What to Expect During a Home Inspection
The inspection is your best chance to find out what you are actually buying. Here is how the appointment works, what the report will and will not tell you, and how to respond to what it finds.
Fact-checked and reviewed by a licensed home inspector (ASHI #A-4471) by Ray Whitfield. Read our content review process.
A general home inspection is a visual, non-invasive examination of the accessible parts of a house. It usually takes two to four hours, costs $350 to $700 depending on square footage and region, and produces a report of 30 to 80 pages. Almost every report contains alarming-sounding items. Very few contain deal-breakers.
What happens on the day
The inspector arrives before you and starts outside: roof, gutters, grading, siding, foundation visible above grade. Inside, they work through systems — electrical panel, water heater, HVAC, plumbing under sinks, visible framing in the basement or crawl space, attic insulation and ventilation. They run appliances that convey, test a sample of outlets and windows, and photograph everything.
Attend if you can, and arrive for the last hour. That is when the inspector has formed a view and can walk you through what they found in person, which is far more useful than reading it later.
What is covered — and what is not
| Included | Usually excluded | Common add-on |
|---|---|---|
| Roof surface from ladder or ground | Anything behind finished walls | Drone or walked roof inspection |
| Electrical panel and visible wiring | Inside walls, buried lines | Thermal imaging scan |
| HVAC operation and age | Duct interiors | Sewer lateral camera scope |
| Visible plumbing and fixtures | Under-slab plumbing | Radon test |
| Attic, crawl space if accessible | Sealed or blocked spaces | Mold or air-quality sampling |
| Grading and drainage at the house | Septic system function | Septic inspection, well water test |
| Structure visible from inside | Engineering assessment | Structural engineer report |
Reading the report without panicking
Inspectors document everything, including a loose handrail and a missing outlet cover. Sorting matters more than counting. Group findings into four buckets:
- Safety — double-tapped breakers, missing GFCI protection near water, gas leaks, structural movement, active water intrusion. These get addressed regardless of who pays.
- Major systems near end of life — a 22-year-old furnace, a roof with two years left. Not emergencies, but real money on a known timeline.
- Deferred maintenance — caulking, grading, gutter extensions, tree limbs on the roof. Cheap now, expensive if ignored.
- Cosmetic — everything else. Note it, do not negotiate it.
Negotiating after the inspection
Your options are usually: ask the seller to repair specific items, ask for a credit at closing, ask for a price reduction, or proceed as-is. Credits are generally better than repairs, because a seller motivated to finish cheaply will hire the cheapest available contractor.
Be selective. A request listing 34 items reads as a buyer looking for an exit and often produces a flat refusal. A request naming three significant items, with contractor estimates attached, tends to get answered.
When to bring in a specialist
General inspectors are generalists by design, and a good one will tell you when something is beyond their scope. Call a structural engineer for stair-step foundation cracks or sloping floors, an HVAC contractor for a system that cycles oddly, a licensed electrician for aluminum branch wiring or a panel brand with a known failure history, and a roofer for any roof the inspector describes as at end of life.
New construction still needs an inspection
New homes fail inspections regularly — missing insulation, unstrapped water heaters, backwards-installed flashing, ungrounded circuits. Builders' internal quality checks are not independent. Consider two inspections on new construction: one before drywall goes up, and one at final walkthrough.
Frequently asked questions
Can I skip the inspection to win a bidding war?
You can, and in hot markets some buyers do, but you are accepting unlimited unknown repair risk. A middle path is an information-only inspection: you keep the right to know, and waive the right to renegotiate.
Who pays for the home inspection?
The buyer, almost always, and it is paid at the time of service rather than at closing.
How long does a home inspection take?
Two to four hours for a typical single-family home. Larger or older homes take longer, and additional tests such as radon require the equipment to sit for 48 hours.
What if the seller refuses to make any repairs?
You can accept the house as-is, walk away within your contingency period, or propose a credit instead. In a strong seller's market, as-is is common — which makes knowing the condition even more valuable.
Does the inspection determine the home's value?
No. That is the appraisal, which is a separate report ordered by your lender for a different purpose.
Editorial note. This article is general guidance, not a substitute for a professional inspection. If you suspect a gas leak, electrical fault, structural damage, or any condition that may be unsafe, leave the area if necessary and contact a licensed professional or your utility immediately.
