What’s in a home inspection report?

This article:
A home inspection should be ordered before you purchase a property. The report covers:

• Structure (roofing and foundation, walls, ceilings, attic, walls, roofs, etc.)
• Interior
• Exterior (including Windows)
• Systems (plumbing, electrical, heating, cooling)

You may have to replace or repair defective items.

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What is a home inspector?

The American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) defines a home inspection as “an objective visual examination of the physical structure and systems of a house, from the roof to the foundation.”

It’s important to note the word “visual” there. What’s visible often provides clues to bigger, hidden problems and those should be highlighted in the report. But they don’t always, and home inspectors won’t hack away drywall or dig around to expose foundations. They’ll assess the things they can see and check the systems they can check.

Related: Should I not go forewords after a terrible home inspection?

So, for example, they’ll be unable to establish the effectiveness of an HVACs cooling system in the dead of winter because there won’t be hot air to cool. And they won’t be able to check many systems at all if mains electricity, water and gas have been cut off in the property. These must be reconnected by the owner before inspection day.

When things go wrong

You get your home inspection report and it’s relatively clean. All reports reveal minor issues but yours doesn’t flag up anything too scary.

Related: Home inspections (recognizing deal-breakers)

You decide to buy your home. Then, months later, there are major problems. What can you do to fix these problems?

Who do you need to sue

NOLO, a legal website, says the first course of action against sellers is likely. If the issue is major, it’s likely they knew about it. They failed to comply with their legal obligation to disclose a material (meaning severe) defect.

Related: What is a home assessment?

But your home inspector might also be responsible. It will depend on whether he or she should have noticed the defect: whether another more careful inspector would have picked it up. You may be able to sue the other person for negligence, professional negligence or breach of contract.

However, it’s a mistake to see an inspection as a form of home warranty. If you want that level of protection, you’ll have to buy it separately. A report is only a snapshot of the home’s visual condition on a given day. It does not guarantee that there will be any problems.

Insurance for inspectors

Most home inspectors carry professional liability insurance — also known as an errors and omissions (E&O) policy — as well as coverage for general liability. It is required in some states.

Similar Article: Home Assessment (Check these systems prior to buying a home)

However, in others, it isn’t. Wherever you are, you should check your inspector’s insurance. This will not only ensure there’s enough money to compensate you. It will also mean you’re dealing with a rational, unemotional player.

Think about lawsuits involving doctors: it’s often the insurer who insists on settling while the clinician would fight all the way to the last ditch to protect his reputation.

What does a home inspection report cover?

ASHI recommends a list of items that are typically addressed in an inspection report.

1. Heating system
2. Central air conditioning system (temperature permitting)
3. Interior plumbing and electrical systems
4. Roof
5. Visible insulation in attic
6. Walls
7. Ceilings
8. Floors
9. Doors and windows
10. Foundation
11. Basement
12. Structural components

It’s hard to imagine a professional home inspector not covering all those in depth. The closest thing to a national standard is however. ASHI’s Standard of Practice document. It is important to ensure that your inspector follows this or similar.

If you find anything concerning the home, you can ask the inspector for an inspection. You should make your request before the inspection. Alternatively, you can attend the inspection and ask any questions you wish.

What depth can a report go?

Total Home Inspection has a checklist that inspectors can use. It runs to seven pages so let’s look at a sample section to see the sort of detail a report might contain. This section focuses on attics only and was taken directly from the THI website.

Attic

• No stains on roofing’s underside, especially near roof penetrations
• There is no evidence of decay or damage to this structure
• Properly installed insulation (moisture barrier installed near the heat area of your house) and sufficient insulation
• All mechanical ventilation is operational with adequate ventilation.
• There are no plumbing, exhaust, or appliance vents that lead to the attic.
• No open electrical splices

Related: How to Waive any real estate contingencies.

To repeat an earlier caveat, inspectors can report only what’s visible. And ASHI’s code of practice bars inspectors from exploring attics where insulation material is so thick they can’t see where it’s safe to tread. In the code’s words, they must not “traverse attic load-bearing components that are concealed by insulation or by other materials.”

Access

These access issues can cause a report to be less valuable. And they don’t just apply to attics.

ASHI, for example, states that inspectors shouldn’t enter crawl spaces that have less than 24″ of ground clearance.

Related: How to buy good house?

Similarly, a home inspector can’t be expected to clear furniture and boxes to make a path to something that needs inspecting. This could be the ventilation system or furnace in an attic.

You also can’t expect an inspector to take a machete to the backyard to check the sewerage system or view the foundation or wall structure. You need to ensure that the inspector has access to all elements of your inspection.

What’s in …

An inspector will normally check the function of most kitchen appliances, providing they’re installed rather than freestanding. ASHI lists those as “ovens, ranges, surface cooking appliances, microwave ovens, dish-washing machines, and food waste grinders.”

You basically turn them on and off to check that they are working in primary function mode during normal conditions. So we’re not talking here about checking that the oven’s thermostat is accurate or that the microwave’s door seals are sound or that the dishwasher cleans plates as well.

… and what’s not

Laundry appliances aren’t usually tested, even if they’re installed. There are also other exclusions.

Related: 5 Pitfalls to Avoid When Buying a Home

For example, inspectors won’t comment on the condition of (let alone the current owner’s taste in) paint or wallpaper or other wall finishes, nor carpets or other floor coverings. You can see it yourself.

They won’t check on the functionality of recreational equipment, so get in a specialist to assess the bowling alley in your next basement. And they won’t look at central vacuuming systems, nor the hermetic seals or coatings in windows.

Manage your expectations — and your inspector

By now, you should have a better feel for what’s going to be in your home inspection report. It won’t cover absolutely everything. And the biggest exclusion is that it only relates to what’s visible.

Related: What you can expect on the inspection day.

A home inspector can be a great way to find a professional licensed or certified with the necessary experience, qualifications, expertise, and knowledge to identify potential problems in your new home.  So make sure you choose a good one — and then manage her so you make the most of her abilities.

Ask the homeowner for easy access to all items the inspector requires. Any questions or concerns you may have, be sure to inform your inspector. Attend the inspection to have the inspector talk you through any issues.

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