Home Inspection Checklist: Costs, Questions, and Deal-Breakers

A home inspection is not a pass-or-fail test. It is a short window to learn what you are buying, estimate near-term repairs, and decide whether the price and contract still work. Use this checklist to hire the right inspector, attend with useful questions, and turn a long report into a short decision list.

Before you hire an inspector

Choose the inspector independently rather than treating the first name you receive as the default. Ask whether the inspector is licensed or certified where your state requires it, carries errors-and-omissions and general liability insurance, and will provide a sample report. A useful sample has clear photos, locations, severity notes, and recommended next steps—not only checkboxes.

• Confirm the scope. Ask whether the standard inspection covers the roof, attic, crawlspace, electrical panel, HVAC operation, appliances, and visible plumbing.
• Price add-ons separately. Sewer scopes, radon tests, mold sampling, pool inspections, septic inspections, well-water tests, and chimney inspections are often separate services. Order only what the property and location justify.
• Protect the deadline. Book early enough to receive and review the report before your inspection contingency expires. Put the exact deadline on your calendar.
• Plan to attend. The walkthrough explanation is often more useful than a photo alone. Ask before opening panels, operating shutoffs, or moving the seller's belongings yourself.

What to watch, room by room

Outside, roof, and drainage

Look for roof age and visible wear, missing flashing, damaged siding, foundation cracks, standing water, and soil that slopes toward the house. Ask where downspouts discharge and whether gutters move water away from the foundation. Cosmetic cracks and active movement are not the same; ask what evidence would justify a structural engineer.

Attic, basement, and crawlspace

Ask about active moisture, past staining, ventilation, insulation depth, pests, and visible alterations to framing. A dry day does not prove a space stays dry after heavy rain, so ask the seller about prior water intrusion and review disclosures alongside the inspection.

Electrical, plumbing, and HVAC

Record the approximate age and condition of the electrical panel, water heater, furnace, air conditioner, and visible supply and drain lines. Ask whether the panel has open knockouts, double-tapped breakers, overheated wiring, or recalled components. Test representative outlets and fixtures, check for active leaks and poor drainage, and ask what could not be operated because of weather or utility conditions.

Kitchen, bathrooms, and interior

Run fixtures and appliances included in the sale, look beneath sinks, and note damaged seals around tubs and showers. Test windows and doors, stair rails, smoke alarms, and carbon-monoxide alarms. Uneven floors, fresh paint in one isolated area, or persistent odor are questions to investigate, not conclusions by themselves.

Turn the report into three buckets

1. Safety or active damage: exposed wiring, active leaks, unsafe combustion venting, structural concerns, or conditions that can worsen quickly. Get a qualified specialist when the inspector recommends one.
2. Near-term capital work: an aging roof, HVAC system, water heater, sewer line, or failing exterior finish. Obtain written estimates when the amount could change your cash reserves or offer economics.
3. Maintenance and cosmetic items: loose hardware, worn finishes, minor caulk repairs, and normal upkeep. Save these for your post-closing plan instead of burying the important requests in a long wish list.

An inspector identifies conditions; a licensed trade specialist should diagnose and price major work. Avoid converting every report estimate into a precise repair budget without a contractor quote, access to the full system, and local labor pricing.

Repair, credit, price reduction, or walk away?

Start with your contract and agent or attorney: contingency rights, notice format, and remedies differ. If the issue is repairable, a closing credit may give you more control than seller-performed work, but lender and closing-cost limits can cap how much credit you can use. A price reduction usually saves only a fraction of the repair cost in monthly payment and does not put cash in your account on closing day.

Prioritize a few documented, material issues. Attach the relevant report pages and, when timing permits, a specialist estimate. Ask for the outcome you actually need: a licensed repair before closing, a permitted correction, a usable credit, or a release under the contingency. Walk away when the unresolved risk exceeds both your budget and your willingness to manage it—not merely because the report is long.

Your inspection-day questions

• What are the three items you would address first if this were your home?
• Which systems are near the end of typical service life, even if they operate today?
• Which observations need a roofer, electrician, plumber, HVAC contractor, engineer, or environmental specialist?
• What areas were inaccessible or not inspected?
• What should be monitored after closing, and how often?

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