Home Inspection Checklist: What Inspectors Check and What to Ask
The home inspection is your best chance to find expensive problems before you own them. Here is what a standard inspection covers, what it misses, and how to use the report.
What does a home inspection cover?
A standard home inspection checks the parts of the house you can see and reach: the roof, structure, plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling, attic and insulation, windows, doors and drainage.
- Roof: age, missing or damaged shingles, flashing and gutters.
- Structure: foundation, framing and signs of movement or water.
- Plumbing: pipes, leaks, water pressure and the water heater.
- Electrical: panel, wiring and outlets you can see.
- Heating and cooling: the furnace and A/C and how old they are.
- Attic and insulation.
- Windows, doors and drainage around the house.
What does a home inspection not cover?
Some checks need a separate inspector or test, like a camera scope of the sewer line. Ask your agent which extra checks are common where you are buying:
- Sewer line scope: a camera down the main line. Smart on older homes. See our Atlanta and Denver guides.
- Radon test: common in some states like Colorado.
- Termites and pests.
- Pool, well or septic.
- Mold testing.
- Insurance inspections like the wind mitigation and 4-point reports used in Florida.
Home inspection checklist, room by room
Bring this list to the inspection. Tick each item as you walk the house with the inspector, and ask about anything that looks wet, cracked, loose or old. Write down the age of the roof, the heating and cooling, and the water heater.
Outside
- ☐ Roof: missing or curling shingles, sagging, and the flashing around chimneys and vents.
- ☐ Gutters: downspouts carry water away from the house.
- ☐ Grading: the ground slopes away from the foundation.
- ☐ Cracks: in the foundation, driveway and walkways.
- ☐ Siding and trim: rot, gaps or peeling paint.
- ☐ Windows and doors: they open, close, lock and seal.
Kitchen
- ☐ Sink: run the water and look underneath for leaks or stains.
- ☐ Appliances: test the stove, oven, dishwasher and disposal.
- ☐ Outlets near water: they should be the kind with test and reset buttons (GFCI).
- ☐ Vent fan: it turns on and pulls air.
Bathrooms
- ☐ Water: pressure and hot water at every tap and shower.
- ☐ Toilets: they flush well and do not rock.
- ☐ Floors: soft spots or stains around the tub and toilet.
- ☐ Caulk and grout: sealed, with no gaps.
- ☐ Fan: it vents moisture out.
Living areas and bedrooms
- ☐ Ceilings and walls: stains can mean a leak above.
- ☐ Floors: soft spots, slopes or squeaks.
- ☐ Outlets and switches: they work.
- ☐ Alarms: smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are there.
- ☐ Bedroom windows: they open wide enough to get out in a fire.
Systems
- ☐ Heating and cooling: age, last service, and air from every vent.
- ☐ Water heater: age, leaks, and a pipe on the relief valve.
- ☐ Electrical panel: no scorch marks, and breakers are labeled.
- ☐ Main water shutoff: find it and make sure it turns.
Attic, basement and crawl space
- ☐ Attic: insulation and airflow, and no daylight or water stains on the roof boards.
- ☐ Below the house: moisture, a musty smell or standing water.
- ☐ Pests: droppings, chewed wires or mud tubes on the foundation.
Should you go to the home inspection?
Yes, if you can. Walk the house with the inspector. Ask questions. You will learn where the water shutoff is and how old the big systems are.
How to read the report
Reports are long, and that is normal. Sort every item into three piles: safety issues to fix before you move in, big-ticket items to negotiate, and normal maintenance:
- Safety issues: fix before you move in.
- Big-ticket items: roof, foundation, HVAC, sewer. These are where you negotiate.
- Normal maintenance: small stuff every house has. Don't sweat it.
What can you ask for after a home inspection?
You can ask the seller to make repairs before closing, give you a credit at closing, or lower the price. If the problem is serious, you can walk away inside your inspection period.
- Repairs done by the seller before closing.
- A credit at closing so you can fix it your way.
- A lower price.
- Or, if it is serious, walk away inside your inspection period. How that protects your earnest money.
Quick answers
How long does a home inspection take?
Often two to four hours, depending on the size and age of the home. Plan to be there for the end so the inspector can walk you through it.
Who pays for the home inspection?
The buyer usually hires and pays the inspector, because the report is for the buyer's protection.
Can I skip the inspection?
You can, but you give up your best look at the home and often your inspection contingency. See how contingencies protect your deposit, the buying timeline and the first-time buyer checklist.
Read the home buying guide · Talk to a local agent
Where you buy changes this
What gets inspected, and who is required to do it, changes by state.
- Florida — insurers ask for a wind mitigation report and, on older homes, a 4-point.
- Arizona — a septic system has to be inspected in the six months before transfer.
- Minnesota — radon disclosure is required, and some counties require a septic inspection at sale.
- South Carolina — lenders commonly want a CL-100 wood infestation report.
- Alabama — the termite letter is a state form only a permitted firm can issue.
- Colorado — every contract carries a radon warning and the seller shares past tests.
We keep a page for every state we work in, with a cost table, a step-by-step timeline and the rules that actually trip people up. See all AXEN locations.
Sources and further reading
Updated November 6, 2026. We check these sources each time we update this guide. See our editorial policy.
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