Last Updated on March 31, 2024 by Jessica Lauren Vine
If you’re getting ready to buy a new-to-you RV, you might be asking, “How much does an RV inspection cost?”
You’re weighing the pros and cons of getting an RV inspection before putting your hard-earned money down, but it is a lot easier to just skip that step.
Depending on your location and the type of RV you have, an RV inspection could cost as little as $150. On the other hand, I’ve seen them go upwards of $1,000. It’s best to speak with individuals in your area about the specific RV you’re considering.
Why You Should Get an RV Inspected Before Buying It
I get not wanting to deal with the extra expense. I also get not wanting to deal with the extra time it takes to go through the inspection process. However, there are plenty of reasons to push through the pain and just get it done.
1) Verify Facts
If you aren’t familiar with RVs, it’s easy to take the information the seller gave you as the truth. While the person selling the RV to you might not be a dishonest person, they might not know much more about things than you do. If that’s the case, you might find some of the information they gave you was inaccurate.
When you work with an RV inspector, they can verify the facts for you so you don’t end up with an RV that isn’t at all what you expected. If you haven’t owned an RV before, you almost definitely should seek out a professional.
Knowing the truth about the flooring, size of RV holding tanks, awning size, and other things that might sound simple does make a big difference in the price of the RV you’re considering buying.
2) Get a Better Price
When you have an RV inspector look at the RV, they’ll likely find some negatives about it. A less-than-perfect RV deserves a less-than-perfect price. Everyone in the transaction needs to be fair, and if there are defects and issues with the RV, you should get the value they take off the RV back as a reduction in the asking price.
If you find these things on your own, it might not be as easy to ask for a better price. However, when you have an RV inspector that can back you up about how it decreases the value of the RV, it’s more likely they will consider dropping the price a bit.
3) Find Fixes First
If you do find there are things going wrong with the RV, you can decide if there are fixes that you want to pursue. If the fixes are cheap and easy enough, then you might want to go ahead and snatch up the RV. Don’t just hope there are simple fixes, though. Go ahead and get prices and make that money.
RV Inspector Frequently Asked Questions
Before you decide to use an RV inspector, you might have some frequently asked questions you want to be answered first.
How do you find an RV inspector?
You can look an RV inspector up on Google or you can speak with an RV repair person and ask them for a referral.
Do RV inspectors charge a lot?
No. The amount of money you can save getting your RV inspected vs. getting an RV with lots of problems can greatly pay off.
Should I get an RV inspector to look at my new RV?
Yes. If you can, this can save you some trouble. However, most RVs have a good factory warranty so that can make things a little easier if you do have problems with a new RV.
How Much Does an RV Inspection Cost? – Conclusion
Now you know that an RV inspector in your area likely will cost you no less than $150. Depending on the complexity of the work, it might cost you $1,000 or even more. It’s always better to hire the best than to try to save a few bucks, in my humble opinion.
When Jessica was older and had a family, she took her crew on the road for 2.5 years. They lived in 2 different RVs during that time. One 18 foot long and one 28 foot long. Both pull-behind RVs.
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