Home Inspection Items: The Comprehensive Examined List
Buyers often ask for “the home inspection checklist,” but what they usually want is the list of items an inspector actually examines. The two are related but not the same. The checklist describes the process; the home inspection items list describes the targets. This guide enumerates the items — every system, component, and condition a standard home inspection covers — organized in the rough sequence a professional inspector follows. Knowing the items in advance helps buyers attend the inspection productively, ask better questions, and read the resulting report without confusion.
How the standard items list is defined
Two trade organizations publish the authoritative scope. The American Society of Home Inspectors publishes the ASHI Standard of Practice. The International Association of Certified Home Inspectors publishes the InterNACHI Standards of Practice. Both documents list the items inspectors are required to examine and report on for a residential home inspection to be considered complete. The lists overlap substantially; this guide reflects the combined scope.
The standards define what is examined, not how exhaustively each item is examined. Inspectors examine visible, accessible portions of each item. They do not open walls, dismantle equipment, drain systems, or move stored property. That non-invasive scope is what makes a home inspection different from an engineering survey or a specialty assessment. The hiring a home inspector buyer’s guide covers when the non-invasive scope is sufficient and when escalation to a specialist is appropriate.
Foundation and structural items
The foundation is the inspection’s first stop because every system above sits on it. Examined items include:
- Foundation walls (poured concrete, concrete block, stone) — visible cracks, settlement, displacement
- Foundation drainage — grading slope away from house, downspout discharge location, perimeter drain visibility
- Basement or crawl space floor — slab cracks, evidence of water staining, efflorescence
- Sill plate and anchor bolts — visible from the basement or crawl space interior
- Floor joists and subfloor — sagging, water staining, insect damage, sister-joist repairs
- Beams and posts — load-bearing structural members and their connections
- Stairs to basement and between floors — tread height consistency, handrail, structural integrity
On the Front Range, expansive bentonite clay soil drives foundation movement in Douglas, Elbert, and Arapahoe counties. Inspectors document differential settlement (one part of the foundation moving more than another) carefully because it predicts future structural issues.
Exterior items
The exterior envelope keeps weather out and conditioned air in. Items examined include:
- Siding material and condition (wood, fiber cement, vinyl, brick veneer, stucco) — gaps, missing pieces, water damage
- Trim, fascia, and soffit — paint condition, rot, insect damage
- Windows — frame condition, glazing seal integrity, hardware operation
- Exterior doors — fit, weatherstripping, hardware
- Decks, porches, and patios — structural condition, ledger board attachment, railing height and integrity
- Driveways and walkways — heaving, cracking, drainage
- Retaining walls — lean, drainage holes, structural condition
- Exterior outlets and lighting — function and weather sealing
Roofing items
Roof access varies by home design. The inspector walks the roof when safely possible, or examines it from a ladder at the eaves, or uses a drone for steep or fragile roofs. Items examined:
- Roof covering material and condition (asphalt shingles, metal, tile, etc.) — age estimate, damage, missing pieces
- Flashing at chimneys, vents, and roof-wall intersections
- Gutters and downspouts — attachment, slope, blockage
- Roof decking — visible from attic side when accessible
- Chimney exterior and cap
- Roof penetrations — vents, plumbing stacks, exhaust caps
- Skylights — frame and seal condition
Plumbing items
Plumbing inspection covers supply, drainage, and fixture function. Items:
- Water main shut-off location and condition
- Visible supply piping (copper, PEX, galvanized, PVC) — material type, leaks, corrosion
- Visible drain, waste, and vent piping
- Water heater — type, age, capacity, T&P valve, expansion tank, venting
- Toilets — fill, flush, leaks at the base
- Sinks and tubs — drainage flow rate, faucet function, P-trap condition
- Showers — drainage, surround condition
- Sump pumps and ejector pumps when present
- Hose bibs — function and freeze protection
Electrical items
Electrical inspection covers service, distribution, and fixture function. The professional inspection checklist guide covers the electrical methodology in more detail. Items:
- Electrical service drop or lateral — type and condition
- Service entrance conductors and meter
- Main panel — amperage rating, brand (some panels have known defects), breaker condition, double-tapping
- Sub-panels when present
- Grounding system — visible ground rod, panel grounding connections
- Branch wiring sample — visible wiring type (NM cable, knob-and-tube, aluminum, copper)
- GFCI protection in required locations (kitchens, bathrooms, garages, exteriors, basements)
- AFCI protection in required locations (bedrooms, living areas in newer construction)
- Outlets — proper polarity and grounding, working condition
- Switches and lighting fixtures
- Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors — presence and location
HVAC items
Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning each get examined:
- Furnace or boiler — type, age, capacity, last service date if visible
- Heat exchanger visual inspection (visible portion only)
- Combustion air supply and venting
- Air conditioning condenser unit — age, refrigerant line insulation, condition
- Evaporator coil (visual where accessible)
- Ductwork — visible portions for damage, leakage, insulation
- Air filter condition
- Thermostat function
- Supply and return air registers in each room
- Exhaust fans in bathrooms and kitchen — function and termination point
Interior items
Each room receives a walk-through examination. Items per room:
- Walls and ceilings — cracks, water staining, settlement evidence
- Flooring — material type and condition, evidence of moisture or pest damage
- Doors — function, hardware, fit to frame
- Windows — operation, locks, seal condition
- Closets — visible structure, evidence of moisture in interior walls
- Fireplaces — damper, glass doors, surround condition, gas log line if present
Appliance items
Built-in appliances are tested for basic function. Items typically examined:
- Kitchen range or cooktop — burners light, oven heats, vent fan operates
- Built-in microwave
- Dishwasher — fills, runs, drains
- Garbage disposal
- Built-in refrigerator if present
- Laundry hookups — water supply, drain, dryer vent termination
Portable appliances (freestanding refrigerator, washer, dryer) are typically tested if they convey with the property but may not be tested if marked as not staying. Confirm with the inspector at booking which appliances will be operated.
Insulation, ventilation, and attic items
The attic is the inspector’s window into the home’s envelope quality. Items:
- Insulation type and approximate R-value
- Attic ventilation — soffit and ridge vent presence, air flow path
- Roof decking from underside — water staining, daylight visibility
- Plumbing vents — proper termination
- Bathroom exhaust fan terminations
- Recessed light cans — IC rating if visible
- Evidence of pest or rodent activity
Safety device items
Safety items get specific attention because they protect occupant life:
- Smoke detectors — presence, location per code, age
- Carbon monoxide detectors — presence near sleeping areas
- Fire extinguishers if present
- GFCI and AFCI testing
- Stair handrails and railings
- Window operation as emergency egress
- Garage-to-house separation (fire-rated door, gasketing)
Items typically excluded from standard inspection
The boundary of what’s included matters as much as what is. Standard inspections typically do NOT include:
- Radon testing (separate test, add-on)
- Mold sampling beyond visible identification (separate)
- Asbestos and lead testing (specialty labs)
- Pest inspection (specialty pest control company)
- Sewer scope (specialty service, often add-on)
- Well-water quality testing
- Septic system pumping and dye testing
- Swimming pool and spa equipment inspection
- Detached structures unless contracted separately
- Code compliance verification (an inspection identifies safety issues but is not a code compliance review)
The complete home inspection scope guide covers which add-ons are commonly bundled with the general inspection.
How items convert into a report
For each item, the inspector documents one of four conditions: functional (operates as intended), not inspected (with reason), defective (specifying the defect), or further evaluation recommended (issue identified that needs specialist diagnosis). Photos accompany defects. Severity is usually categorized as safety hazard, major defect, repair recommended, or maintenance observation. Reading the report requires understanding these categories — a “safety hazard” needs immediate attention before occupancy, while a “maintenance observation” can wait until the next service visit.
How buyers can prepare for an items review
Before the inspection, walk the home yourself and make notes of anything unusual: stains, sounds, smells, missing items the seller mentioned. Bring those notes to the inspection. As the inspector works through each items category, raise your questions. The hour you spend walking with the inspector is the highest-density home-buying education you’ll get. After the inspection, read the report twice and bring follow-up questions back to the inspector. Most will answer at no additional charge within a reasonable post-inspection window.
How items get prioritized in the report
Not every item examined ends up flagged. Most items are simply documented as functional or noted in passing. The items that get prominent treatment are those with safety implications, significant repair cost, or unusual condition relative to the home’s age. A 25-year-old water heater functioning fine gets noted with an “approaching end of useful service life” advisory. A 5-year-old water heater leaking at the T&P valve gets flagged as a defect requiring immediate attention regardless of its age. Severity and context drive how each item appears in the final report.
What buyers should not expect from the items list
The items list is what’s examined, not what’s guaranteed. A standard inspection cannot guarantee no future defect will appear. A water heater that tests fine on inspection day can fail two weeks later. A roof in good condition can leak in the next hailstorm. The inspector’s job is to identify conditions present on the day of inspection. Latent defects (issues not yet manifesting), future failures, and post-inspection damage are outside what the items examination captures. Buyers planning to rely on the items list for absolute risk certainty are setting unrealistic expectations.
References
- ASHI Standard of Practice items list — American Society of Home Inspectors
- InterNACHI Standards of Practice scope — InterNACHI
- HUD home inspection scope guidance — U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
- ICC residential code reference for inspection scope — International Code Council