Home Inspection Checklist

HOME INSPECTION CHECKLIST BY A-PRO®

Below, you’ll find several home inspection checklists – broken down by category – along with more detailed notes that will help you understand the importance of each system within a home. We aim to teach our clients how in-depth the A-Pro® 500-point home inspection is. An A-Pro® 500-point inspection translates into over 1800 visually and/or mechanically tested systems and components.

We invite you to ask and compare our competitors’ home inspection checklists so that you can experience the A-Pro Report Difference.

GENERAL INSPECTION GUIDELINES

Deferred maintenance can indicate major problems when buying a home; take your home inspection checklist.
Beware of homes where deferred maintenance is evident. The cost of servicing the house and bringing it up to standard can run into the thousands.
Beware of homes with obvious plumbing and electrical work, as well as structural additions and renovations that were not installed professionally or installed by the homeowner; correcting these defects can cost thousands of dollars.
A-Pro will issue a full written report detailing what is wrong, why it needs servicing, and what needs to be done to correct the uncovered defects. We will also report the home’s positive attributes to help you decide and understand everything correctly.
Checklist-based (i.e., checking good, fair, poor) home inspection reports are inadequate. A good inspection is detailed and precise and will not leave you wondering what to do next.
Your A-Pro® inspector’s door is always open for future questions and follow-up. Our goal is to help you make educated decisions for what we know is one of the most significant investments of your life.
When visiting prospective homes, take a copy of the home buyers’ home inspection checklist below. You will find this checklist to be an invaluable resource to help you remember what you have seen, and it will be an essential aid when you accompany your A-Pro inspector.

STRUCTURE HOME INSPECTION CHECKLIST

Please familiarize yourself with the following systems and components and the home inspection checklist at the end of each section; this should give you a good idea of what your inspector will look for with their trained eye. Defects in the walls, roof framing, exterior wall framing, interior framing, or cracks in the foundation may indicate a serious structural problem that may be the result of poor structural design, foundation settlement, poor construction techniques, improper structural modification, water damage, termite damage or other causes.

Raising a house to replace damaged structural components or underpinning a defective foundation wall is a significant expense.
The home inspector has the experience, education, and expertise to evaluate structural problems. This is one of the reasons why retaining a “CHI®” Certified Home Inspector to conduct your home inspection instead of a home inspector who is not “CHI®” certified is advantageous.
Ensure your A-Pro®, CHI™ Certified Home Inspector performs a “Foundation Level Survey”™ (SECTION 2.01) to determine potential structural defects.
Please note that most standards of practice do NOT require home inspectors to check the foundation levelness. For example, foundation-level testing is not required by ASHI®, NAHI®, or InterNACHI®.

Discover what your A-Pro home inspector evaluates by clicking here for a detailed structure home inspection breakdown.

ROOFING HOME INSPECTION CHECKLIST

Please familiarize yourself with the following systems and components and the checklist at the end of the section; this should give you a good idea of what your inspector will look for with their trained eye.

Wear on a roof may be visible if the wear is very advanced, but a roof starting to age is a more subtle defect. Your A-Pro inspector will be able to expose both visible and nuanced issues.
Resurfacing a roof can be a huge undertaking and costs thousands of dollars; if the existing roofing surface needs to be removed before re-roofing, it can cost even more. The seller may pay this significant expense if it wasn’t identified in the disclosure documentation.

Discover what your A-Pro home inspector evaluates by clicking here for a detailed roofing home inspection breakdown.

EXTERIOR HOME INSPECTION CHECKLIST

Please familiarize yourself with the following systems and components and the checklist at the end of the section; this should give you a good idea of what your “CHI” A-Pro Home Inspector will look for with their trained eye. The siding or exterior of the house should be carefully inspected because it can also cost thousands of dollars to repair or replace.

Homes constructed before 1978 may contain lead paint, which can be problematic if the paint surface deteriorates. Lead-based paint is hazardous to your health. In some cases, an X-ray evaluation of the paint surface for lead content may be recommended. To properly eradicate lead paint can cost thousands of dollars.
Replacement of older windows can cost thousands of dollars too. Your A-Pro inspector will make sure you don’t overlook this possible deficiency.
The land around the home should be properly graded and able to divert water away from the home. This will help to reduce the possibility of water intrusion into the home and also help prevent potential vermin activity.

Discover what your A-Pro home inspector evaluates by clicking here for a detailed exterior home inspection breakdown.

ELECTRICAL HOME INSPECTION CHECKLIST

Please familiarize yourself with the following systems and components as well as the checklist at the end of the section; this should give you a good idea of what your inspector will be looking for with their trained eye.

There are many home wiring safety hazards with electrical systems. The government claims over 46,000 fires per year are caused by home electrical systems. Your CHI-certified A-Pro home inspector can help you identify these hazards before signing on the bottom line.
At the outset of the electrical inspection, your inspector will determine the size of the service to judge if it is adequate, as installing an upgraded electrical service into a home can cost a thousand dollars or more.
The electrical system will be checked by removing the cover plate from the electric service panel. Once the wiring is exposed, we will look for problems such as undersized or over-sized wiring, burned wiring, over-fused circuits (the fuse or circuit breaker is too large for the wire size), improper wiring connections, openings in the panel, unprofessionally installed wiring, and the like.
In addition to checking for an adequate quantity of electrical switches and convenience outlets in the house, the outlets should be checked for open ground and wiring reversal conditions.
We will also ensure GFCI receptacles are appropriately installed, for example, near wet areas, sinks, bathrooms, etc.
Your home inspection report will note exposed wiring, dead-ended wiring, and other faulty wiring as a safety hazard.
Homes wired in the mid-60s to mid-70s may have aluminum wiring; if so, your inspector should determine if an approved retrofit has been installed at the wiring connections. If not, a potential fire safety hazard exists.
If the home is very old, it may have knob and tube wiring. According to HUD, Knob and tube wiring is acceptable if found to be in good condition and a minimum of 60-amps. Otherwise, this is obsolete wiring that can be hazardous. Extensive rewiring replacement can cost thousands of dollars.

Discover what your A-Pro home inspector evaluates by clicking here for a detailed electrical home inspection breakdown.

INSULATION/VENTILATION HOME INSPECTION CHECKLIST

Please familiarize yourself with the following systems and components and the checklist at the end of the section. This should give you a good idea of what your “CHI” A-Pro Home Inspector will be looking for with their trained eye.

Insulation keeps your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
What are the Recommended Levels of Insulation for a home?
Proper ventilation in a home is more important than many home buyers may think. Inadequate ventilation in an attic can result in accelerated deterioration of the structural roof deck. If this occurs, a significant expense will be incurred to remove and replace the roofing shingles, roof deck, and roof rafters in extreme cases.

Discover what your A-Pro home inspector evaluates by clicking here for a detailed insulation/ventilation home inspection breakdown.

PLUMBING HOME INSPECTION CHECKLIST

A-Pro will determine the type of pipe that supplies water to the house from the municipal main in the street.
Remember that all buildings settle and that over time, usually 25-30 years or so, the plumbing under the foundation may begin to cause problems, such as slow-draining pipes and repetitive clogs. Since these problems can cost over ten thousand dollars to repair, you may ask your “CHI” home inspector to perform a pipeline video inspection. An inspection of this type typically costs about $350 and can quickly pay for itself.
Old lead and galvanized steel water supply pipe replacement cost thousands of dollars. A-Pro will check the piping distribution in the house for this type of material and its condition, looking for deterioration, incompatible piping materials, and leaks.
A-Pro will carry a moisture meter to evaluate any suspected plaster or wallboard on the ceilings and walls caused by water leaks. Replacing the piping network in the walls and ceilings is a significant expense that can cost thousands of dollars.
Your inspector will check all fixtures and faucets for proper operation and bathtub and shower enclosures for integrity.
Replacement of tiles or a shower pan in a bathroom can run in the thousands of dollars.

Discover what your A-Pro home inspector evaluates by clicking here for a detailed plumbing home inspection breakdown.

COOLING & HEATING HOME INSPECTION CHECKLIST

A-Pro will test the central air-conditioning system to be sure that it is cooling properly.
Replacement of an air-conditioning compressor can cost two to five thousand dollars.
Defective furnace heat exchangers is not always easy to uncover and can release deadly carbon monoxide into the home. Replacement can cost three to four thousand dollars.
Leaking boiler systems will also require replacement at three to five thousand dollars.
A-Pro will check for satisfactory heat distribution and piping or ductwork conditions.
Your inspector must carefully investigate safety concerns such as defective controls, inoperative emergency switches, and evidence of past malfunctions and carbon monoxide emissions.
Plan on replacing any system twenty years or older with a modern, efficient heating system.
Beware of unique problems associated with radiant floor heating and other floor-type heating systems as they may cause a safety hazard.
The “CHI”™ A-Pro Home Inspector should advise you to have underground oil storage tanks tested for reliability; a leaking underground oil storage tank can cause thousands of dollars of environmental damage.
Another environmental concern is the existence of insulation that may contain asbestos, which is especially hazardous if the material is friable. Your inspector will advise you to have any suspect material laboratory tested.

Discover what your A-Pro home inspector evaluates by clicking here for a detailed cooling & heating home inspection breakdown.

INTERIOR HOME INSPECTION CHECKLIST

The basement areas of the home should be thoroughly checked for signs of water intrusion, such as stains, mildew, odor, dampness, efflorescence on the wall and floors, and damaged or cupping floors, which is often caused by moisture. These defects can cost thousands of dollars to repair.
A-Pro will look for waterproofing systems, sump pumps, and so forth, in the basement, which can help to reduce the risk of flooding. If a house needs waterproofing measures, this can cost thousands of dollars.

Discover what your A-Pro home inspector evaluates by clicking here for a detailed interior home inspection breakdown.

BUILT-IN APPLIANCE HOME INSPECTION CHECKLIST

Please familiarize yourself with the following systems and components as well as the checklist at the end of the section. This should give you a good idea of what your inspector will look for with their trained eye.

Replacement or repair of defective appliances can cost hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. The systems tested are as follows: dishwasher through its normal cycle.
A-Pro will test the dishwasher through its normal cycle, range, cooktop, oven, and trash compactor. Garbage disposal, ventilation equipment or range hood, microwave oven, central vacuum system, and any other built-in appliance.
An additional fee may apply to non-built-in appliances such as clothes washers and dryers, freezers, refrigerators, and ice.
It’s important to note that while your A-Pro CHI-certified inspector is required by ISHI standards to inspect all built-in appliances, such requirements do not exist under ASHI®, NAHI®, or InterNACHI® standards of practice.