(**) Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning RealEstateCareerHQ.com will get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through the links, but at no additional cost to you.
Home inspectors in Oregon make an average yearly income of $56,443. The annual income range typically ranges between $44,493 to $67,728. Top earning Oregon home inspectors make over $79,099. (*)
Oregon home inspector income depends on several factors such as experience, geographical location, size of the property, the inspection type, and the number of inspections that can be completed.
Home inspectors in Oregon who have been in the business for several years can expect to earn more than those just starting out. Inspectors who work in areas with a high real estate transactional volume can also expect to make more than those who work in other parts of the state.
(*) source: ZipRecruiter (Sept 20, 2022)
Table of Contents
- Income Distribution of Home Inspectors in Oregon
- Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Home Inspector Jobs in Oregon
- How much do home inspectors make per inspection in Oregon?
- Different data sources report different Oregon Home Inspectors Income figures
- Tips to Increase Your Income as a Home Inspector in Oregon
- How do salaried home inspectors get compensated? and what about self-employed?
- Other Helpful Resources:
The first step to begin in this career is to equip yourself with the necessary home inspection knowledge and obtain the Home Inspection Certification. ICA has years of experience in providing high-quality home inspection training. Here’s the link to their classes. (**)
Income Distribution of Home Inspectors in Oregon
Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Home Inspector Jobs in Oregon
| City | Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Salem | $64,693 |
| Cascade Locks | $63,643 |
| Gresham | $62,579 |
| Yamhill | $61,753 |
| Medford | $61,540 |
| Drain | $61,371 |
| Hillsboro | $59,268 |
| Bend | $59,171 |
| Beaverton | $58,905 |
| Corvallis | $57,757 |
(*) source: ZipRecruiter (Sept 20, 2022)
How much do home inspectors make per inspection in Oregon?
Home inspectors typically charge per inspection, and the inspection fees are generally paid at the time of the inspection. But some home inspection companies may require a deposit to be paid upfront.
According to PacWest, a home inspection company in Beaverton, the average fee of a home inspection in Oregon is $460. This State average is based on over 80,000 home inspections.
However, this is just an average figure. Typically speaking, the greater the subject property, the higher the fee.
I checked with NorthBank, another home inspection company in the Vancouver WA area. Below is their pricing table.
| Home Size | Standard Home Inspection Cost |
|---|---|
| Up to 1,999 sq ft | $400 |
| 2,000-2,499 sq ft | $450 |
| 2,500-2,999 sq ft | $500 |
| 3,000-3,499 sq ft | $600 |
| 3,500-3,999 sq ft | $650 |
| 4,000-4,499 sq ft | $750 |
| 4,500-4,999 sq ft | $800 |
Furthermore, the above rate assumes that the property was built after 1979. If it is built after, they will charge an additional $75. The reason is homes built before 1979 require more environmental safety precautions, equipment, time, and considerations.
Also, if extra testing is needed (i.e., radon, mold inspection, sewer cope video inspection, or water testing), there will be extra charges.
Some home inspector companies may offer discounts when multiple inspection services are ordered at the same time.
Different data sources report different Oregon Home Inspectors Income figures
| ZipRecruiter | Salary.com | Indeed | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average annual income of home inspectors in Oregon | $56,443 | $53,343 | $61,645 |
Most of the data in this article are obtained from different sources such as ZipRecruiter, Salary.com and Indeed. As you can see, there is quite a discrepancy among various sources.
Perhaps, it really depends on the home inspectors in the sample. After all, their experience in the home inspection field, geographic location and the real estate niche they specialize in could be different from one another.
But to confirm the validity of the figures, I also reviewed figures from other different sites (i.e. glassdoor, indeed, LinkedIn, SimplyHired, Google). Below is one I found, which should give you a clearer idea of home inspectors’ income in the current market.
| Job Title | Income Range | Employer | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home Inspector | $350 – $1,000 a day | A Buyer’s Choice Home Inspections | Eugene |
| Independent Property Inspector | $45,600 to $57,800 a year | Millennium Information Services Inc | Remote in Oregon |
| Housing Inspector | $33.01 to $41.79 an hour | City of Portland | Temporarily Remote in Portland |
| Housing Inspector | $60,000 to $76,000 a year | City of Portland | Temporarily Remote in Portland |
| Home inspector | Very competitive while full time. ($25 hourly while in training | Nonprofit Home Inspections | Portland |
Tips to Increase Your Income as a Home Inspector in Oregon
- Bring on more business through referral partners with real estate agents. You may connect with them by attending local events or workshops put on by real estate offices, or join the Oregon REALTORS.
- Focus on areas with large real estate transaction volume.
- Rather than reinventing the wheels for each case, have a systematic and standardized approach throughout the entire business process. This includes how you take on orders, a checklist for inspection, and a template for generating a home inspection report.
- Invest in good home inspection software that can streamline the business process. It should automate tasks such as prefilling clients’ info into the report (i.e., name and address), scheduling appointments, generating an invoice, and an option to send out a standardized email with the inspection report.
How do salaried home inspectors get compensated? and what about self-employed?
As a salaried home inspector, you could enjoy a stable salary. In addition to the base pay, I have seen companies offering 401k, health and dental insurance to their employee. But as you can imagine, you need to continue to demonstrate your productivity by completing the required volume of inspections.
On the other hand, if you run your own home inspection business, you are able to set your own work schedule and run the business the way you want. Your income is going to be dictated by the number of inspections you are able to complete. In other words, if you don’t work, you don’t get paid.
Rather than just inspecting homes, you also need to prospect for new businesses, make connections with referral partners and handle business administrative duties.
Although you may keep the entire inspection fee as a home inspection company, there are also different business expenses you need to account for – for example, advertising& marketing, surety bond, insurance, E&O, home inspecting equipment, business software, accounting and legal fees.
But as your business expands, you may be able to take on other home inspectors and make it a scalable business.
There are pros and cons to both salaried and self-employed positions, so it really depends on what is important to you and what you want to achieve.
If you are reading up to this point, I bet you must be interested in the home inspector profession. Your first step is to complete the pre-licensing courses. You should select one that has an excellent reputation and long-term track record of satisfying students. ICA is exactly that! You may click here to check it out yourself. (**)
Other Helpful Resources:
(**) Affiliate Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you. Our company, JCHQ Publishing will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking on the link. Please understand that we include them based on our experience or the research on these companies or products, and we recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions we make if you decide to buy something through the links. Please do not spend any money on these products unless you feel you need them or that they will help you achieve your goals.
Disclaimer: The information in this post is for general information only, and not intend to provide any advice. They are subjected to change without any notice, and not guaranteed to be error-free. Some of the posts on this site may contain views and opinions from individual not related to JCHQ Publishing. They do not necessarily reflect our view or position.
Reference:
- Oregon Construction Contractors Board (source)
- ZipRecruiter – Home Inspector Oregon (source)
- Salary.com- Home Inspector Salary in Oregon (source)
- Indeed – Home inspector salary in Oregon (source)
- NorthBank Home Inspection – Home Inspection Cost (source)
- RedFin – Oregon Housing Market (source)
- PacWest Home Inspections- How much does a home inspection cost in Oregon (source)
