Tyce Ortman REALTOR

By Tyce Ortman | July 17, 2026

Once your offer gets accepted on a Sioux Falls home, the next real decision is the inspection — and the first question almost every buyer asks me is what it’s going to cost. It’s a fair thing to want nailed down. You’re already stretching for the down payment and closing costs, and now there’s another check to write before you even own the place.

Here’s the good news: a home inspection is one of the cheapest, highest-value things you’ll pay for in the whole transaction. A few hundred dollars now can save you tens of thousands later. Let me break down what it actually costs in Sioux Falls, what you get for the money, and what to do with the report once you have it.

What a standard inspection costs in Sioux Falls

For a typical single-family home in the Sioux Falls metro, plan on roughly $300 to $500 for a standard inspection. Priced another way, that’s about $0.13 to $0.19 per square foot, so the number scales with the size of the house:

• Condos and small homes under 1,000 sq. ft. — often around $200 to $300.
• An average 2,000 sq. ft. home — usually $300 to $450.
• Larger or older homes — $500 or more, since there’s more to walk and more age to account for.

You’ll see statewide figures quoted a little higher — South Dakota averages of $425 to $550 are common — but for a standard Sioux Falls home in the current market, most of my buyers land in that $300 to $500 range. The buyer pays, and you hire your own inspector after the offer is accepted. Because you’re paying for it, you also get to choose who does the work, and South Dakota requires home inspectors to be licensed through the state Department of Labor & Regulation, so ask for the license and a sample report before you book.

What’s included — and what costs extra

A standard inspection is a top-to-bottom look at the home’s major visible and accessible systems. Your inspector evaluates:

• Structure and foundation — the basement, foundation walls, and signs of settlement or water intrusion.
• Roof and attic — shingles, flashing, gutters, and the attic for leaks or poor ventilation.
• Exterior — siding, windows, grading, drainage, decks, and walkways.
• Plumbing and electrical — fixtures, supply and drainage, the service panel, and wiring.
• Heating and cooling — the furnace, AC, and their age and condition.
• Interior — walls, ceilings, floors, stairs, and a sampling of windows and doors.

What a standard inspection does not include is just as important to know, because these are the add-ons that catch buyers off guard. They’re priced separately, and in Sioux Falls the common ones run:

• Radon testing — $150 to $250. This one matters here. South Dakota is among the highest-radon states in the country, so I’d budget for it on almost any home.
• Sewer scope — $170 to $200. A camera run down the sewer lateral, especially worth it on older homes with mature trees where root intrusion is common.
• Well and water testing — around $100, mainly for acreages and homes outside city services.
• Septic inspection — $200 to $500, again for properties on private septic rather than city sewer.
• Mold or chimney evaluations as needed.

Add it up and a newer home in Harrisburg, Tea, or southwest Sioux Falls might only need the standard inspection plus radon — call it $450 to $650. An older home in the central or southeast core where you’d want a sewer scope too can run $600 to $900 all in. That’s the honest full-cost picture, not just the headline number.

What inspection day actually looks like

A standard inspection takes about two to three hours, depending on the size and age of the home. You don’t have to be there the whole time, but I always tell buyers to show up for at least the last 30 minutes. That’s when the inspector walks you through the findings in person, points out what matters versus what’s cosmetic, and answers your questions face to face — far more useful than reading a PDF cold.

You’ll get the full written report the same day or within 24 hours, usually with photos and a summary that separates safety issues and major defects from minor, expected wear. One thing worth setting straight: no house passes or fails an inspection. Even brand-new construction turns up a punch list. The point isn’t a perfect report — it’s knowing exactly what you’re buying before it’s too late to change your mind.

What to do with the report

This is where that inspection fee earns its keep. As long as your contract has an inspection contingency — and it should — you get a set window, often one to two weeks, to review the report and decide how to proceed. You have four basic moves:

• Ask the seller to make repairs before closing.
• Request a credit or price reduction so you can handle the work yourself after closing.
• Ask for a home warranty to cover major systems going forward.
• Walk away and keep your earnest money, as long as you act within the contingency period.

Sellers don’t have to agree to everything, and in the current Sioux Falls market that balance matters. Homes here are still moving — the June median sale price was around $349,000, sellers received about 98.6% of list, and well-priced homes are going under contract in roughly 19 days with inventory down about 30% from a year ago. In a market that tight, some buyers feel pressure to waive the inspection to win a bid. I’d push back on that hard. Waiving your inspection to save a few hundred dollars can leave you owning a $15,000 problem with no way out. A smarter play is to keep the inspection but tighten your timeline or focus your repair requests on true safety and big-ticket items.

Keep in mind that your inspection is separate from the seller’s disclosure. In South Dakota the seller completes a Seller’s Property Condition Disclosure Statement based on what they actually know about the home — but that’s their knowledge, not an independent evaluation. Your own inspection is the thing that catches what the seller may not know or hasn’t noticed. When you get to closing, a title company here in Sioux Falls, such as First Dakota Title, handles settlement, and the South Dakota real estate transfer fee ($0.50 per $500 of price) is paid by the seller, so the inspection is one of the few costs that lands squarely on the buyer’s side of the ledger.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a home inspection cost in Sioux Falls?
A standard home inspection in Sioux Falls costs roughly $300 to $500 for a typical single-family home, or about $0.13 to $0.19 per square foot. Small condos and homes under 1,000 square feet can run closer to $200, while larger or older homes often reach $500 or more. The buyer pays for the inspection and hires the inspector after the offer is accepted.

What does a standard home inspection include?
A standard inspection covers the home’s major visible and accessible systems: foundation and structure, roof and attic, exterior and grading, plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling, insulation and ventilation, and interior walls, floors, windows, and doors. It does not include radon testing, a sewer scope, septic, well water, mold, or chimney evaluations, which are separate add-ons.

How much do radon and sewer scope add-ons cost in Sioux Falls?
In the Sioux Falls area, radon testing typically adds $150 to $250 and a sewer scope runs about $170 to $200. Well or water testing is usually around $100, and a septic inspection can be $200 to $500. With South Dakota among the highest-radon states, radon testing is a common add-on, so an older home with the full workup often lands near $600 to $900 total.

Who pays for the home inspection, the buyer or the seller?
In almost all South Dakota transactions the buyer pays for the home inspection. You hire and pay your own inspector after your offer is accepted, usually up front or on the day of the inspection, and the report belongs to you. Because you are paying for it, you also choose the inspector.

Can I back out after a home inspection in South Dakota?
Yes, if your contract includes an inspection contingency. It gives you a set window, often one to two weeks, to review the report and decide. You can ask the seller to make repairs, request a credit or price reduction, or cancel the deal and keep your earnest money as long as you act within the contingency period.

Buying in Sioux Falls?

A home inspection is one of the smartest few hundred dollars you’ll spend in the whole purchase — $300 to $500 for the standard report, a little more with radon or a sewer scope, and real protection through your inspection contingency. Budget for it, don’t waive it, and use the report to negotiate from a position of knowledge.

If you’re buying or selling in Sioux Falls or the surrounding area, I’m happy to walk you through what to expect and connect you with a good local inspector. Reach out anytime at tyceortman@gmail.com.

About Tyce Ortman

Tyce Ortman is a real estate agent with eXp Realty serving the greater Sioux Falls, South Dakota area and the Madison community. He specializes in helping first-time home buyers and sellers, with a focus on pricing properties right and finding each client the perfect home. Connect with Tyce at tyceortman@gmail.com.