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Home inspectors in South Carolina make an average annual income of $51,754. The earning typically ranges between $41,688 and $63,459. Top earning SC home inspectors make over $74,113. (*)
South Carolina 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 South Carolina 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 South Carolina
- Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Home Inspector Jobs in South Carolina
- How much do home inspectors make per inspection in South Carolina?
- Different data sources report different South Carolina Home Inspectors Income figures
- Tips to Increase Your Income as a Home Inspector in South Carolina
- How do salaried home inspectors get compensated? and what about self-employed?
- Other Helpful Resources:
Income Distribution of Home Inspectors in South Carolina
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. (**)
Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Home Inspector Jobs in South Carolina
| City | Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Greenville | $60,965 |
| Mauldin | $56,951 |
| Prosperity | $54,247 |
| Spartanburg | $53,375 |
| Mount Pleasant | $52,598 |
| Rock Hill | $52,200 |
| Charleston | $51,859 |
| Columbia | $51,382 |
| North Charleston | $50,440 |
| Myrtle Beach | $49,858 |
(*) source: ZipRecruiter (Sept 20, 2022)
How much do home inspectors make per inspection in South Carolina?
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 ProMatcher, the average fee of a home inspection in South Carolina is $294.64 and it typically ranges between $245.53 – $343.74. This is for a house with 2,000 square feet.
However, this is just an average figure. Typically speaking, the greater the subject property, the higher the fee.
I just checked with Above and Beyond Home Inspections, a home inspection company in the Columbia, SC area. They charge $0.13 per square feet a complete home inspection. It includes a detailed overview of the interior, exterior, attic, crawl space, electrical, plumbing, structural, and roofing.
So for a 2,000 sq house, it should cost $260, which aligns with the figures from ProMatcher.
Also, if extra testing is needed (i.e., FHA well water test, mold inspection, Septic system functional flow test), 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 South Carolina Home Inspectors Income figures
| ZipRecruiter | Salary.com | Indeed | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average annual income of home inspectors in South Carolina | $51,754 | $50,250 | $55,547 |
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 | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| SC Independent Property Inspector | $15 – $30 an hour | Millennium Information Services | South Carolina |
| Residential High Value Field Inspector | $20-$30 an hour | Signature Appraisals | Hilton Head Island |
| Property Inspector | $40,000 to $70,000 annually | ProTech Home & Property Inspections | Columbia |
| Home Inspector | $72,000 a year | Orkin Pest Control | Summerville |
| Home inspector | $45,000 to $60,000 a year | ACE Preferred Inspections | Sumter |
Tips to Increase Your Income as a Home Inspector in South Carolina
- 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 South Carolina 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:
- How to Become a Home Inspector in South Carolina? (My Full Research)
- What it is like to be a Home Inspector? (Career talk with Ford Shadwell, a licensed home inspector)
(**) 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:
- ZipRecruiter – Home Inspector South Carolina (source)
- Salary.com- Home Inspector Salary in South Carolina (source)
- Indeed – Home inspector salary in South Carolina (source)
- RedFin – South Carolina Housing Market (source)
- Promatcher – South Carolina Home Inspection Costs & Prices (source)
- Above and Beyond Home Inspections (source)
