CostYes, a condo inspection is still worth getting, though its scope is narrower than a house inspection — it focuses on the unit's own systems and finishes, while the building's shared systems (roof, structure, major mechanicals) are better evaluated through the status certificate and reserve fund study instead.
What a condo inspection actually covers
A condo inspector generally checks the unit's own systems and finishes — electrical outlets and panel (if unit-specific), plumbing fixtures, windows, doors, appliances, and any in-unit HVAC — along with visible signs of moisture, structural, or maintenance issues within the unit itself. It won't meaningfully assess the roof, building envelope, elevators, or shared mechanical systems, since those aren't part of what you're buying or what a unit-level inspection can access.
Why the status certificate does the heavier lifting
For everything outside the unit itself, the status certificate and its reserve fund study are the real due-diligence tools — they reveal whether the corporation has adequately funded and maintained the shared systems an inspector physically can't evaluate from inside a single unit. Treat the inspection and the status certificate as covering two different halves of the same due-diligence job, not as redundant with each other.
Is it still worth the cost?
Yes — even with a narrower scope, a condo inspection can catch real, unit-specific issues (a leaking fixture, an outdated electrical panel, water damage from a previous unit's issue) that aren't visible in a typical showing and aren't covered by the status certificate at all. The cost is modest relative to the purchase price and the risk of missing a real, unit-specific problem.
Budget your inspection cost alongside every other closing cost on the closing cost calculator.