A home inspection in Toronto typically costs $400 to $700 for a detached or semi-detached house and $300 to $450 for a condo unit, with most buyers paying near the middle of those ranges. No fee schedule governs the work in Ontario, so the quote depends mainly on the size, age and type of the property.
Square footage is the biggest factor. An inspector pricing a 1,200 square foot bungalow is quoting two to three hours of work. A century home with 3,000 finished square feet, a converted basement and a detached garage can take most of a morning and climb past $700. Age pushes the number the same way, because older properties carry systems replaced at different times by different people, and sorting out what is original takes longer.
Condos sit at the low end because the scope is narrower. There is no roof to walk, no grading to assess and in many buildings no furnace that belongs to you. The inspector is looking at the unit, which is one reason condo buyers often weigh an inspection against the building records rather than treating it as the only review worth paying for. That trade-off is covered in whether a Toronto condo needs a home inspection.
Specialty tests are quoted separately and are not part of a standard inspection. Radon testing generally runs $200 to $300, a sewer line camera scope $250 to $400, and thermal imaging $100 to $250. Asbestos sampling can reach $500 depending on how many samples go to the lab.
Why the cheapest quote is not always the bargain
Price tells you little about credentials. Ontario passed the Home Inspection Act in 2017, but the legislation was never proclaimed into force, so home inspection remains an unlicensed occupation here. Certification is voluntary, through bodies such as the Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors. A low quote does not signal a weaker inspector and a high one proves nothing on its own. Ask what training the inspector completed, how long they have worked in the city, and whether they carry errors and omissions insurance.
The buyer pays out of pocket, usually within days of an accepted conditional offer. The fee cannot be added to your mortgage and your lawyer does not handle it on closing, so it belongs with the other upfront amounts described in closing costs when buying a home in Toronto.
Related reading: Do You Need a Home Inspection for a Toronto Condo?, What Is a Pre-Listing Home Inspection in Ontario?, and How Much Are Closing Costs When Buying a Home in Toronto?
