What to expect at a home inspection

As a home buyer, the home inspection is your last chance to uncover defects with the house — and potentially get the seller to pay for them — before sealing the deal.

As a seller, you want to know what the inspector will look for so you can be prepared for their visit and help everything go as smoothly as possible.

Here’s what to expect during a home inspection:

• A home inspector will look at things like a home’s foundation, structural components, roof, HVAC, plumbing, and electrical systems, then provide a written home inspection report with results
• A home inspection generally takes two to four hours, but may take more time depending on the size of the house. After the physical inspection, the home inspector may take a couple of days to send the written report
• Buyers should attend the inspection so they can explore their new home in detail and ask questions during the process. This can give you much more information than the report alone.

Don’t be concerned with the number of defects listed on your report — many will be so minor you won’t bother fixing them.

Instead, pay attention to the severity of the home’s issues. Some problems can be deal-breakers.

If serious problems turns up, talk to your home inspector and real estate agent about your best ways forward.

What do home inspectors look for?

Here’s a full list of what the inspector will review, according to the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI):

1. Heating system
2. Central air conditioning system (temperature permitting)
3. Interior plumbing and electrical systems
4. Roof
5. Attic, including visible insulation
6. Walls
7. Ceilings
8. Floors
9. Windows and doors
10. Foundation
11. Basement
12. Structural components

Clearly, the inspector isn’t going to tear your home apart to inspect piping and wiring. But the more an inspector can access, the more complete the final report will be.

What to expect from a house inspection as the home seller

It’s in your interest as a home seller to provide quick and easy access to everything on that home inspection checklist. Here are some ways you can help:

1. Leave keys (for instance, for your electrical panel), and label where the inspector can find them
2. Make sure all pilot lights are on for fireplaces and furnaces, even in summer, so the inspector can check the heating and other appliances
3. Tidy your basement. There needs to be an unobstructed path down the steps and through to your furnace/HVAC unit/water heater and anything else that needs inspecting
4. Tidy your attic same as your basement
5. Clean up key areas in your yard so the inspector can easily access your crawl space, drainage access points, or septic tank
6. If the home is vacant and the utilities have been shut off, have them reconnected

Being helpful won’t necessarily buy you a better report, but even professionals appreciate thoughtfulness.

No home is perfect

A home inspection checklist can be a valuable tool when you’re selling a property. If you know what an inspector’s going to be looking for, you can sort out minor issues in advance.

Of course, nobody’s expecting perfection. It’s very rare to see a blemish-free home inspection report. And it may be you’ve already negotiated over some known issues and they’ve been reflected in the price.

However, cherry-picking small problems that are quick, easy, and inexpensive to fix can drastically shorten the list of defects a report turns up. And the shorter that list, the better the chances of your sale closing without quibbles.

How to get a better report

Inspectors are people, too. And just like everyone else, they associate a clean, sweet-smelling house with homeowners who care for their property. It will do you no harm if the inspection starts off from that perspective.

Chances are, you recently prepared your home for showing and it’s already in close-to-perfect condition. But look around for new defects. If a shingle has slipped from the roof or a pane of glass has cracked, get them fixed in advance.

Similarly, if your furnace or HVAC is temperamental or is overdue for maintenance, get it professionally serviced.

This is not the time to carry out expensive projects. But you might as well go for any quick wins that are available. After all, your buyer’s likely to try to leverage any black marks in the inspection report for a lower price. Who knows? You might even save a few bucks.

Who pays for a home inspection?

The buyer usually pays for the home inspection. However, on making an offer, some insist the seller pays. So that’s an item for negotiation.

Sometimes, sellers get their own home inspection before they first offer the home. That can reassure potential purchasers. And it can provide the owner with a chance to fix issues ahead of the marketing of the property.

However, not all buyers are willing to accept a report paid for by the seller. In fact, experts recommend that buyers choose their own inspector, someone without ties to either the seller or the seller’s Realtor.