the 4-point — why these matter enormously here

Everywhere in the country, buyers get a home inspection. In Florida there are two additional reports that have nothing to do with whether you like the house and everything to do with whether you can afford to insure it.

Money

What it costs around here

Pricing is driven by square footage, age, and what you add on. The ranges below reflect what buyers in Duval, Clay, St. Johns and Bradford counties are typically quoted in 2026. They are ranges, not quotes, and several companies bundle the insurance reports at no extra charge with a full inspection — always ask.

Weigh that against the median sale price in this market. Spending six hundred dollars to avoid a fifteen-thousand-dollar surprise is not a close call.

A common mistake

Yes, inspect new construction too

Clay and St. Johns counties are full of new-build communities, and buyers routinely skip the inspection because the house is brand new and comes with a builder warranty. That warranty is exactly the reason to inspect.

• Pre-drywall, while framing, wiring, plumbing and mechanical runs are still visible.
• Final walk-through, before you sign for the house.
• Eleven-month warranty inspection, timed so anything found is still the builder's problem rather than yours.

The eleven-month one is the one people forget, and it is the cheapest money in the entire transaction.

What happens next

After the report lands

A typical report on a normal house runs sixty pages and flags forty things. That is not a disaster — that is what a thorough inspector does. The work is sorting it.

1. Safety and structure first. Active leaks, electrical hazards, structural movement, gas issues, anything that makes the house unsafe or uninsurable.
2. Big-ticket age next. Roof, HVAC, water heater, panel, supply lines. Not defects, but a bill with a date on it.
3. Everything else last. Missing outlet covers and a sticky window are not negotiating positions.
4. Then decide what you are asking for. Repairs before closing, a credit at closing, a price reduction, or nothing at all.

My advice, consistently: ask for money rather than repairs where you reasonably can. A seller who is already moving out will hire the cheapest contractor who can be there Thursday. A credit lets you hire someone you chose.

Choosing

How to pick an inspector

• Confirm the Florida home inspector licence and check it yourself on the DBPR licence verification page. It takes a minute.
• Ask for a sample report before you book. If you cannot read it, it will not help you.
• Ask whether wind mitigation and the 4-point are included or extra.
• Ask how long the inspection takes. A 2,000 square foot house in ninety minutes is a fast walk, not an inspection.
• Go with them. Everything useful I have ever learned about a house I learned standing in the attic next to the inspector.

There is a list of licensed companies serving this area, with the licence numbers they publish, on my Northeast Florida home inspectors page. It is a directory, not a recommendation.