The hidden costs of home inspections: Why you might be paying too much for too little

[Keenan Fitzpatrick]

It's human nature to focus on hard costs. They are right there in your face and quantifiable.
But what is the costs of not inspecting a flat roof because the seller said it was ok?

A plumber can cost $250-$350/hr to put a camera in a drain line but a new sewer main can easily cost $30,000 - $50,000 and a new cleanout can be $6,000 - $8,000 or more depending on the depth and if it's by the driveway which it often is.

I can tell you from personal experience it can be up to about $34 per sq/ft for an EPDM roof with a taper kit installed or about $90,000 on my small ranch 4plex. A roof inspection costs around $350.

Sometimes you spend thousands on inspections and you come across a deal breaker or aren't able to negotiate terms to keep moving forward. That is the cost of doing business and why you have to make your margins on other deals.