Home inspection
What home inspectors check, and what they usually leave out
A home inspection is often the only time a trained professional spends hours looking at the house on your behalf. Knowing what is in scope, and what is not, decides whether you get the full picture before your contingency ends.
Reviewed November 2026 · Written for Buy Home Tips from the sources listed below
A home inspection is a paid, independent review of a home's condition. HUD's notice to FHA buyers describes its purpose: to inform and educate you about the property before you make a financial commitment. A qualified inspector evaluates the physical condition of the home, estimates the remaining useful life of the major systems, equipment, structure and finishes, and identifies items that need repair or replacement. HUD also stresses that FHA does not perform inspections; you must arrange one.
What a general inspection covers
Inspectors work from a standards of practice document, which varies by state and by professional association. Ask for it, or for a sample report, before you hire. Typical areas include:
- Structure and foundation: visible signs of movement, cracking and water entry.
- Roof: covering, flashing, gutters and visible signs of leaks, from the roof or from the ground if walking it is unsafe.
- Exterior: siding, trim, windows, doors, decks, grading and drainage.
- Plumbing: supply and drain lines that are visible, fixtures, water pressure and the water heater.
- Electrical: service panel, a sample of outlets and switches, and safety devices.
- Heating and cooling: operation and visible condition of the furnace, heat pump or air conditioner.
- Interior: walls, ceilings, floors, stairs and a sample of windows and doors.
- Attic, insulation and ventilation, where accessible.
What it usually leaves out
A general inspection is visual and non-invasive. Inspectors do not open walls, move furniture or dig. Items commonly excluded unless you add them:
- Radon testing
- Mold sampling and air quality testing
- Sewer line camera inspection
- Wood-destroying insect inspection
- Septic systems, wells and water quality
- Pools, spas and sprinkler systems
- Lead-based paint and asbestos testing
HUD suggests asking your inspector whether additional health and safety tests are relevant, naming mold, air or water quality, asbestos, lead paint, urea formaldehyde insulation and pests. It also notes that EPA and the Surgeon General recommend that all houses be tested for radon.
Reading the report
Reports can run to dozens of pages. Sort findings into three groups:
- Safety issues, such as exposed wiring or a missing handrail
- Major costs, such as a failing roof, foundation movement or an old furnace
- Maintenance, such as caulking and loose fixtures
Focus your negotiation on the first two. Every house has a long maintenance list.
Finding an inspector
HUD suggests asking for references from friends, real estate professionals, local licensing authorities and organizations that qualify and test inspectors. Check whether your state licenses inspectors, confirm insurance and ask how soon the report will arrive. Book early: your contingency clock is already running.
What an inspection cannot promise
An inspector sees the home on one day, in one season, with the seller's furniture in place. A roof that does not leak in a dry month may leak in a storm, and a furnace tested in summer runs only briefly. Read the report's limitations section, ask what the inspector could not reach, and consider a follow-up visit by a specialist for anything the report marks as needing further evaluation.
Mini calculator: count the days on a contract clock
Enter the start date and the number of days in the clause to see the deadline. Check whether your contract counts calendar days or business days.
A planning aid. Your contract and local practice decide how days are counted and when the clock starts.
Before the inspection
- Ask the inspector for their standards of practice or a sample report.
- Confirm the inspection fits inside your contingency deadline with time to spare.
- Make sure utilities will be on and the attic and crawlspace accessible.
- Plan to attend, at least for the walkthrough at the end.
- Decide which specialist tests to book alongside the general inspection.
Questions buyers ask
What does a home inspector look at?
A general inspection evaluates the home's visible, accessible condition: structure, roof, exterior, plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling, interior, insulation and ventilation. HUD's inspection notice says an inspector evaluates physical condition, estimates the remaining useful life of major systems and identifies items that need repair or replacement.
What is not included in a home inspection?
Standard inspections usually exclude anything hidden or inaccessible, such as inside walls or underground pipes, and specialist items like radon, mold testing, sewer lines, pests, pools and septic systems unless added. Ask for the inspector's standards of practice.
Is an appraisal the same as an inspection?
No. HUD explains that an appraisal estimates value for the lender and does not replace an inspection, and that FHA does not perform home inspections.
Should I attend the home inspection?
If you can. Seeing problems in person and asking questions makes the report easier to understand and helps you prioritize.
Sources checked for this page
- HUD: For Your Protection, Get a Home Inspection
- EPA: radon
- EPA: real estate disclosures about potential lead hazards
Checked November 2026. Programs and limits change; confirm with the source before you rely on a figure.