What does a home inspection cover?
A standard home inspection covers the visible and accessible parts of a house: structure and foundation, roof and exterior, heating and cooling, plumbing, electrical, interior surfaces, insulation and ventilation, and built-in appliances. It does not normally include things that are hidden, such as inside walls, or specialized tests like mold sampling.
The systems an inspection normally includes
Inspection standards vary by state and by the association the inspector belongs to, but the core list is consistent.
- Structural integrity: foundation, framing, floors, walls, and signs of movement.
- Roof and exterior envelope: roofing material, flashing, gutters, siding, windows, and doors.
- HVAC and ventilation: furnace, air conditioning, ductwork, and venting.
- Plumbing and water systems: supply lines, drains, water heater, fixtures, and visible leaks.
- Drainage and moisture: grading, downspouts, basement or crawl space moisture.
- Electrical safety: service panel, wiring type, outlets, GFCI protection.
- Fire and gas safety: flues, chimneys, gas connections, smoke and CO detectors.
- Interior conditions: floors, walls, ceilings, stairs, doors, and windows.
What is usually outside the scope
An inspection is visual and non-invasive. Inspectors do not open walls, move heavy furniture, or dismantle equipment. Items such as septic systems, wells, pools, radon, mold, asbestos, and pests are typically separate inspections or tests, ordered on top of the general one when there is a reason to.
How Askitect covers the same ground
Askitect evaluates photos against nine coverage areas: structural integrity, roof and exterior envelope, HVAC and ventilation, plumbing and water systems, drainage and moisture, fire and gas safety, electrical safety, hazardous materials, and interior conditions. What it can assess depends on what you photograph, so the more of the property you cover, the more the report can cover.
