How do I read a home inspection report?

Start with the summary

Most reports open with a summary that pulls the significant findings out of the full document. It is written for buyers and agents who need the headline before the detail. Read it first, but do not stop there: the summary reflects the inspector's priorities, and something that matters to you may sit further down.

Read system by system

The body of the report is usually organized by system: structure, roof and exterior, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, interior, and so on. Each finding normally has three parts you should read together.

• The observation: what the inspector saw, often with a photo.
• The rating or severity: language such as safety hazard, repair, monitor, or maintenance item.
• The recommendation: what to do next, for example have a licensed electrician evaluate.

Sort findings before you react

A long list of items is normal, even for a well-kept house. Sort them into three groups: safety and structural issues, functional problems that will cost money soon, and cosmetic or maintenance notes. Only the first two groups usually belong in a repair request or price negotiation.

Look for phrases that signal limits on the inspection, such as not accessible, not tested, or recommend further evaluation. Those are open questions, not clean bills of health.

Reading a photo-based AI report

An Askitect report follows the same logic. You upload photos of the areas you want inspected, and the report returns a condition judgment for every major system it can see, with the observation and the severity side by side. Read it the same way: summary first, then by system, then sort.