Home inspection checklist for buyers

Exterior

The exterior visit is a visual look at cladding, grading, and how water leaves the house. Inspectors record what they can see and reach that day. Furnishings, locked gates, and snow all limit it.

• Grading and drainage: soil and hardscape should slope away from the foundation, and downspouts should discharge away from the walls.
• Visible foundation walls, crawl-space openings, and obvious cracks, bulges, or moisture.
• Siding, trim, and failed caulk or paint that lets water in.
• Windows and exterior doors: operation, flashing, and weather seals.
• Decks, porches, stairs, and railings, including attachment to the house where it is visible.
• Walks and driveways for trip hazards.
• Gutters and downspouts: attachment, clogs you can see, and where water ends up.

Roof and attic

Expect notes on the roof covering, flashings, and the attic when there is a safe opening. Many roofs are viewed from the ground, eaves, or a drone-style photo set—not walked—when the pitch, weather, or material makes walking unsafe.

• Roof covering condition: missing or curled shingles, worn granules, or damaged tiles, as seen from a safe vantage.
• Flashings at chimneys, walls, skylights, and pipe penetrations.
• Gutters at the eaves and signs of overflow onto siding.
• Attic access, insulation depth, and ventilation when the hatch is reachable.
• Stains, daylight, or active moisture on the underside of the roof.
• Visible rafters and sheathing for sagging, cuts, or prior patching.

Plumbing

A general inspection runs fixtures and looks at visible supply and drain lines. It does not open walls. A sewer camera, well test, or septic evaluation is usually a separate appointment.

• Main water shutoff location, if it can be found.
• Water heater: data-plate age, venting, drip pan, and the temperature-and-pressure valve discharge line.
• Visible supply lines for active leaks, corrosion, or the wrong materials for the use.
• Sinks, tubs, and showers run for flow, hot water, and leaks at traps.
• Toilets flush, refill, and sit tight at the base.
• Drains that empty without backing up during the visit.
• Sump pump present and accessible, if the house has one.

Electrical

The inspector opens the panel when it is safe, samples outlets and switches, and looks for conditions that can shock or overheat. This is not a code rewrite of the whole house and not a load calculation.

• Service equipment and panel condition: covers on, breakers seated, no scorching or open knockouts.
• Visible wiring concerns, including double-tapped breakers and exposed splices.
• A sample of outlets, switches, and light fixtures that respond.
• GFCI protection where water is nearby: kitchen, baths, garage, and exterior.
• Panel legend and the service size noted when the label is readable.
• Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms observed (detail sits in the safety section).

HVAC

Heating and cooling are operated when the outdoor temperature makes a test safe. A mild day can mean the air conditioner or the furnace is reported as not tested. That is a limit of the visit, not a statement that the unit is fine.

• Heating system responds to the thermostat and delivers air or heat at registers.
• Cooling runs when the weather allows a safe test.
• Filter condition, and the condensate drain on cooling equipment.
• Flue or vent on fuel-burning equipment is present and looks intact where visible.
• Age from the data plate when it can be read.
• Unusual noise, short cycling, or a system that does not respond.

Kitchen and bath

Wet rooms are where leaks show up first. Interior finishes—walls, ceilings, floors, and windows—are part of the same walk, even though this list highlights kitchens and baths. A general inspection may run installed appliances briefly. It is not a warranty that they last the year.

• Sinks and faucets: flow, leaks, and visible supply and drain connections.
• Dishwasher and disposal, if they are installed and in the agreed scope.
• Exhaust fans that actually move air; note if a bath fan ends in the attic.
• Tub and shower surrounds, tile, and caulk, plus stains under the fixtures.
• Toilets that are stable and refill.
• GFCI outlets where water is close.
• Walls, ceilings, and floors for moisture stains—not a cosmetic punch list.

Safety

Safety items are the ones to read before you debate paint and dated finishes. Placement rules for alarms vary by state and by the year the house was built. The report should say what was present and what was missing relative to the inspector’s standards of practice.

• Smoke alarms on each level and near sleeping rooms.
• Carbon monoxide alarms where there is fuel-burning equipment or an attached garage.
• Stair handrails and guardrails that are present and reasonably secure.
• Garage vehicle-door auto-reverse and photo-eye sensors.
• Broken glass, missing outlet covers, and obvious trip hazards.
• Electrical conditions the inspector marks as immediate: scorching, open splices, or a panel that could not be inspected safely.

When to hire a licensed inspector

Schedule after your offer is accepted and inside the inspection contingency in the contract. Confirm both the visit time and when the written report will be in your hands—your agent often needs the report before a negotiation call.

Hire a licensed inspector where you are buying, usually through your agent or a local referral. Ask about license (where the state requires one), insurance, and a sample report. Prinsto does not book inspections and is not a directory of inspectors.

Bring a short list of personal concerns (a stain, an old roof, a sump). Let the inspector run their scope. Use the sections above to follow along, then read the written report before you remove contingencies.

On inspection day

1. Walk with the inspector when allowed, and note systems they flag.
2. Ask what is safety-critical versus maintenance.
3. Read the full report before removing contingencies.

• What is a home inspection?
• Buying a home inspection
• Schedule a home inspection