Home Inspection Checklist

By Tim Carter
©1993-2010 Tim Carter

Summary: Here is a home inspection checklist that should allow you to spot potential problems before you hire a professional home inspector. If you spot a problem that is described below, you may choose to ask some probing questions of the Realtor or the home owner. If the answers you receive don't sound right, you may choose not to make an offer on the house.

The following checklist in NOT intended to replace a full blown inspection by a professional home inspector. Those inspections are detailed (or should be!) and seasoned inspectors can spot evidence of problems that you might otherwise overlook. The purpose of the checklist below is to remove as much of the euphoric glaze from your eyes as possible as you walk through the potential dream house of yours! Take your time and write down the answers to your questions. Once the homeowner or Realtor sees you writing down answers, they will give you crisp responses to your questions!

Exterior:

1. Driveway Condition: Very Good __ Fair __ Poor __

2. Sidewalk and Patio: Very Good __ Fair __ Poor __

3. Topography: Flat __ Sloping __ Steep Hillside __

4. Exterior Drainage - Water drains towards ___ away from ___ ponds ___ at edges/sides of house.

5. Trees / Landscaping: Very Good __ Fair __ Poor __

6. Fencing: Very Good __ Fair __ Poor __ None __

7. Detached garage / shed: Very Good __ Fair __ Poor __

8. Swimming Pool: Very Good __ Fair __ Poor __ None __

9. Gutters / Downspouts: Very Good __ Fair __ Poor __

10. Siding Condition: Very Good __ Fair __ Poor __

Basement / Crawlspace:

11. Wall Cracks / Defects: Very Good __ Fair __ Poor __

12. Evidence of Seepage - Water marks on walls/floors: Yes ___ No ___ Possible ___

13. Crawlspace Vapor Barrier: Very Good __ Fair __ Poor __

14: Floor Slab: Very Good __ Fair __ Poor __

15: Staircase / Handrail: Very Good __ Fair __ Poor __

16: Lighting: Very Good __ Fair __ Poor __

Furnace / Air Conditioning:

17. Equipment Cleanliness: Very Good __ Fair __ Poor __

18. Vent Pipe Condition: Very Good __ Fair __ Poor __

19. Furnace Filter - ASK to see! : Clean __ Fair __ Dirty __

20. Air Conditioner Unit Paint: Looks New ___ Looks Old __

Plumbing System:

21. Water Heater Age - From Serial Number _________

22. Faucets Dripping: Yes __ No __

23. Noisy Drain Pipes when Toilets Flushed: Yes __ No __

24. Visible Corrosion on Pipes: Yes __ No __

25. Sinks and Tub Drainage: Slow ___ Normal __ Fast __

Electrical System:

26. Main Service Cable: Very Good __ Fair __ Poor __

27. Extra circuit breaker space: Yes ___ No ___

28. GFCI outlets at wet/sink locations: Yes ___ No ___

29. Outdoor outlets: Yes ___ No ___

30. Adequate room receptacles: Yes ___ No ___

Kitchen:

31. Cabinets / Tops: Very Good __ Fair __ Poor __

32. Appliances: Very Good __ Fair __ Poor __

33. Flooring: Very Good __ Fair __ Poor __

Baths:34. Fixtures: Very Good __ Fair __ Poor __

35. Flooring: Very Good __ Fair __ Poor __

Windows:

36. Do windows operate? Yes ___ No ___

37. Insulated glass - Windows fogged? Yes ___ No ___

38. Drapes / Shades: Very Good __ Fair __ Poor __

Doors:

39. Operation : Smooth __ Rub against Frame ___

40. Lock Operation: Very Good __ Fair __ Poor __

Fireplace:

41. Overall appearance: Very Good __ Fair __ Poor __

42. Damper operation: Smooth __ Hard to operate ___

Roof:

43. Appearance: Looks Worn ___ Looks New ___

44. Metal Flashings: Rusty ___ Painted ___ Poor ___

Attic:

45. Minimum 14 - 18 inches Insulation: Yes __ No __

46. Visible mildew or damaged wood: Yes __ No __

47. Visible soffit and ridge ventilation: Yes __ No __

48. Visible water leaks: Yes __ No __

49: Functioning Storage Space: Yes __ No __

50. Access: Very Good __ Fair __ Poor

Comments:

Clint Gossett
04 Mar 2008, 16:06

This is a Great Checklist and covers nearly eveything one needs to check! Very Helpful!

Mary Dolban
31 Aug 2009, 14:59

My new hardwood floor has been scratch and I want to know if there is a reason to wait till the winter. The builder is saying that he will not warranty the floor from moving in the winter. I've asked friends and they said as long as the floor is climatized it can be fixed in the summer.

tammy phillips
18 Oct 2009, 10:48

We have two doors to our house - both in the kitchen and dining area. We have bulkhead in the basement but there are no stairs to it. I we going to pass the inspecion? Also, how many fire extinguishers do you need in a home to pass inspection? We are trying to sell our home.

Thanks

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