How to Price Your RV Inspection Services in 2026

Pricing is one of the most uncomfortable topics for new RV inspectors, and honestly, for experienced ones too. Set your prices too low and you are working hard for thin margins while training your market to expect bargain rates. Set them too high before you have built a reputation and you lose bookings to competitors. Get it right and you build a business that supports you, funds better equipment, and lets you do the work at a pace that produces quality results.

I have adjusted my own pricing several times over the years, and I have talked to dozens of inspectors about what works in different markets. This guide is the pricing conversation I wish someone had with me when I started. If you are just getting into the field, also check out our guide to starting an RV inspection business for the full picture.

Start With Your Numbers, Not Your Competitors

The first mistake most inspectors make is looking at what everyone else charges and picking a number in the middle. That approach ignores the only number that actually matters: what you need to earn per inspection to run a sustainable business.

Calculate Your True Hourly Cost

Before you set a single price, figure out what it costs you to operate for one hour. Add up your annual expenses:

• Insurance: General liability plus E&O coverage typically runs $1,500 to $3,000 per year.
• Software subscriptions: Inspection software, scheduling tools, accounting software. Budget $600 to $1,500 per year.
• Equipment maintenance and replacement: Moisture meters, thermal cameras, testers, ladders, vehicle wear and tear. Budget $500 to $1,500 per year for ongoing costs.
• Marketing: Website hosting, Google Ads, business cards, directory listings. Budget $500 to $2,000 per year.
• Certification maintenance: Continuing education, annual dues, recertification. Budget $300 to $800 per year.
• Vehicle costs: Fuel, maintenance, insurance for your work vehicle. Budget $3,000 to $6,000 per year depending on your service area radius.
• Self-employment taxes: As an independent inspector, you pay both sides of FICA. Budget 15.3 percent of your net income.
• Health insurance and retirement: Often overlooked, but critical. These are costs an employer would cover if you were on salary.

Total your annual overhead and divide by the number of billable hours you realistically expect to work. If you are doing full-time inspections, figure 800 to 1,200 billable hours per year (not 2,080, because you will spend significant time on travel, marketing, admin, and unbilled tasks). That gives you your cost per billable hour before you have paid yourself a single dollar.

Add Your Target Income

Now add what you need to earn. If you want to take home $60,000 per year and your overhead is $15,000, you need to gross $75,000 before taxes. At 1,000 billable hours, that is $75 per hour minimum. At an average of 4 hours per inspection (including travel, setup, the inspection itself, and report finalization), you need $300 per inspection at minimum just to hit that target.

This calculation is your floor, not your price. Your actual price should be higher because you also need to account for slow periods, cancellations, and the fact that not every month will be as busy as your best month.

Pricing Models That Work

There are several ways to structure your pricing. Most successful inspectors use a combination of these approaches.

Flat Rate by RV Class

The simplest approach. Set a fixed price based on the type and size of the RV. This is easy for clients to understand and makes quoting fast. A common structure for 2026:

• Travel trailers under 25 feet: $350 to $450
• Travel trailers 25 to 35 feet: $400 to $550
• Fifth wheels: $450 to $600
• Class C motorhomes: $450 to $600
• Class A gas motorhomes: $500 to $700
• Class A diesel pushers: $650 to $1,000
• Super C and luxury coaches: $800 to $1,200+

The drawback of flat rate pricing is that a 2024 travel trailer in excellent condition takes significantly less time and mental energy than a 2008 trailer with deferred maintenance and three active leaks. Some inspectors address this by adding age-based surcharges (add $50 to $100 for units over 10 years old) or by quoting case-by-case after learning the unit details.

Tiered Service Levels

Offering two or three service tiers gives clients a choice and lets you capture more revenue from clients who want comprehensive coverage. A three-tier model might look like this:

• Standard Inspection: Your core offering. Full system evaluation covering all major categories: exterior, interior, plumbing, electrical, LP, appliances, running gear, and safety. Photo documentation and a professional report. Three to four hours on site. Priced at your base rate for the RV class.
• Comprehensive Inspection: Everything in the standard tier plus full moisture mapping with calibrated meter readings documented by zone, thermal imaging scan, detailed roof measurements and condition mapping, extended appliance testing under load, and a more detailed report with expanded commentary. Five to seven hours on site. Priced 40 to 60 percent above your standard rate.
• Premium/Pre-Purchase Plus: Everything in the comprehensive tier plus a post-inspection consultation call with the client, a prioritized repair estimate with severity rankings, follow-up availability for 30 days after delivery, and a condensed summary report formatted for negotiation purposes. Priced 75 to 100 percent above your standard rate.

Tiered pricing works because it lets the client self-select based on their needs. Pre-purchase buyers on expensive units almost always choose the higher tiers. Annual maintenance inspections usually land at the standard tier. You are not leaving money on the table with clients who would happily pay more for a more thorough service.

Add-On Services

Add-ons let you customize the scope without complicating your base pricing. Common add-ons include:

• Roof-only inspection: $75 to $150. Popular with owners who just want a sealant condition check before the season.
• Moisture survey with full documentation: $100 to $200 as a standalone or add-on.
• Thermal imaging scan: $75 to $150 if not included in the base inspection.
• Second-day follow-up inspection: $100 to $200 for a condensed re-inspection after repairs are completed.
• Rush report delivery: $50 to $100 for same-day turnaround when you would normally deliver next-day.

Handling Travel Fees

Travel is a real cost and you should charge for it. How you structure travel fees depends on your market density.

• Included radius: Most inspectors include travel within a 25 to 50 mile radius of their home base in the inspection price. Beyond that radius, charge a per-mile fee ($0.75 to $1.25 per mile) or a flat zone-based surcharge ($50 to $150 depending on distance).
• Remote or overnight inspections: For inspections that require significant travel or an overnight stay, calculate your actual costs (fuel, lodging, meals, lost time) and quote accordingly. Many inspectors set a minimum travel fee of $200 to $400 for inspections more than 100 miles from their base.
• Bundling travel: If you can schedule multiple inspections in the same area on the same day, you can offer reduced travel fees to each client. This is a win-win approach that gets you more utilization per travel day.

When and How to Raise Your Prices

If you have been at the same rate for more than a year, you are probably undercharging. Your costs go up every year (insurance, fuel, software, equipment) and your skills improve with every inspection. Your pricing should reflect that.

Signals That You Are Underpriced

• You are booked solid more than two weeks out consistently. Demand exceeds your capacity. Raise your prices until you reach a booking rate that matches your desired workload.
• You never get pushback on pricing. If every prospect says yes without hesitation, you are leaving money on the table.
• You are earning less per hour than a general contractor or HVAC technician in your market. Your specialized training and certification should command comparable or higher rates.
• Your report quality and equipment have improved but your prices have not. Better tools and better output justify higher pricing.

How to Communicate a Price Increase

Give existing referral sources advance notice. A simple message works: "Starting January 1, my rates for standard inspections will increase from $X to $Y. This reflects my continued investment in training, equipment, and report quality. I appreciate your continued referrals." Most dealerships and referral sources will not bat an eye at a reasonable annual increase.

For new clients, simply quote the new rate. Do not apologize for your pricing or explain why you are "more expensive." Explain what your inspection covers, what tools you use, and what the client will receive in their report. Let the value speak for itself.

Justifying Premium Pricing

The single most effective way to justify higher prices is with a professional report that clearly demonstrates the thoroughness and quality of your work. When a client receives a 40-page report with annotated photos of every finding, organized by system with severity ratings and recommended actions, they immediately understand the value of what they paid for.

This is where your inspection software becomes a revenue tool, not just a workflow tool. A polished, professional report from WanderWise RV Reports makes a stronger impression than a handwritten checklist or a basic spreadsheet. The AI-generated finding descriptions, organized photo documentation, and clean formatting all contribute to a deliverable that clients show to their friends and family, which is exactly how word-of-mouth referrals start.

Other factors that justify premium pricing:

• Certifications: NRVIA, RVTI, and any supplemental certifications demonstrate professional commitment. List them on your website, your reports, and your business cards.
• Specialized equipment: When clients see you using a thermal camera, calibrated moisture meter, and professional electrical testing equipment, they understand they are paying for expertise, not just a walk-through.
• Insurance coverage: Mentioning that you carry E&O and general liability insurance reassures clients and sets you apart from uninsured competitors.
• Experience and reviews: A strong Google review profile with specific, positive feedback about your thoroughness is the most powerful price justifier available. A client who reads twenty 5-star reviews is not shopping on price anymore.

The Bottom Line on Pricing

Your inspection fee is not a cost to your client. It is the price of confidence. A buyer spending $50,000 to $300,000 on an RV is not going to balk at $500 to $800 for a thorough professional evaluation, especially when the alternative is risking thousands in undiscovered problems.

Price your services based on your costs, your value, and your market. Revisit your pricing annually. Invest in tools, training, and report quality that justify premium rates. And never compete on price alone, because the inspector willing to work cheapest is usually the one cutting corners that will eventually catch up with them.