You finally bought that home – your dream home! Or maybe you bought your first investment property – or maybe it’s your hundredth. Whatever the case may be, very likely you are going to need a home inspection.
Every area of the U.S. and Canada seems to have different standards as to what is inspected – and who is qualified to do so. So that leaves many people asking the question “What is included in a home inspection?”
The FULL answer is completely dependant on where the home is located. But for the most part, home inspectors tend to have a similar standard of what they inspect and to what extent they inspect it. Below are the standards that are most common to see in many areas.
A home inspection is a visual inspection of the home and components which are accessible on the day of the inspection. While it is “visual”, most home inspectors will get into areas like the attic and crawlspace and such – which typically require removing a panel.
A home typically covers all of the major components of your home, but not sub-items (things such as cable wires, internet, satellite dishes, solar panels, and things like these.
This typically includes:
- roof, vents, flashing, and trim;
- gutters and downspouts;
- skylight, chimney, and other roof penetrations;
- decks, stoops, porches, walkways, and railings;
- eaves, soffit and fascia;
- grading and drainage;
- basement, foundation, and crawlspace;
- water penetration and foundation movement;
- heating system;
- cooling system;
- main water shut-off valves;
- water heating system;
- interior plumbing fixtures and faucets;
- drainage sump pump with accessible float;
- electrical service line and meter box;
- main disconnect and service amperage;
- electrical panels, breakers, and fuses;
- grounding and bonding;
- GFCIs and AFCIs;
- fireplace damper door and hearth;
- insulation and ventilation;
- garage doors, safety sensors, and openers;
- and much more!
Every State/Province is going to have different regulations (or none at all in some cases). InterNACHI is the world’s largest home inspector association, and many State regulations are based on their standards. To review their Standards of Practice at www.nachi.org/sop.htm for complete details